today I want to share with you some of the ways that I like to create a home that feels calm cozy and really like a retreat.
our homes are where we start and end our days, they're also where we relax and unwind a place where we can escape from life's daily stresses, so today I want to share with you a handful of simple ways that you can carve out a safe cozy space in your home design an environment that supports your personal well-being.
let's get started with a big picture strategy that really influences everything that, we're going to talk about today and that's to incorporate all five of your senses so in creating a cozy space I think immediately our minds just go to okay what am I seeing but we really want to look more holistically at that idea of coziness of warmth in a home, and often it isn't just what you see but it's also what do you touch what are the textures around you what do you smell is there a beautiful scent, or Aroma in this room what are the tastes that are associated with it.
maybe you really picture a cozy warm tea when you think of just that cozy feeling in a home where perhaps it's freshly baked cookies that you can enjoy with loved, ones so each of our five senses really does have a huge role to play in contributing to creating that feeling of a warm and inviting environment.
so really think through what do you hear what do you see what do you smell ? what do you taste and what do you touch by focusing? on each one of those senses individually it's really going to help you to nurture a home that doesn't just look cozy but that feels cozy as well I feel like coziness can be a bit of a difficult word to describe.
but it's just that feeling that you get when you walk into a room or you walk into someone's home and just immediately the tension in your shoulders relaxes you feel like you can exhale and it just is a place of comfort and a place of rest.
so I think in wanting to design a space that exudes that calm and cozy feeling considering the five senses is a great place to start now let's dive into some more specific ideas that will help you to Foster that environment on the visual
side of things something that I find really does make such a difference is keeping your space, tidy there's something about clutter and small messes scattered everywhere that really does disrupt the feeling of calm in a space.
it's almost like instead of looking around in our eyes landing on things that promote a sense of peace and Tranquility our eyes scan the space and instead see tasks and to Do's which can make it difficult to relax so something that can really help.
is just establishing tidying routines and habits in your home that can help keep clutter and small Messes in check, then also too if there are a lot of things in your home that just aren't serving you or adding value to your life letting go of them can be a really easy way just to minimize clutter in your home and again that's going to create that calm and tranquil environment, the real goal with this is just to make it so that when you're looking around your space your eyes don't see work that needs to be done.
but rather, a space that you can relax and unwind in speaking of unwinding something else that can really amp up the Cozy factor in your home, is to make your bedroom a retreat I think for many of us our bedrooms can be a bit.
of an afterthought, after all they're not the spaces that we're welcoming others into, it's often just us maybe a significant other so it can be easy for our bedrooms, just to be a bit neglected I know ours was for years but this space really is so key it's the primary area in our homes where we rest and unwind.
so make your bedroom a space that you're excited to go back to every night, fill your bed with soft and inviting textiles maybe your love a cool crisp sheet or the texture of linen you want to make your bedroom a space that you just walk into and it immediately helps you to relax.
this is something that I did earlier this year in our home, I completely redid our bedroom and it has made such a difference not just in my overall enjoyment of our space, but also I've been sleeping better since doing so and something that I find that a lot of us can tend to forget about, but that can completely transform the vibe of a space is to consider the scent or the aroma of your home a pleasant scent really is one of the quickest ways.
that you can promote a sense of warmth and relaxation in your home, just think of that feeling when you walk into someone's house and the moment that you open the door, it's a really pleasant smell just hits your nose and it immediately puts you in the best mood what I love too.
is that there are so many ways that you can incorporate the power of scent throughout your home, whether that's through burning scented candles having a beautiful smelling hand soap for guests or your family to wash their hands with you can bake cookie season that is one of the best smells in the world.
you can do a simmer pot really whatever your brand of cozy is whether you want to have those relaxing spa-like Vibes or that Huga cozy winter night feeling, you can really use scent to play that up and to enhance that feeling and especially, if you're more of the sentimental type, but I really do think that this can be for anyone it's to fill your home with memories whether it's through Family Photos pictures or various items that you may have picked up on travels or something else that's really personal and meaningful to you filling your home with Decor that reminds you of time spent with loved ones fond memories or different Adventures really can be an instant way that you can make your house.
feel like a home back when we first moved into this house pretty much as soon as we'd finish unpacking the first thing Christopher told me was that he needed everything hung up on the walls.
as soon as he said that he felt like he was living in a model home, and it wasn't really until we started hanging up some of our pictures our paintings and various memories that he really began to settle into this space and to him.
it only really felt like home once we'd had those memories displayed so this really is just such an impactful way to give your home that personal meaningful touch and something else that I like to do in so many ways throughout my home.
is to incorporate nature whenever I spend significant time outdoors and in nature, I'm always just so overwhelmed by a sense of peace and calm so I just love that idea of bringing, that sense of Tranquility in some small way into my home a few of my favorite ways to do this are through house plants.
I also love decorating using fresh flowers, but this can also be something as simple as a beautiful arrangement of branches or some pompous grass in a vase whatever Direction you decide to go natural elements like these really do have an incredible way of breathing new life into a home and promoting a sense of peace now let's talk a bit about how we can warm up what can either be the gloomiest or coziest part of our day.
that's our evenings I feel like that time after the sun has gone down really does have the potential either, to be dark dreary and just kind of sad or a beautiful and just very huge time in our homes, that difference all comes down to a few simple choices that we make so especially as our nights are getting longer at this time of year a few things that I love to do are number one to embrace very warm lighting there really is something about soft warm lighting that is just so comforting.
I think part of it might just be that it reminds us of the flickering flames of a fire so lighting really is key but then also too I love incorporating music and just
having soft gentle music playing in the back background that really can be one of those things that instantly helps us to unwind we haven't talked much about taste yet but a really nourishing hearty meal can be a great addition the same
goes for a comforting drink I'm a big tea person myself but whether your go-to is coffee hot chocolate maybe even warm milk something that can definitely promote that sense of calm all right but then another big one is just to promote
screen free options I find that often in our homes especially in the evenings we can default to screen time just because that's what's in front of us whether that's our phones or TVs well there's something undeniably cozy about a movie
night with loved ones where you just go all out you make popcorn you snuggle up with blankets you pick a fun movie all of that think that often it's those screen free options that provide a far more enriching experience so what I'd recommend doing is either to introduce
or just to make more visible screen for three options in your home so this may look like adding a bookshelf in your living room to make your books easier to see and to reach for keeping board games easily accessible or having supplies for a hobby whether that's water coloring embroidery crocheting whatever that may be nearby so you can just take those out and practice that Hobby in the evenings this is really just all about trying to make small shifts in our homes to make.
those screen free options an easier Choice as a default then another idea, that I love is just to create cozy nooks in your home try to design a small vignettes or Corners in your home, that just emanate warmth and invite you to spend time in them this could be a comfy couch or chair.
that's just loaded with blankets and pillows it's just asking to be read in or corner of your bedroom, where Everything feels just right every time you walk by it you feel tempted to take a nap I think you can really let your imagination run wild with this spaces like.
these really do act as almost an invitation to further comfort and relaxation, then I want to end this with what I think is one of the most important pieces of advice I can give you and that's don't sweat the small stuff.
the secret to a Cozy home isn't about everything being perfect, but it's about the atmosphere that you Foster so if you've had a long week and things are a bit messy or maybe you have kids and they're causing a bit of a racket while.
you're trying to enjoy a peaceful evening don't worry about it in that moment choose to see that mess is a sign that your home, is well lived in and that noise your kids are making as a sign that you've created a safe and loving
home just embrace it for what it is rather than being stressed, or annoyed by it that's only going to increase your sense of relaxation and internal peace so I really hope this is giving you some ideas and inspiration a ways that you can make your home just a bit Cozier now.
