Create a Cosy Living Room

Create a Cosy Living Room

by | Oct 24, 2023 | Inspiration

With the weather getting colder and the days getting shorter, you might be thinking about preparing your home for winter. One of the best things you can do to make your home feel warmer (aside from central heating) is to create a cosy atmosphere through your interior design and accessories. The living room is at the centre of most homes, so in this blog, we’ll go through some tips and ideas for how to create a cosy living room ready for winter!

Use a warm colour palette

One of the quickest ways to transform your living room into a warmer and cosier space is to use a warm colour palette. Warm colours have been shown to have the psychological ability to cheer us up and make us feel more comfortable. Rich and deep colours, such as burnt oranges, deep reds and earthy tones are in trend this Autumn and work really well to create a warm atmosphere in your home. Warm tones of blue, containing hints of red, or warm greens with hints of gold can also give your room a snug feel if you’re not a fan of red or orange.

Repainting your walls or large furniture is the best way to create an impact but for a quicker fix, you could just swap out some smaller accessories and furniture items for warmer colours. Check out our door replacement service for a quick and easy way to transform your existing furniture.

Layered thick and soft textures

Another fun way to create a cosy atmosphere in your living room is to layer soft textures and thick materials. The most common way to do this is to use thick blankets and fluffy pillows on a textured sofa or seating area. This could also be achieved by using rugs layered on carpet and decorating with art made from fabric materials, such as macrame.

Layers of soft furnishings are perfect for bringing a cosy living room vibe, but can also help you to balance your patterns with plains and keep your interior looking modern. Read our guide to adding texture to your home.

Top 10 Gallery Walls Inspiration

Create a gallery wall

If you don’t have the time or budget for a full revamp of your living room, you can get clever with wall decor to create a cosy atmosphere. Create a gallery wall using your favourite framed pictures and art prints to add depth and interest to your living room. Filling your wall with imagery will remove the empty space that makes a room feel more spacious therefore creating a cosier vibe. This would also work by creating decorative shelving displaying objects such as books, sculptures and candles. However, you shouldn’t overdo with it decorative items, as your living room will feel cluttered and make it hard to relax.

Use seasonal scents

Scents have been shown to trigger feelings and add to an atmosphere so can be used to add a sensory experience in our home. Why not add some seasonal scents to your living room to create a warm and cosy atmosphere? Winter-warming smells typically include spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg or sandalwood. A popular way to add scents to your home is to use wax burners, candles or reed diffusers that can visually create a homely atmosphere as well as fill the room with a scent.

Cozy Living Room: Tips for Creating a Relaxing and Comfortable Gathering Area - Melanie Jade Design

Choose soft lighting

Lighting is one of the most important elements of creating a cosy living room atmosphere. A harsh white spotlight can immediately ruin an otherwise cosy interior, whereas a warm, dimmed light can help to accentuate a cosy atmosphere. Prioritising table lamps or floor lamps instead of overhead lighting helps to create a more close and homely atmosphere. By creating small areas of warm light you can illuminate certain areas for a function such as a reading corner or a coffee table, rather than brightening the whole room unnecessarily. Another option is to use candlelight and lanterns to create an even more cosy ambience.

 

We hope you enjoyed this blog and feel inspired to mix up your living room interior to create a more cosy atmosphere. If you are looking to read more, take a look at our blog about how to make your bedroom feel warmer leading up to winter.

 

Autumn 2023 Interior Trends

Autumn 2023 Interior Trends

by | Oct 5, 2023 | Guides

This year, Autumn Interior trends are all about being bold, and colourful with a lot of retro inspiration. With rich colour combinations, vintage finds and a 70’s comeback, you’ll be sure to find a trend that inspires your Autumn interior makeover.

Playful shapes

In contrast to the minimalism trend that has lasted for the past few years, 2023 interior design has been much more exciting. Including bold colour contrasts and interesting shapes, this fun and playful style will continue into Autumn 2023. Think asymmetric sofa shapes, geometric candles and vases and abstract art decor, anything goes! These unique adaptations of traditional home decor add an element of interest to your room that grabs attention and creates a fun and lively atmosphere.

Check out these Bubble Glass vases by Anthropologie.

 

Rich & bold colours

Colour is one of the most important elements in interior design and changing your paint or furniture colours can change the feel of a room instantly. If you’re looking to update your interior colours, an autumn colour scheme can stand the test of time. 2023’s autumn colour trends are based around rich and warm colours that create a cosy atmosphere, perfect for the colder weather. Deep reds and browns make a bold statement and create a feeling of warmth and comfort, especially if used in large amounts, such as for walls and large furniture. If these warm tones aren’t for you, contrasting shades of green have been on trend during 2023 and are set to continue throughout Autumn. A dark green creates a cosy autumnal vibe but can be contrasted with lighter shades such as sage green.

 

Wall-to-ceiling colour

Another 2023 trend that creates a cosy, autumnal atmosphere in your home is wall-to-ceiling colour. Painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls enhances a room’s cosiness by creating the appearance of a lowered ceiling making the room feel warmer, especially if using a warm colour paint. If you have particularly high ceilings that make the room feel cold during Autumn, you can use a darker colour on the ceilings to create the impression of a lower ceiling. Terracotta is one of the most popular Autumn shades this year and when used on walls and ceilings it can create a soft, warm light which produces the calming sensation of a sunset.

If you’re looking for more interior tips to make your home feel warmer check out this blog.

Vintage & second-hand finds

With more and more people valuing sustainability and choosing to shop second-hand, buying vintage and second-hand items has become a trend in itself. For Autumn 2023 we are going to see this vintage trend evolve into more of a 70’s style. Rich earthy tones with pops of bright colour and bold geometric patterns. Darker woods and distressed finishes also lend themselves to a 70’s theme and match the rugged and relaxed feel of Autumn. Reclaimed and custom items also make a space feel more personalised and homely.

We hope that you have enjoyed this summary of Autumn 2023 trends and that you feel inspired to give your home a 70’s-inspired Autumn makeover. If you liked this blog, be sure to take a look at some of our other blogs.