7 Things You Must Get Right to Create a Cozy and Functional Living Space

Your living spaces play an integral part in your lives. Quite practically, it’s where you eat, relax, unwind after work, sleep and perform your day-to-day activities. Since you spend so much time in these spaces, it’s important that they are built to provide you comfort.

But how can you go about creating a cozy, relaxing space with a homely feel without compromising on functionality?

Upgrading Your Living Space

It may be surprising to know that certain interior designing techniques can influence the state of your mind and make your living space appear cozier. Likewise, certain furniture, designs and lighting can contribute to clutter.

By using the right combination of lights, furniture and design strategies, you too can achieve a living space that is not just pleasing for the eyes but also easy on the mind. Here are nine ways to do just that.

1. Two-Toned Walls

Paint can have a significant impact on the overall look of your room. It can either transform your space to open it up or make it look smaller and closed off. All of this depends on what colors of paint you use and how far up you paint your walls.

A popular interior design technique is to paint your walls in two different tones. Using two different colors achieves a stylish look and gives you the opportunity to experiment however you want.

There are several color combinations you can opt for. Soft greens, pinks and blues are a great way to create the feel of airy space. In comparison, harsher browns and reds are great for painting the backs of firewalls or TV lounges – places where you need to radiate warmth.

2. Avoid Overstuffing

Decorating your space is fun. Buying new ornaments, finding corners for tables and hanging shelves on the wall is exciting, however, don’t get carried away by adding unnecessary items that can clutter the space.

Clutter can make your room look untidy as well as unwelcoming. An alternative for those who want to hold on to their items is renting a storage space. If you’re based out of the Washington area, Arlington WA storage has some great deals and an extensive range of spaces for those looking for secure self-storage options.

Additionally, avoid buying oversized furniture, buying items with an odd pop of color or filling in every wall with shelves and hangings.

3. Customize Your Lighting

Lighting is another key component that plays a major role in dictating the essence of the room. Using bright and harsh lighting evokes strong emotion and energy whereas dimmer lights help provide a calming effect.

Moreover, warm lighting in the tones of red and yellow provides a cozier atmosphere whereas cooler lights with a white and blue hue have more energy. While there is no such thing as a perfect combination of lights for a room, it can be helpful to install a variety of options in your room. You can also use color-changing bulbs to adjust as the mood desires.

Depending on the time of the day you can adjust the brightness and hue. For a cozier room however, it is recommended to keep overhead lighting at bay and natural lighting as a priority.

4. Add Family Photos

Adding family or personal photos to the layout of the wall helps make it feel more personalized and inviting. Thiscan help calm anxiety, alleviate mood and add a homely touch to the room.

If you’re planning to do so, it can be helpful to choose photos that show an important milestone or fragment of your life. These can be family photos, wedding photos, candids, collages showcasing various achievements or pictures from your childhood.

Before placing the photos, choose matching frames and interchanging the sizes of each frame. The key to achieving the best photo layout is balance.

5. Texture

The importance of texture in interior design can’t be overlooked. Texture is an umbrella term referring to the outer appearance of any object such as rugs, carpets, wood or stone that make a space appear more interesting and lively.

Textured décor items provide a 3D feel to the room and prevent it from looking flat. Invest in a soft and light rug if you want to make your room cozier. They’re a great way to add texture to the room without making it look overcrowded. You can either get a plush rug for maximum texture or a patterned rug for those that favor patterns and color.

6. Accessorize

Adding in a bunch of throw pillows, ornaments, vases and plants may seem unnecessary to many homeowners, but it adds character. Depending on how you place these items, they can add a pop of color, style, and make your space look comfier.

For starters, try buying throw pillows with multicolored covers. You can easily enhance the look of your sofas and beds by throwing these cushions onto them. While there’s no set number of pillows you can add, you can always mix and match the styles to see what fits best.

If you’re a plant lover, it can be helpful placing tall potted plants in the corners of each room. It helps make the space look more welcoming and livelier as well.

7. Don’t Forget Your Windows

While most people consider this irrelevant, placing curtains on your windows can take your room’s appearance to the next level. Curtains help add dimension and flow to a room, making the room look more open and breathable.

Depending on the colors and patterns you choose, you can drastically change the aura of your home. If you’re feeling frisky, you can even add in curtains with shapes and animal prints to bring your room to life.

Final Thoughts

Your living space represents your personality, mood and preferences. Therefore it is important that you pay attention to both interior and exterior design, as well as functionality to achieve the ideal level of comfort.

A cluttered space can affect your mood and affect overall productivity! We hope that the tips listed above help you kick start your journey towards interior decor.