Feeling cosy is emotional as well as physical, and there’s more than one way to make a home warm and inviting.
Creating a cosy nook in your home is ideal for reading, working or just general lounging around. Plus, it works wonders for those small, awkward spaces that aren’t filled easily!
Our resident stylist, Nonci Nyoni, has a host of tips and tricks for turning your interiors into the snug-as-a-bug space you’ve always wanted.
How to make an awkward space cosy and functional
Her fundamentals for a cosy nook? Layers upon layers, not only for soft furnishings, but also for lighting – it needs to be moody and ambient. And, her most important element is “A comfy place to sit!”
Nonci’s best advice for starting to build your cosy space is to ‘pick your favourite things’ and go from there-
“Pick a comfortable seat, an area rug, a table or built-in shelf (to put your drink down as you turn the pages of your favourite novel), a task light (table or floor lamp) and then accessorise with cushions, a cosy blanket and your favourite scented candle, some wall art and a stack of books or magazines!”
Here’s how she styles three different cosy nook ideas: chic, cottage and classic:
1. Stay on-trend with chic homewares
Want the modern take on cosy? Then layer on a mix of toe-tempting textures and snuggly cushions.
On-trend earthy tones connect you with nature and bring a grounded warmth to a room.
- Get earthy: Colour walls in earthy shades of terracotta, soft mustard or mellow brown to enjoy a calming, cosy space the whole year through.
- Add warm timber: Timbers in finishes from light honey to rich brown add a beautiful glow. Avoid white or almost black tones, as these feel cooler.
- Pile up comfort: Think layers and clusters: layers of throws and cushions, and clusters of books, vases and candles. These immediately give the room a fuller, more homey look.
- Tip on the texture: Choose woven elements to add visual interest and tactile warmth. Fluffy throws can be pulled up under your chin and provide contrast with more robust textures from woven rugs and rattan pieces.
Freedom Sorrento fabric modular couch, from $3899
Pillow Talk Frankie Stripe feather cushion, from $69.95
Eadie Lifestyle Wabi throw, from $399.95
Freedom Mosman bookshelf, from $2399
2. Incorporate cottage-core style
Play with a swoosh of floral fabric for a mood as cosy as a Nanna’s hug.
Patterns can fill the room without physically cluttering a space.
- Keep in the heat: Use heavy lined curtains to retain heat in your room and create a sense of intimacy. A bold floral or check fabric in warm colours is pure cottagecore.
- Use lots of little lights: With heavy drapes blocking the outside light, you can compose your own indoor illumination with a mix of wall and table lights and candles.
- Balance light and dark: Balance lighter coloured walls with accent pieces in bolder, darker tones. In this scheme, the dark-hued wall light and velvet cushions in rich browns add visual weight.
- Have a darker base: Deeper-toned timber floors are the perfect base for creating a snug and cosy effect.
Glasshouse Country Couture Cashmere & Nectarine candle, from $59.95
Freedom Lennix fabric bench, from 679
Eadie Lifestyle Evelyn velvet cushion, from $79.95
Tuiss Blinds Online Elysian Paradise fuchsia roller blind, from $215
3. Use classic elements to your advantage
When it comes to traditional cosiness, embrace the dark! Rich colours on the walls and floor have a cocooning effect and make a space more intimate.
You can lift the look by adding pale accents.
- Choose deeper hues: A darker wall colour is rich, dramatic and more enveloping. The effect is to make a room feel cosier and more compact.
- Make a nest: You can easily create an inviting corner by arranging a mix of cushions and a warm throw on a textured fabric chair.
- Get the lights right: Natural sunlight and a fireside glow will immediately warm a cosy corner, but you’ll also need ambient and task lighting to really make it an appealing spot to stay.
- Put out a pattern: Add immediate warmth and opulence to a room with a dark patterned rug. Its decorative design brings visual appeal, while the rug itself helps to insulate the space.
Freedom Sorrento fabric armchair, from $1799
Pillowtalk Gracie Vine jar, from $24.95
Waverley Mills Double Crossed throw in Eclipse, from $399
Freedom Hubert arched wall mirror, from $299
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