Cozy Home Decorating Tips

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December 5, 2006

The days are slowly getting longer, but winter is holding on tight. Take advantage of the extra decorating time afforded by its last bitter chills with these quick, simple cozy-corner tips. A few luxurious (real or fake) fabrics, some fast color changes, or no-sweat furniture re-arrangements can give a home the warm fuzzy feeling it deserves. In fact, you might like your new rooms so much that you wish for snow.

Fire It Up

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Candles are natural symbols of warmth and hearth. Gather a bunch of various shapes, sizes and colors and arrange them on end tables, mantels, or coffee tables. Place them in front of mirrors to bounce light, filling the room with a nice warming effect. Show your creative side by experimenting with groupings of votives, tea lights, or bold candlesticks.

Re-Group Furniture

Create seating nooks with existing furniture and home features. If you have a fireplace, make it the focal point of the room. Move furniture closer to it and stack a number of brightly colored pillows nearby. Or create a nook near a window that gets lots of sunlight. Another idea is to re-arrange loveseats and ottomans around a large area rug for a cohesive look and feel.

Color Helps

If your current décor and schedule allow it, choose a warm yellow, red, or terra-cotta paint color and re-paint a main living or family room. Or just use your new color on one wall as an accent. Complement with textured area or floor rugs that go along with the new color and your current upholstery.

Use Fabrics

Vibrant, textured, fabrics will make any space feel more inviting. Drape tablecloths over dining room, end, or hall tables. Chair covers are a great way to quickly change the look and feel of a room. Invest in a set, or get crafty and make your own by
following these simple directions.

Other ideas for fabrics: Place velour, fuzzy, or chenille throws on the backs and arms of couches and loveseats. Use runners in hallways. Incorporate warm-colored linen napkins into place settings, or layer fabric on your window treatments. For example, add a valence or a darker shade of velvet or faux silk drapes to your existing curtains.

Read All About It

Stack books and magazines on end tables, on shelves, and on coffee tables. Or stack coffee table books and use as a makeshift end table. Not only does this help give your space that “readable” feel, it is also a nice reminder of the reading you’ve been meaning to catch up on. With this subtle décor addition, you can combine one of those great throws with a book and spend a blustery afternoon safe and snug on your couch.

Warmth Is In the Air

Nothing makes a house feel like home better than fragrance. Use scented candles or other fragrance-spreading systems to infuse your space with a delicious aroma. Cookies from the oven, mulberry, cider, and other fall and winter fragrances will stir up your senses and shoo away any unwanted shivers.

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