15 cosy ideas for your apartment

As the winter season approaches, the living room becomes the go-to spot for relaxation and comfort. To help create an inviting and cosy atmosphere, we have shared top tips for making the most of your living space. From incorporating soft furnishings to adjusting the lighting, these simple ideas aim to transform your lounge into a warm and welcoming retreat.

Whether you're snuggled up with a good book or watching your favourite TV show, these cosy living room ideas will help you create the ultimate sanctuary to escape the cold and dark winter days.

1. Create a Bold Palette

Interior designers suggest that using rich and deep colors can create a warm and inviting atmosphere in a room. Dark charcoal and navy are excellent choices for wall colors and can be complemented with furnishings in contrasting colors such as berry shades and mustard yellow. Wooden furniture can also be an excellent addition to a dark palette.

For a bolder choice, consider bringing in rich shades like burnt oranges, deep reds, mustard yellows, earthy tones, or saturated colors. To bring these colors to life, consider a mixture of creative layouts, patterns, and textures. Reflecting the seasons in a home is a great way to freshen up the space and create a cozy atmosphere.

Using a bold palette can add character and depth to a room. It is important to balance the colors with neutrals and use them strategically to avoid overwhelming the space. By following these tips, one can create a bold and inviting space that reflects their personal style.

2. Keep the Heat In

Insulation is key to keeping your home warm during the winter months. Windows are often the main culprit for heat loss, so it's important to ensure they are well-insulated. If your windows are ill-fitting and draughty, consider replacing them with double or triple-glazed units to help retain heat, keep draughts at bay, and prevent condensation on sills.

Individual thermostats on radiators can also be useful in adjusting each room's temperature when needed, which can help minimize fuel costs. For more advice and information on keeping your home warm, visit the Energy Saving Trust.

3. Add Rugs to Hard Flooring

Older properties with exposed floorboards can be particularly draughty from below, causing discomfort to the occupants. One solution to this problem is to fill the gaps with flexible filler, but covering the floor with a room-sized rug can provide an instant fix. A rug over hard flooring can create warmth and texture, transforming the sitting room while enhancing its visual appeal.

Interior designer Vanessa Arbuthnott suggests placing the rug just under the front legs of the sofa and completely under the coffee table. Keeping the rug neutral with a plain color or a light pattern can help change the entire ambience of the room. For those who prefer a bright colored abstract rug, this can be a great option to add a pop of color to the room.

There are many types of cozy rugs that can provide warmth underfoot. Design Director at The Rug Seller, Daniel Prendergast, suggests chunky knit wool rugs or faux fur styles. A faux fur rug can add a luxurious Scandi feel to the living space, creating a soft and warming effect. Choosing a neutral tone such as grey or ivory can give a contemporary finish, while a natural brown can provide an animal fur (yet faux) effect.

Adding a rug to hard flooring can be a simple and effective way to make the room cozier, more comfortable, and more visually appealing.

4. Opt for Deeper Shades in Your Carpet

When it comes to creating a cosy living room, carpet can play a significant role. If you prefer the plush feel of carpet underfoot, choosing the right colours can make all the difference. For a warm and inviting atmosphere, opting for deeper shades can add a touch of elegance to your living room décor.

Consider choosing a rich charcoal grey or a dark stripe that can be complemented with moody shades of deep forest green. To add warmth to the space, creamier shades of beige or caramel can be used. If an all-over colour is too bold for your taste, consider a stripe that brings in toasty reds or a burnt orange, and build your colour palette from there.

In addition to the right colour, the material of the carpet is also essential. The deeper the pile, the better, so opt for something densely woven and luxurious. By choosing the right colour and material, you can create a cosy and inviting living room that will make you and your guests feel right at home.

5. Layer Textures

When it comes to creating a warm and inviting living room, layering textures is key. Adding extra throws and cushions can make all the difference in creating a cosy atmosphere, especially on chilly evenings.

For the ultimate in cosiness, a mix of chunky knit, faux-fur, and felted fabrics can be used. Wool and silk can also be added for a luxurious effect. Neutral or contrasting dark shades can be used to tone the living room and make it weather-appropriate, especially for leather or bright coloured sofas. Textured throws and matching pillows can be layered up or draped over the arms to add warmth and comfort.

To transform the sofa and the whole room, oranges, reds, and caramel tones can be used. A basket or box full of warm throws can be created for the lounge so that guests can reach for a comforting blanket to snuggle up and relax when the temperature drops. Soft cotton velvet throws in a range of hues that co-ordinate with the current colour scheme can be chosen and rolled neatly into a wooden basket for a mid-century-inspired set up.

Some examples of soft furnishings to layer up at home include the Maple Aztec Floor Cushion in Green, John Lewis Jaipur Rug, ANYDAY Check Throw in Multi, and the Country Living Witcombe Velvet Cushion. By layering textures, a warm and inviting living room can be created that is perfect for lounging and relaxing.

6. Bring the Outdoors In

Bringing elements of nature indoors can greatly enhance the coziness of a home. Simple additions like pine cones and silver birch in a vase can add a connection to the outdoors. Placing fire logs near a fireplace and surrounding them with candles in lanterns can create a warm and snug atmosphere as the weather changes. Indoor plants are also a staple in cozy spaces, and studies show that they promote an array of physical and psychological benefits. They can purify the air and reduce stress, creating a more relaxing atmosphere.

7. Warming Woods

Wooden furniture can add warmth and a rustic feel to a cosy living room. Incorporating wooden coffee tables or sideboards, particularly in oak, mango wood, or ash, can soften the space and introduce a natural color palette. To enhance the cosy atmosphere, raw finishes that display the knots and imperfections of the wood are particularly effective. Chunkier pieces, such as the classic Ercol Mia Sideboard, with its spindly legs and slim silhouettes, are a touch more modern and work well in cool, minimal spaces.

8. Cast a Glow

When decorating a living room, lighting is an essential element that can set the mood and create a cosy atmosphere. During the winter months, when there are fewer daylight hours, it is especially important to have adequate lighting. To achieve a warm and inviting ambiance, we recommend using soft background lighting.We also suggests adding low light table lamps with warm LED light bulbs to create additional warmth and comfort in the room. The more yellow the light, the cosier the room will feel. To transform a darker corner into a reading nook, a ceramic-based or rattan style table lamp can be added next to a favourite armchair or on either side of the sofa.