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7 easy ways to make your house look and feel cozier, according to a home editor
You're getting warmer! Here's what to do — and what to buy — to amp up the cozy vibes.
Is there anything better than snuggling up on your sofa on a chilly fall or winter day? I'm a longtime home editor, so maybe I'm biased, but I truly believe the answer is no. Creating a cozy home can do wonders for your mood when the temperature drops, and you don't even have to change all that much to give your space a warmer, more inviting aesthetic.
You may have heard the Danish word hygge (pronounced "hoo-ga") used to describe this concept. Though it's a bit hard to translate, hygge is all about creating a quiet space where you can relax and feel protected from the outside world. Hygge housewares include fuzzy sheepskins and candles, and they're a great starting point for cozying up your house.
But keep in mind: This is all about small, simple changes. You don't need to buy a ton of stuff or swap out all your decor to give your house a warmer look and feel. A few updates like layering a chunky knit throw over your comforter or using warmer-toned lightbulbs take just a few minutes, and they don't cost a ton of money. Try out some of my tips, and you'll be feeling toasty in no time.
Have fun with fuzzy textures
Velvet, felt, mohair and other textured fabrics work great for creating coziness because they're naturally soft, thick and warm. They also add a moody look to a space, perfect for long nights sitting in front of the fireplace. When you shop, keep an eye out for materials that look and feel nubby and fluffy.
Oversized bolsters and pillows with rounded shapes are everywhere this year, and this velvet pick represents the best of both worlds. It measures a whopping 23.6 inches long, so it's really the only accent pillow you need on an armchair or bed. (I also like this velvet sphere if you really want to embrace the round pillow trend.)
These table-protectors save your surfaces from rings and drips — and they look good doing it! The different sunset-inspired colors come in handy for keeping track of who's drinking what.
If you've shopped for any furniture in the past couple of years, you've probably come across the fuzzy, nubby material called bouclé. It's often white and often covering armchairs. This ottoman shows a different way to use the fabric, and the color is so soothing! I'd pair this ottoman with a neutral armchair and stash all my extra throw blankets inside.
Light candles
There's something so romantic and soothing about the soft glow of firelight. Step up the cozy factor by choosing woodsy-, earthy-scented candles — think cedarwood, teak, pine and moss. Or go for that just-baked-cookie fragrance with notes of cinnamon and sugar.
Lulu Candles
No baking skills? No problem — you can still give your house the warm, fragrant scent of a pastry-shop! Essential oils give this candle its spicy-sweet fragrance.
The name of this candle says it all! It has notes of pine, cinnamon and balsam fir, plus orange for a bit of zest. As one shopper wrote, "I love the look and smell of this candle! It's perfect for when the weather starts to get colder and gives a cabin-in-the-woods vibe."
I recently went to a home design show in New York City, and it seemed like every brand was displaying colorful glassware. Consider this lovely multi-colored set jewelry for your dinner table — all you need are some simple white tapers, and you've got instant cozy lighting. And at $15 for 12, they're a total bargain.
Layer up
Just like you do with your clothes, you can layer fabrics in your home. Place a little sheepskin rug over your carpet or add an extra quilt to your bed: the snugglier, the better!
I bought a sheepskin rug nearly a decade ago and it's lived in nearly every room of my house. I've placed it on the floor by my bed (such a treat for my toes!), over the arm of a sofa and on hard dining chairs to make them a little more comfy. Faux sheepskins like this are available nearly everywhere, but they rarely come at such an affordable price. Plus, this one gets more than 2,600 five-star ratings.
Brooklinen
One foolproof way to add coziness to your house is with textured pieces, and this quilt perfectly fits the bill with its ribbed design. The muted olive color would look beautiful against a cream or white duvet cover. And though Brooklinen bedding doesn't come cheap, I find that it holds up for years — and only gets softer with age — making it well worth the money.
Decorate with natural materials
Wood and leather add lots of warmth to a space, especially if they're in colors like brown, caramel and tan. If you're not into the rustic aesthetic, you can still do this with more boho-looking materials including rattan and jute.
This tray is covered in burlwood, which comes from a tree's knots and growths — and is beloved by interior designers for its unique swirling pattern. Unsurprisingly, this cute find is part of Drew Barrymore's home collection, an editor favorite!
This basket is the epitome of stylish storage: The faux leather looks just-the-right-amount-of-weathered and it has tons of details that make it seem more expensive than it really is. I'd use the small size for books and magazines and the large for firewood.
This is a great price for a natural jute pouf of this size (it's 12 inches high and 20 inches wide). You can use it as a foot rest, sure, but it also can serve as extra seating in a pinch. Bring on those holiday visitors!
Choose warmer lighting
Did you know that overhead lighting is the easiest way to ruin a cozy vibe? I'm exaggerating a bit, but this is the season to embrace ambient lighting like lamps and lanterns. A softer glow will encourage you to hunker down and relax, plus it makes your house feel more in tune with the shorter days and longer nights. No need to buy all new fixtures (though if you're in the market for a new lamp, I have suggestions below). You can also swap out your lightbulbs for warmer-toned ones.
You'd never guess this is a high-tech light bulb (it only uses 5 to 6 watts of energy) just by looking at it. The glass has a pale amber coating to warm up the effect even more. Though you can find less expensive Edison-style bulbs, this one is made by one of the most reliable companies in the lighting biz, GE, plus it gets an impressive 4.7 stars from 900 reviews.
Often used in restaurants, rechargable table lamps like this sleek lantern have skyrocketed in popularity thanks to their portability. They look cute nestled on a bookshelf, but because they don't have cords, they can work pretty much anywhere.
This lamp delivers serious style for a really affordable price — I don't often see pleated lamps for less than $100, let alone $50! It's an easy way to add a trendy (but not too trendy) element to your living room or bedroom.
Embrace deeper colors
This wool-blend blanket reminds me of the faux mohair throws at West Elm — but it's less than half the price! The large-scale plaid pattern combines some of this season's best colors (gold, cranberry and chocolate brown) in one ultra-soft package.
If you're obsessed with all things Joanna Gaines and Magnolia Home like I am, you'll want to jump on her collection of rugs with Loloi. They feature rich colors like forest green and terracotta and have vintage-inspired patterns that I'm pretty sure will be in style forever. This rug is machine-washable, so it'll probably last forever too!
Walmart has really been hitting it out of the park with its accent chairs, which toe the line between trendy and timeless. I love the ochre color and swooping arms of this velvet seat — it's the perfect thing to add a little drama and color to an otherwise neutral room. FYI: It also comes in cream, pale blue and red!
Want to make your home more welcoming? Pile on the pillows. This one hits two key cozy factors: It comes in a rich merlot color, plus it's ultra-soft faux fur.
Bring the outside in
I don't necessarily mean bouquets of fresh flowers. Instead, I'm talking about arrangements made from leaves, dried grasses or boughs of pine that reflect what's happening in the world outside. You can even choose faux plants — these days, they're more convincing than ever — if you're worried about keeping them alive.
DIYing a dried grass bouquet is easier than you think. Just grab a vase, then stick in the grasses, keeping the fluffier, softer varieties around the edges and then alternating the others to fill out the center. This grouping comes with 120 stems of pampas grass, bunny tails and reed grass for lots of variety.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I'm all for fake plants — especially when they look as good as this rust-colored arrangement from Joanna Gaines' popular decor line. The leaves are meant to look like rusted silver dollar eucalyptus, and for $20, you get the pretty ceramic pot too. Fall centerpiece = done.