Just recently I moved to a new apartment. But I didn’t experience the expected joy from the move. I could sit in my favorite Starbucks until the night: work, relax and be inspired. It was more comfortable there than at home. When I felt that I was already 80% coffee, I realized that it was time to return home.
I wondered why I don’t feel drawn to it? Why is it more comfortable in a noisy coffee shop? And in general, what little things make a house a home? And here are the recipes for a cozy home that cannot be exchanged for a cafe. Tested by personal experience.
Tip #1: Ask questions
Well, I decided to make changes in the house. But where to start? Read a smart book, magazine, watch design tutorials on the Internet, or maybe hire a designer? But this would not make the apartment any more comfortable, because everyone has their own concept of “comfort”. It's something personal.
I started with something simple - with questions: “What kind of atmosphere in the house do I generally need? How would I like to feel in each room?”
Don’t rush to throw out old furniture and buy new furniture. The apartment will not become more comfortable. Ask the question: what do YOU want? And for each room, choose at least three symbol words that describe the atmosphere you want to create.
A very cool book on this topic “Breathe Freely”. Makes it clear that before you start global changes in your home, you should first understand yourself.
What kills comfort in the home?
Empty spaces make rooms feel undeveloped. Bare walls, shelves and unfilled areas become uninhabited hearths. A cozy room should not shine with a sterile vacuum, otherwise it will be unpleasant to be in a cottage or apartment. It is important to occupy free space correctly. A lonely sofa, chest of drawers or painting in a heavy frame in a huge room will emphasize the incompleteness of the composition.
Unfinished composition in housing Source expresrabota.com
A cozy home consists of many details, but clutter kills the feeling of comfort. The abundance of trinkets, small items and decor has a depressing effect on the psyche. A feeling of disharmony and chaos is created. Many useless shelves weigh down the walls and disrupt the proportionality of the space.
Comfort killers in the interior Source weheartit.com
Small details destroy the harmonious sound of the design. Old (cheap) sockets, switches and shabby cornices look untidy. Shabby furniture fittings and plumbing faucets with limescale deposits visually destroy the atmosphere of a cozy room. Cleaning items (scoops, brooms, floor rags) and bottles of household chemicals kill the comfort in the house.
Cleaning accessories in the room Source goodslike.ru
If harmony is violated, the interior is psychologically rejected. There are factors that are deadly for a cozy home:
- Broken things. They create a feeling of decay and decay in the design.
- Lagging wallpaper. They look ugly and neglected.
- Crooked curtains. They make the interior untidy.
- Stains on walls and furniture. Marks, worn corners and facades add a sense of untidiness to the space.
- Unpleasant odors. Strong aromas or chemical aroma kill the cozy atmosphere in the home.
- Cracked surfaces and tattered furniture. The premises are perceived as unkempt and neglected.
For good health and a cozy atmosphere, a person needs light. A dark room feels psychologically unpleasant and gloomy. Natural light does not penetrate through thick curtains. A single chandelier in the center of the ceiling will not be able to properly illuminate the room.
Tip #2: Get rid of clutter
My comfort was hampered by things that I haven’t used for a long time, but it’s a pity to throw them away (“it’s a memory”). I'm sure everyone has encountered this problem (our balconies are a temple of memory for unnecessary items). Junk accumulates and collects dust over the years. And old, no longer needed, memories prevent you from enjoying the present. By the way, we have a separate article on the topic of unnecessary things and order in the house
Don’t be afraid to throw out jars, bottles, teabags, boxes - anything you haven’t used for a long time. Yes, these things were once needed, but the time has come for something truly important and new.
Tip #3: Pay attention to the light
I recently traveled around Sweden and noticed one detail: in each apartment there was a paper star-lamp on the windowsill. And the rooms and balconies were decorated with lights. The atmosphere of home comfort and warmth reached me even on the street. I then thought: “This is cool! But just little lights.” We treat light in the house superficially: we hung a chandelier and, at best, installed a floor lamp. And light is a powerful comforter that creates an atmosphere.
Highlight each area in the room with light, avoid dark corners. Place a floor lamp near the chair in which you like to read, hang a sconce over your favorite painting or photo, don’t forget about a table lamp and a chandelier with soft light. And, of course, candles - warm and lively light.
Coziness’s best friend is a dimmer: install it on all lighting sources for the desired atmosphere.
Choosing furniture for home comfort
Properly selected furniture is one of the important elements in creating home comfort. The best option would be furniture in calm color shades. The harmonious unity of the style and design of the room with the installed furniture creates a picture of maximum comfort and beauty.
A huge range of furniture sets allows you to bring amazing and unique design ideas to life. Professional stylists recommend using only natural materials to decorate a comfortable interior:
- tree;
- glass;
- metal, and others.
How to make your home cozy with your own hands, photo
Based on the interior purpose, you should choose both the color and shape of the furniture. It is necessary to pay attention to the little things and accessories that emphasize the complete and laconic design of the room being decorated.
Tip #4: Don't underestimate the importance of the sofa
The sofa is an interesting thing. It’s like an eminence grise: it doesn’t seem to be the basis of the interior, but it influences everything in the room. The sofa carries a great emotional load - it is a place where you can relax and unwind, chat with family and friends, wrap yourself in a blanket and watch TV with your significant other. Take his choice seriously.
“Well, I’ll buy something cheap for the first time,” I mistakenly thought. Mine was uncomfortable and hard, and it broke quickly. I had to go in search of something new and high quality to make the apartment comfortable.
Quality is expressed in beauty and convenience. When choosing, look at the neatness of the seams, the coating, and most importantly, the filler. The ideal filling is down with a thin layer of foam.
A minute of theory: LPPU or latex polyurethane foam is the ideal solution. Unlike simple foam rubber, the bubbles in which burst under load (this causes the coating to sag and lose its shape), latex does not suffer from use, but returns to its original position every time. You can check this by sitting on the couch. See how quickly it gets back into shape. Another surefire way is to ask a consultant or ask to look and touch the layer.
Don't skimp on a decent sofa - this is your comfort. We even have a whole article about this: “How to choose a good sofa?” And how to make it more comfortable - see below.
Tip #5: Use soft graces: blankets and pillows
The blanket often travels from room to room on my shoulders. When I want warmth, I take it out from the depths of the closet. But it can warm not only people, but also give warmth to an entire room.
Blankets thrown over the back of a chair or the armrest of a sofa seem to hint that they live in the room and use it. Cashmere, wool, cotton, checkered or striped. With them, any interior will be more homely and lively.
And the Pillows! To be honest, I only had one. She lay on the bed, covered with a blanket, and performed one function - she transported her to the world of dreams. Pillows can update and even change the interior. Place one on the armchair and several on the sofa, and the room will look new!
But it's not that simple. In addition to beauty, convenience is also important here. If family members, friends, guests, when sitting down, move or remove the pillows, then there is no question of any comfort here. No matter how luxurious the pillow is, first of all it should invite you to sit down.
Here are a couple of lifehacks:
- pay attention to down pillows - they are the softest;
- if you doubt the size of the pillow, make a larger error;
- large square ones for sofas (35-50 cm), rectangular ones for armchairs (30x40 or 40x65);
- the color of the pillow must match at least three things in the interior (curtains, carpet, wallpaper, etc.)
Here is the formula for cozying a sofa = a blanket on the back or armrest + 2 identical pillows in the corners + a rectangular pillow in the center. (More details about the number, location and size of pillows in our article)
There are many useful tips on soft coziness in the book “Home Sweet Home”. I read it in one evening and was inspired to buy new pillows!
Compact folding do-it-yourself laptop workstation
In this instructional article, I want to talk about one of the options for creating a workspace at home, when you want a comfortable place, but there is no free space for a desk (or you don’t want to take it up).
How to do this in just a couple of hours of time and reasonable costs, I want to tell and show with my own example.
This option will primarily be of interest to people who work at home (fully or partially) and do not have a normal workplace or who want to increase the free space in the room by replacing a bulky old workplace with such a compact one. If you don’t want to read how I spread water over the text in my thoughts - go straight to section “2. Purchase"
Lyrical digression
It all started with the latest redecoration of the room. Then it was decided to abandon the large (huge) desk with drawers. “That’s not how I need it,” I thought then, and my renovation went under the motto “out with furniture, give me space.” The only flat horizontal surfaces left were the coffee table (actually for magazines, coffee, all sorts of small things). The computer moved under the TV as a media station, and its place for me was taken by a small 13.3″ ultrabook. Visually, there was 2 times more free space in the room and I was happy until the demands of working at home began to arise. After a couple of days, it became clear that working in the shrimp position on the sofa at the coffee table did not bring any joy, and after an hour or two it brought back pain and “eyes in a heap.” This is where the process of creating a “workplace that does not take up space” began.
Options
Because
one of the main conditions for me was maintaining free space - I was considering the option of a small table within 60x100 cm and about 70-80 cm high. I had a small space at my disposal near the wall
In general, there were two options - either stupidly buy such a table and put it against the wall, or hang the table directly on the wall, getting some advantages (which I will talk about at the end). Suddenly, the idea came that the hanging table could be made not just screwed to the wall, but also removable/foldable. That’s where I stopped, deciding to first rush to the nearest Ikea/Obi.
Purchase
The idea was to buy a tabletop from Ikea, and then purchase various fasteners from OBI and assemble the structure myself. But it turned out that Ikea already has a ready-made table that suits me for a reasonable 2,500 rubles. Realizing that my dream was closer than I thought, I bought it (by the way, that’s why “with my own hands” is in quotation marks in the title - minimal hands were involved, but the article went from the category “wow, I wish I could do that” to “hmm, I can do it too, I’ll go do it”)
The table has dimensions of 50x90 cm. Of the 50 cm, 12 cm is occupied by a fixed shelf and another 38 cm by the folding tabletop itself. When disassembled, you get a perfect surface of 50cm without any noticeable gap. The table is made of thick chipboard and covered with a dark wood film (black and brown classic IKEA colors). Folding and unfolding the table takes about two seconds and is not inconvenient.
On the Russian IKEA website this table is www.ikea.com/ru/ru/catalog/products/20217522/#/80217524
Assembly and installation
For assembly, in addition to the table itself, you need: a good screwdriver (in my case, a screwdriver), a hammer drill, 6 dowels + screws for fastening to the wall (traditionally, IKEA does not attach them to furniture) Like the rest of IKEA furniture, the table is not of fantastic quality, but it is made quite tolerable, all the holes are prepared evenly and the design is both simple and reliable.
First, the corners for attaching to the wall are screwed to the smaller part (shelf)
We must pay tribute to the designers - all metal parts are made of very thick metal - about 2-3mm.
Holes in the wall are marked (here you need to think carefully about the height of the structure) As a level, in the absence of a real one, I used an Android program
I took reasonably large dowels and screws, because... the table itself weighs about 10 kg + laptop and other junk + hands on it when working. Moreover, you don’t have to be an engineer to understand that leaning on the edge of the table we create a significant load on attaching it to the wall.
Then the hinges and the main tabletop are attached
And all this is hung on the wall, tightly screwed. Then the central leg is hung. Ready!
The support leg is made very intelligently - thick square metal does not allow it to bend even a millimeter, while the L-shaped design does not interfere with the legs.
Result
The folded table has a convenient shelf on which all my “work” things fit. The ultrabook is kept from rolling down by small silicone “bumps” glued to the table.
The shelf can easily accommodate a lamp, a cup, a mouse pad, the mouse itself, its charger, the ultrabook itself, and even a panda.
When it is folded, the space in the room practically does not suffer!
When unfolded, the table turns into a full-fledged laptop workstation.
In the evening
Advantages and disadvantages
Compared to a classic workstation, I can highlight the following differences:
Pros of my version: + Takes up less space (almost none when folded) + When folded it almost disappears. The classic table needs to be disassembled for this; you can’t hide it that easily. = Relatively inexpensive (a similar table for the floor may even cost more due to the presence of legs, or about the same) + Very stable (I don’t know how it will happen in the future, but now it is a monolithic structure at all angles and in all planes, which is difficult to swing even per centimeter. This cannot be achieved from an ordinary table of similar dimensions) + Can have any height (as you hang it, so it will be)
And the disadvantages - We can’t move it (except for hanging it with a hammer drill. But even in this case we are limited by walls) - Limited in depth (if you like to stretch your legs, this is not your option, there is a wall. Normally, it allows you to sit correctly - depth 50cm is enough for my height ~185cm). I would even say that this is a bit of a plus - it teaches you to sit correctly and not smear around the chair. — You can sit at the table only on one side (you can strain on the sides, but this is an option for 10 minutes)
That's probably all. I solved my problem without disturbing the space of the room and getting a comfortable workspace.
The article was written in a new workplace - conveniently and comfortably, without thoughts of “finishing it quickly and leaving.”
UPD: according to “numerous requests” (one whole) a quick panorama of the room. Sorry srach, etc. Click for more
Tip No. 6: the house should have its own aroma
The first thing people notice when entering a house is its aroma. It remains in the memory and creates the first impression. It is unlikely that you will be comfortable in an apartment with the smell of dampness or mold.
This does not mean that you need to buy a bunch of fragrances and spray them where it smells unpleasant. The point is that you should create a basic aroma that is always in the apartment - you feel it as soon as you walk home from the street.
You can use the following:
- aromatic mixture
Easy to use sachet. Sachets are small pillows or bags filled with natural materials: petals, twigs, herbs, spices.
Such bags are placed throughout the apartment, and always in the hallway, so that a pleasant aroma greets you after a hard day at work.
- aroma candles
Depending on the season or our mood, we can change the smells of our home using aromatherapy candles. They enliven any room and are appropriate almost anywhere, except for the dining table - there is a place for the smell of delicious food.
Be careful. Candles made from cheap and low-quality materials will not give you relaxation, but a headache. Choose from soy or coconut waxes with natural ingredients.
Creating comfort in a small apartment
Creating comfort in an apartment with small square footage is especially difficult. After all, you need to find a place to place many necessary things and furniture. It often happens that in one room you need to combine a place for receiving guests, working and relaxing.
In such a room it is possible to create a cozy atmosphere by dividing it into zones. It is necessary that these zones overlap each other as little as possible.
A large role in the interior of a one-room apartment is played by the combination of different colors. Selecting lighter shades will visually increase the space in the apartment. Moreover, in such a room it is important to make the most of every square meter of space.
Therefore, a good solution would be to purchase multifunctional furniture. It will be able to free the living space from unnecessary items and save as much space as possible.
Well, to make the furniture look beautiful and stylish, you can use self-adhesive film.
Tip #7: Use plants
Have you noticed how a room transforms when there is a beautiful bouquet in it? It’s somehow immediately fresh, joyful, cozy. But for most, such transformations in the interior happen on holidays, when flowers migrate into the house as a gift.
I love fresh flowers. They invigorate the room and create a fresh aroma. Therefore, I made it a rule to keep them at home all year round (you can read about how to choose flowers here). Nobody says that you need to buy huge gift bouquets. A couple of tulips, peonies or ordinary daisies - and the room becomes more comfortable.
Another option is indoor plants. They make the rooms look so homely and well-groomed. Choose pretty and fragrant plants: jasmine, narcissus, amaryllis, geranium, citrus fruits.
Workplace ideas
Everything that is on your desktop, with the exception of work accessories and documents, should be intended not only for beauty and improvement of the interior, but also to perform other, no less useful functions:
- Relieve stress - for this use soft colors, oriental hourglass balls.
- Relaxation – objects that can distract from the work process and bring pleasant memories. The best option would be family photos, souvenirs, and funny inscriptions.
- Motivation is the goal of raising the spirit to continue working. Something that can personally make you work with even greater zeal.
- Inspiration is creativity and nothing more. A stylish diary for notes and fleeting sketches.
As an example of stylish design solutions for decorating an office desktop, we suggest looking at photographic examples:
Optimal desktop design, according to Chinese wisdom Source smarthomemaking.com
Cleanliness and order according to Feng Shui Source comfortoria.ru
Fresh flowers stimulate improved performance Source comfortoria.ru
Bizarre figures in the interior of an office desk Source hochu.ua
Desktop decoration option Source softwaresolus.com
New Year's chaos on the desktop Source proekt-sam.ru
Excessive consumption of yellow is not recommended Source fb.ru
The maximum that could be done has already been achieved Source jchansdesign.cylne.com
Decorating your workplace in anticipation of spring Source grillpointny.com
It’s good when the workplace has such free space Source pinimg.com
Feng Shui recommends not using such shelves and drawers Source parte.yapapka.com
Stylish desktop design option Source pinimg.com
An original solution for office decoration Source freegameinfo.ru
Office corner desk decorated by employee Source freshouz.com
Decoration of the birthday boy's workplace Source avetades.com
Office desk design Source www.kactus.com
Tip #8: Invest a piece of yourself
Just imagine, after a long renovation, you enter an apartment. The house is unrecognizable, everything is stylish and new. Walk around the apartment as if through a museum, looking at every detail. Sit down on a chic and soft sofa and look around. Everything seems beautiful, but you feel uncomfortable. And all because all that remains is to add yourself.
Photographs, paintings, books, memorabilia tell our story. With the proper arrangement of these items, you get a living house that tells the story of the owner.
We make the home ours through:
Books
This is what we love and admire. Through books we are able to talk about our hobbies without even naming them. Therefore, there is no need to put them in boxes and store them in a closet.
You can make stacks of books on the floor. You can place them on shelves, diluting them with candles, figurines, photographs.
Photo
I love lively, random shots. They accurately convey our emotions and state at the moment of the past. These are the kind of photos that should be stored not on your smartphone, but on the walls of your apartment. Read how to do this here
Print, hang or place anywhere in the room. Fill it with emotions.
Paintings and drawings
You surround yourself with creativity that inspires.
Hang pictures on the wall or simply place them on a table, mantel, or lean against the wall to create a carefree atmosphere. (For information on how to do this, see the article “How to hang pictures without headaches?”)
Tip #9: Add glitter
Recently I discovered the magic of decorative mirrors. Walking between showrooms at IKEA, I noticed one living room. It was airy, fresh and bright. And all because of decorative mirrors in unusual frames. They multiplied the light reflected in them from the chandeliers so much that the room became very lively. The diffused light illuminated the dark corners of the space and it turned out very cozy.
Do you understand what I mean? Mirrors won't hurt. Hang them on the wall instead of a picture, place them above the fireplace or next to some piece of furniture, place them between a couple of windows, above a sofa, above any shelf or dressing table.
Tip #10: fireplace!
If there is a fireplace in the house, then 50% of the cozy plan has been completed! Because fire is warmth, calm, peace, comfort. An alternative is an electric fireplace: there is no need to add firewood, it is impossible to get burned, there is heat. In general, if you have the opportunity to purchase this magical thing, don’t hesitate!
These points helped me bring the apartment closer to the cozy ideal. But there is another important detail - the comfort in the house is created by its people.
Your comfort is you and the emotions you bring. Positive or negative, they charge every corner.
And here is the ideal formula for comfort: spiritual gatherings with family and friends + love + 10 tips listed above, and you will never trade your home for a noisy cafe.
“Little things” tips
The comfort of the interior must be properly maintained. Designers recommend washing curtains regularly. Dust quickly accumulates in curtains and drapes, so it looks untidy. To make draperies look beautiful, be sure to iron the fabric. Blinds and roller blinds are wiped by hand or sent to dry cleaning. In spring and summer, cotton options and light tulle are used on the windows. In winter and autumn it is pleasant to be in a room with wool and velvet elements.
Draperies on the windows Source yandex.uz
If you don’t know how to create comfort in your home, we recommend changing the paintings. In the interior, design with identical laconic frames or solutions without baguettes is unusually perceived. Asymmetrical placement of canvases and installation of elements of different sizes will help to enliven the atmosphere.
How to hang canvases on the wall Source syonpress.com
A cozy atmosphere in the kitchen is created by individual details. A slate board with chalk is mounted on the wall. Cereals are poured into transparent jars with beautiful lids and placed on shelves. Living plants will enliven the interior not only on the windowsill, but also on the countertops. Small pots with grass are placed in the work area, and flower pots in the dining room.
Room with a slate board Source dizainvfoto.ru
To make the bathroom interior cozy, designers advise storing towels in piles. White or any muted textiles are collected in one place. Fabric details bring a feeling of fullness and lived-in space to the bathroom. Elegant containers for soap and shampoo will help improve the psychological microclimate in the room.
Jars and stacks of towels in the bathroom Source yandex.ru
A doormat will help complete the composition of a cozy home. A beautiful new detail harmonizes with the stylistic and color design. A strict design can be easily transformed with the help of rugs. Ethnic designs bring a feeling of warmth and relaxation to the interior.
Cozy corridor in the house Source pinterest.co.uk
