Most of us are spending more time than ever before at home this year, and with that in mind many of us are choosing to invest in our homes a little more to make them even more cosy and comfortable. Small changes can make a big difference in terms of improving the overall feeling of your home. If you’re interested in making your home more cosy without breaking the bank, read on for my top 4 tips for making your home more cosy on a budget.
1. Lighting Is King
There’s nothing that can transform a room quite like lighting. It’s one of the easiest ways to set the mood, yet it is one of the things that is often most overlooked in a home. There are so many ways you can use lighting to make your home more cosy, but one of my favorite tricks is investing in a beautiful oriental lamp. Not only does it allow you to create a special mood with the soft lighting, but the beautiful detailed lamp also enhances the style of the room and many of them cast stunning patterns around the room. With so many options to choose from, it might be hard narrowing it down to just one!
Beyond adding new oriental lamps, another great way to transform the mood of your room with lighting is with dimmers. I really enjoy having lighting dimmers in the bathroom, so when I’m taking a long hot bath I can dim the lights, light some candles and enjoy a relaxing spa-like experience at home. Likewise in the evening it can be nice to set the overhead lights low, and have a few lamps on to set a nice mood in the living room. Adding a dimmer transforms your standard lights into a multitude of options, allowing you to customise the lighting to suit your mood.
2. Add Cushions
I’m a big fan of cushions and they’re relatively inexpensive, too. I love having a few cushions on my couch so that you can move them around to make sure you’re comfortable and well supported no matter the position you’re in. Cushions can be also used as extra seating on the floor in a pinch, so I am always sure to have a few larger ones available just in case. They’re also an easy way to add a pop of colour or personality to your couch, but your living room isn’t the only place you can add cushions to make your home more comfortable. If you’ve got quite firm dining chairs, you might find it nice to pop a cushion on each to make it more comfortable. Adding a few cushions to your bed can also make it feel more luxurious, like you’re staying in a fine hotel. Consider playing around with different inserts for the cushions too, having some with down, for example, and others with a more standard cotton filling.
3. Candles Add Double the Value
As I’ve mentioned above, lighting plays a huge role in how a living space feels, especially during the evening. Candles are a wonderful way to incorporate a softer light, and a way to get a feel of the coziness a fireplace can bring to a home if you don’t have one. But the main reason candles are on my list is because they make your home smell divine. You might underestimate how much smell impacts your senses, but think back to the last time you were in a luxurious spa or hotel – chances are you probably remember exactly how it smelled, right? Why not recreate this feeling in your home by burning some of your favourite candles during the evening.
4. Plants Make You Feel Alive
With spending more time at home than ever before, we can start craving the outside world. Depending on where you are, you might be able to leave freely to enjoy life as normal, or you might be in lockdown, stuck at home and unable to explore as normal. Bringing a little of the outside world inside can help make your home more cosy, while also brightening your mood and ensuring that your home is properly oxygenated too! Look for small pockets in your home that you can add a pop of colour with a plant. If you’re quite inexperienced with keeping plants in your home, or have a tendency to overwater them, consider sticking to easy to maintain plants like cacti, which are very trendy at the moment.
Your home should be your sanctuary, your place to escape the craziness of the world, allowing you to relax and unwind each day. Hopefully with these four tips, you can create a space that feels cosy, from investing in beautiful lamps, through to adding in some pops of colour with your favourite plants.