15 Designer Tips for a Comfortable and Cozy Home

Our home is a special place. It’s here that we relax, gather together as a family at the dinner table, and draw inspiration for the new day. So even the smallest feature of decor is important here. Modern designers have surprised us on many occasions with their unusual home makeovers, but even if you’re not planning on major changes there are still some tips you can follow to get things looking better.

Here are a few ideas compiled by Bright Side that can help you transform your home with the minimum of effort.

1. The front door creates the first impression



A visitor gets acquainted with your house at the front door. Its appearance is just as important for private homes as it is for rented apartments. If you want to decorate your door, try to add an element of your own personality to it. There are many ideas you can use here: paint it a new color, use a new material, add an attractive number, door handle or flowerpot alongside. You could even put up a welcome sign with a wreath.

2. Stylish things made from unusual bottles



If you have any attractive or unusual bottles originally used for wine or any other kind of drink, don’t throw them away. You can put them to many different uses at home: as vases, for example. Moreover, bottles like this can easily be decorated with beads or a bright pattern and used as an element of celebratory decorations.

3. Decorate a room with variations of a single theme



This could involve the use of any object you can imagine: stones, pine cones, wooden figurines, fruit in baskets. It’s better if the object in question has a rich color to it. You can place it/them in a vase or a bowl, and put it in a prominent position in the room. Your goal here is to place an emphasis on some aspect of the room or decor. If you’re going to use a container, it’ll be best if it’s transparent and simple in shape.

4. Flowers are synonymous with coziness



Flowers have the biggest effect if they’re placed in various corners of your home (on small tables, window sills, chests of drawers) and not grouped all in one place. If you end up with several bouquets of different colors after a celebration, you can divide them up into matching sets. The random placing of flowers at home will give you the feeling that they’re always present in your home — not just around celebrations.

5. The walls of your home reflect your personality



This idea can delight children as much as adults. Empty walls express nothing, whereas photographs, paintings, or unusual ornaments bought on vacation can give your home a dynamic quality, evoke emotion, and change your mood for the better. Give your imagination a little room to breathe, and you’ll find the perfect way to brighten up your walls.

6. Be braver when choosing how to arrange your furniture



A lot of people stick to the rules here, setting out all their furniture at right angles with the sides against the walls. But you can approach this issue with more flexibility. Changing the layout of the furniture to something more original is a simple way to transform a room.

7. Furniture can be the color of the walls or the room’s decor



It sometimes happens that old but beloved objects don’t combine well with the new shade of paint or the pattern we’ve put up on the walls. But if you don’t want to get rid of your favorite chest of drawers, you can just repaint it in a color that matches the new decor of the room. This can help bring more harmony to the room and give a new life to old furniture.

8. The "rule of threes"



The essence of the "rule of threes" that is applied by designers consists in combining three objects with different shapes, colors, or sizes in one composition. For example, you can put a vase, statuette, and a candle on a table together. There are, of course, innumerable possibilities for self-expression here.

9. Take a creative approach to arranging books and other items on your shelves



Books are normally stood up vertically on shelves, but if you try an alternative variation then you’ll notice just how much the atmosphere in a room can change. Don’t be afraid to experiment: change the direction, or add additional objects alongside the books. The main thing to do is to avoid a situation where the books remind you of a rigid system and instead make things more arbitrary.

10. Create something original out of nothing



Four pieces of wood, a few branches from a tree, some tools, and some inspiration are all you need to create this exquisite coat rack. To add a flash of style, paint it or apply a special varnish.

11. A home filled with warmth and light



Cozy blankets, eloquent pillows, soft rugs, and the dimmed light from lamps are the perfect ingredients for creating a pleasant atmosphere at home. A bland, neutral room can thus be transformed into a place of warmth and light. Incidentally, blankets and pillows can be arranged in a somewhat chaotic manner as a way to make people feel they can immediately sit and relax wherever they want.

12. Let your hobbies add something extra to the room



Let your guests know about your hobbies through your home. It’s a great way to get a conversation started, as well as to display your achievements. Setting up a creative corner that reflects your personality is an original and attractive way to brighten up your home.

13. Fill your home with things that cheer you up



It’s the little things in your home that really give it that cozy atmosphere. There’s no downside to buying things that you like for your apartment. It’s also an excellent chance to be creative. You can install an eye-catching protective covering for a power point, for instance, or a cushion with an amusing inscription in an unusual color. Whatever it is, if it improves your mood, then buy it or make it yourself.

14. A set of candles for a cozy evening



Candles of all shapes and sizes lend themselves to the creation of elegant and eye-catching compositions that are perfect for the living room. When put together, they provide more light, which is also useful when you’ve got guests. In this case, however, it’s best to go for light-colored scentless candles.

15. Draw abstract images on the walls to create a unique atmosphere



If deep inside, your soul longs to see mountains and rivers outside the window, yet all you see right now are apartment blocks and traffic jams, then you can always create your own natural scene right on the walls of your bedroom. You’d be surprised how much your mood can change when you have the impression that you’re surrounded by mountains.

Preview photo credit Pam Lostracco

Based on materials from BHG, Miridei, Housebeautiful.

SOURCE: BRIGHTSIDE