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Cozy Living 101

Writer's picture: Vienna  DeFalcoVienna DeFalco

Updated: Feb 11, 2023

Creating a cozy, inviting, environment in your space is another element of designing your interior




Natural light. Warm tone lamps. Wall sconces. Library bookcases. Gallery walls. Candles lit and glowing. Pillows and blankets galore. These are the things that make a cozy space. Whether a kitchen, living room, dining room, or bedroom, your spaces should feel warm, welcoming and make you sigh in relief the moment you enter the threshold of that door. You’re home. You’re safe. You’re in your space!


It has long been assessed that access to natural light creates a more nurturing environment. Are we like plants, needing access to sunlight to grow? Well, not quite….more like our bodies were created to function on the circadian rhythm of the day - meaning sunlight alerts us that it's time to be awake and do the things, while the darker night alerts us it's time to wind down and enjoy the evening (whatever that may be). Access to this circadian rhythm allows hormones like serotonin and dopamine to naturally be created in the body and in turn, help us function at our best.


In addition to access to natural light, implementing greenery in your space allows us access to other living things that share this desire and need for natural light, and also purifies the air within the room.


I like low light situations. They speak calm and cozy to me. So I am one of those people who puts small table lamps in my kitchen and turns on the overhead oven lights at night when I’m not using the kitchen. Add an area rug underfoot in this space, and it creates a pretty inviting space to drink a glass of wine and enjoy a stimulating conversation.


I’m also one of those people who has to have a pillow in my lap to chat on the couch - it helps me focus my thoughts and stay engaged. I also sit criss-cross applesauce on the couch - what can I say - I like being curled up and comfortable! Adding a throw blanket, some pillows, cool coasters for drinks, and light a candle in a little basket caddy on the coffee table? Yeah, that creates a cozy space.


Dining rooms are the home of dinner parties and gathering around food. Food just brings people together - and I like that. Add some candelabras with their tall skinny candles, a mirror on the back wall surrounded by a collection of your favorite pictures/artwork, some place settings that compliment the drinkware? Yeah that is a recipe for a great dinner party.


What I’m trying to get at here is, these things may not have to do with the architecture of your home or the actual material of the house you’re in, but those things are the bones that create the structure to then come in and spice it up, set the stage, the tone, the atmosphere. Design is more than the structure or layout, it goes all the way through to the finishes and placement of every item, to curate a well-rounded space.


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