Invisible Ways to Make Your Living Room Cozy

 

There are a lot of ways you can bring personality to a room, and everyone has a style preference. For a bathroom, you usually want it to be clean and slick, a bedroom should reflect the personality of the person sleeping in it, a kitchen should be a blend of welcoming atmosphere and openness, and a living room should be cozy. A lot of people struggle to pull off a “cozy” feeling in the living room, mostly because they try to overcrowd the room with fluffy pillows – good effort, but not enough. Here are some tried and true invisible tricks that will make the room a cozy and comfortable space you will want to spend time in.

Control the temperature

The first step to being comfortable is having the right temperature of the air. This can be done by installing a thermostat that automatically regulates the temperature, or by simply keeping an eye on the place. If you have a fireplace, you will want to keep the room at a lower heat, because otherwise the fire will make it uncomfortably hot. During the summer, having an air conditioner that can regulate the temperature is a great option, but make sure you don’t go too low, as you don’t want it to be a shock to the system. If you have a mixture of furniture, for example an upholstered couch and some wooden chairs, make sure you throw some pillows and blankets on the chairs, so that they aren’t cold to the touch when someone sits on them. The same can be said about a faux leather couch. Make sure there’s always fresh air in the room, or people will start feeling sleepy, and if you like having a slight scent, light a candle of your choice.

Make it accessible

Nobody likes sitting in a friend’s living room, holding a piping hot cup of tea with nowhere near to set it down. This is exactly why you want to make the room accessible and comfortable, so that anyone can find their way in the space. I called a local handyman in Sunshine Coast to design couch-side tables and shelves that run just behind the back pillows, so that people can have a place to put things. You should also make sure that all of the light switches and outlets are in logical places, as well as make it clear that people are allowed to use that space. If you put down coasters on a table or shelf, it’s a clear sign that you can place a cup there, and by having a blanket thrown over the back of the couch, you’re signaling that you want them to make themselves comfortable.

Choose the right light

If you live somewhere like sunny Queensland, you will want to use all the sunshine that the day has to give. A big window or two, draped with sheer white curtains will help you bring in natural light, make the place look bigger and more inviting. A lot of people opt for using exclusively warm toned light bulbs to make a place look cozy, but too much warmth will actually make people feel sleepier and less comfortable. The best way to go is mixed light, with something like a white light for the overhead fixture and warm bulbs in the corner lamps. You can light a few candles (real or fake) for the mood, but try to avoid string or fairy lights because they will make the place look too whimsical.

With these few tricks that nobody can even see, you can transform any space into a cozy environment. The choice of material, personal décor and details all come second to these three principals, so make sure you get them down first.