Image sourceYour home should be more than just the place where your bed is – it should be a retreat away from the rest of the world where you can put your feet up, relax and unwind after a busy day of working, running errands and looking after the kids. This is something that can only be achieved if your home is as comfortable and cozy as it is possible for a home to be.
Creating a cozy home might seem like a massive undertaking, especially if your property is currently feeling a bit clinical and unloved, but there are actually a lot of very small, affordable things you can do to give your home more warmth and make it a more comfy place to be, on a budget. Here are some cozy on a budget ideas to get you started:
Lots of Layers
One of the easiest and most affordable ways of making your home feel cozier is by simply adding lots of layers to your space. Adding rugs to your floors, blankets to your couch and lots of pillows, cushions, and blankets to your beds will make the whole place feel all warm and snuggly, so much so that you simply won’t want to leave in the morning.
Paint with Warm Colors
A quick fix to instantly lift your home from cold and clinical to warm and inviting is to do away with cool-colored walls and replace them with paint that is warm and inviting. Ideally, you should go for muted shades of brown, yellow, orange or even cream if you want to inject some real warmth into any room.
The Right Curtains
Most people don’t think too much about the curtains they use, but they can make all the difference to the look and feel of a room. Dark curtains are particularly good at creating a cozy atmosphere, especially if they are thick, lined and textured, but curtains in lighter colors can also add to the warmth of rooms where the window is south-facing. So, it’s just a matter of going around your home and working out which curtains will work best in which rooms.
Better Bedding
The bedroom is perhaps the most important place to make cozier simply because it is the place where you go to relax, sleep and rejuvenate after a long day. Luckily, making the bedroom cozier can be as simple as changing your bedding. Instead of putting up with uncomfortable, scratchy sheets, invest in a good cotton set, and instead of an uncomfortable man-made comforter, go for a down version. Finish off with comforter cover that features a cute and inviting pattern and your bedroom will instantly be more comfortable than it was just a few minutes before.
Don’t Leave Out the Lighting
Lighting is more important than many people gift it credit for. Sure, we all know that lighting is important for enabling us to go about our daily lives when the sun sets, but few people realize just how much the right kind of lighting can set the mood.
If you want to create a cozy, inviting ambiance in your home, I would recommend installing dimmer switches, so that you can always use the lighting to set the tone for what you are doing and avoid being exposed to harsh lighting, which can make it more difficult to relax.
I would also suggest that you invest in lots of candles. The soft, warm lighting that they give off is great for changing the mood in any room to one of relaxation, romance or coziness. If you buy scented candles, then choosing soothing aromas like chamomile and lavender, can make the experience of candle light even better than it was before.
Think About Flowers
Adding flowers to the home is a great way to add color, beauty, and warmth to a home. Houses that have lots of fresh flowers dotted around the place just feel more pleasant to be in. Of course, if you want something more economical, going for long-lasting houseplants, instead is also a great way to up your home’s coziness factor and you’ll also benefit from their air purifying properties too.
Create a Quiet Corner
If you live in a busy family home, finding a quiet nook or corner where you can relax is a great way to make, the place feel cozier. This can be as simple as placing a comfy, easy chair in the corner of the living room, or if you have the space, it could mean transforming a spare room into a relaxation room complete with your favorite books, furniture, and relaxing music. You could even transform a shed or summerhouse into a cozy nook if that’s a possibility.
A Log Burner
This will eat up a bit more of your budget than the other things on the list, but if your property is conducive to installing a proper log burning fire, there are few things I can think of that would be better at creating a warm, cozy atmosphere, especially in winter, when the family can gather round the fire, toast marshmallows and tell spooky stories. It really is one of the best things you can do to make your home feel comfier and it’ll probably save you money on utilities in the long term anyway!
Give Your Home a Soul
Of course, if you want your home to be really cozy and inviting, you should fill it with the objects that you really love and which bring personality to your home. A really basic way to do this is by adding feature wallpaper to as many rooms of the home as possible, on just one or two walls. You could also fill the place with personal family photos for a quick injection of soul.
If you have a slightly bigger budget, investing in beautiful artworks you love, trinkets that say something about your personality or a few quirky pieces of antique furniture will help to give your home a more welcoming personality that will ensure that you really, truly love the place.
