Creating Comforts of Home

With the coldest months of the year ahead of us, it’s the perfect time to create all the comforts of home. Achieving a sense of comfort isn’t just created in the literal sense. Beyond physical elements of comfort, there are several ways to utilize design to shift the ambiance of a space bringing feelings of calm, warmth, and coziness. From floor to ceiling, we’re sharing six ways to up your home’s comfort game this winter.

Start with a Clean Slate

Your floors are the foundation of your home’s interior and one of the most highly touched surfaces in your home. Before you begin adding layers of comfort, give this well-loved design element the extra deep clean it deserves. Whether you’re looking to clean your carpet in the master, hardwood in the living room, tile in the bathroom, or luxury vinyl in the mudroom, our Care & Maintenance guide has you covered. Pro tip: while you’re tackling your floors, give your baseboards a good wipe for an ultimate sense of clean.

Add a few Area Rugs

Providing warmth and comfort underfoot, style and structure to a room’s design, and protection to floors beneath, area rugs offer the perfect combination of beauty and function. As cooler weather arrives, add an area rug or two to spaces that typically go bare the rest of the year. Consider the addition of an indoor/outdoor rug to your bathroom tile or entryway flooring. Another way to increase comfort is by layering a super soft rug on top of an existing area rug. The living room is a great space to play with a layered look—think modern, plush atop natural jute. Another easy way to increase the cozy underfoot is by incorporating throw rugs to spaces like a foot of a fireplace or at your bedside.

Design: Rebecca Hay  Photo: Mike Chajecki

Incorporate Extra Throws

Pillows, blankets, and accent throws are a budget-friendly way to add increased comfort throughout the home. From cotton and cashmere to velvet and faux fur, these ultra-soft fabrics not only feel good to the touch but can be combined to add textural interest within a space to create an instantly elevated aesthetic. Extra pillows and throw blankets on the living room sectional or on each bed are wonderful but expected. We get most excited over the unexpected—a faux fur throw on an entryway bench or faux sheepskin-adorned dining room chairs. Get creative with your cozy!

Design/Source: Lark & Linen

Create a Calming Color Palette

The psychology behind color has long been studied. Color can call to mind certain emotions, affect one’s mood, and deliver particular ambiances. Blue, for example, is said to evoke feelings of calmness and serenity, often being described as peaceful, tranquil, and secure. In the below home, gorgeous blue doors set the scene for a serene bedroom retreat by Rebecca Hay. In the space, the designer chose a subtle blue wallpaper that creates a beautiful, soft backdrop, and then worked in shades of royal and deep navy through furniture and décor. What room in your home could use a calming color palette?

Design: Rebecca Hay  Photo: Mike Chajecki

Consider Your Lighting

Like color, lighting has the ability to affect the overall ambiance of a room. Finding the right (Kelvin) temperature is key to creating a comfortable lighting environment, especially when it comes to your ambient (overhead) lighting. Our preference is 3000K, a slightly whiter version of the traditional “warm white” 2700K that most are familiar with. It’s clean and modern, but not overly cool-toned or bright. Consider doing a quick audit of all your light bulbs and replace as needed so you have a consistent temperature base throughout your home. On a space-to-space basis, accent lighting is the perfect way to create a cozier, more intimate feel during the winter months. The addition of a table lamp to create a soft glow or simply a few candles for a comforting flicker.

Invest in Small Updates that Improve your Quality of Life 

Convenience brings comfort. Choose a space and invest in one or two small updates that will make a positive difference in your day-to-day life. In the kitchen, this might mean investing in a tiered organization system for your workhorse drawers. Or, it could mean a new chalkboard wall to keep important dates, lists, and reminders front and center for the entire family. When considering what improvements to tackle, remember that not all updates need to be big, expensive, and overwhelming. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference.

Design: Cynthia Soda  Photo: Stephani Buchman