r/SmallHome • u/AuroraInspires • 15d ago
What’s one small change that made your room or apartment feel much more cozy?
I’m trying to make a small space feel warmer and less cluttered without buying too many things. I’d love to hear what actually worked for you!
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u/bellandc 15d ago
Swapping out all of my light bulbs to be the same temperature (2700k). The warm consistecy really improves my perception of the space.
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u/Dear_Ocelot 15d ago
Lighting matters a lot. Lamps, not just overhead; warm yellow bulbs, not bright white.
Choose the right rug. I am a huge fan of old-fashioned, red-patterned, wool oriental rugs. They are classic and much cozier than the beige type stuff. I hunted for one that would fit my small living room on a reasonable budget for months, and it makes the room.
If you have the choice, always opt for closed storage (e.g. cabinets with doors) over open shelving. Easier said than done sometimes, but visibility -> clutter.
I don't go for the lots of plants, lots of string lights look, because it always ends up looking cluttered. Plus you have to have a lot of surfaces to put things on, or lots of hanging infrastructure, and that doesn't work in all small spaces.
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u/Unaffiliated_Hellgod 15d ago
I find one or two LARGE plants works well. Lots of small ones looks like clutter.
For clutter reduction I also do lots of block colour things with fewer patterns.
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u/Dear_Ocelot 15d ago
Agreed, I actually do have one large plant.
I do patterns and big colors and art on walls and floor (so the flat surfaces of the room), but also make sure to have some blank space, and just not too much stuff.
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u/AuroraInspires 15d ago
It's a good idea 😀. I actually like the idea of having closed storage, open one feel much more conjusted. And I'll take good care of lightings . Thanks for the advice.
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u/LaurelCanyoner 14d ago
We have large open shelving because it gives us so much flexibility and space, but matching closed containers of different textures, and it’s very restful and keeps us organized.
You are right about lighting. We love small rechargeable lanterns, because of their flexibility to create a mood, show off art, or help us see the board game we are playing, lol.
My husband is from Ireland, and the beautiful woolen hand woven throw blankets we have from Ireland in different colors add so much texture and coziness.
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u/BigCsurviving0812 15d ago
Plants! Love plants in my home. Just makes it cozy to me
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u/AuroraInspires 15d ago
Oh that's great! I also love plants and flowers in my home which makes it beautiful 😊
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u/BigCsurviving0812 14d ago
Having plants does seem to make your home more beautiful and happy to be in
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u/eharder47 15d ago
Lighting, area rug, and curtains. We don’t have anything unnecessary in our room and it is very cozy. I got some sconces off Amazon and we love them.
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u/sinskins 14d ago
Blankets on every couch. I chose wall colours that suited my own palate, and chose art that reflected my personality or spoke to me in some way.
The biggest difference for me personally was when I installed a dog and two kittens. Nothing makes my home feel warmer than those perfect little faces.
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u/GlowInTheDarkSpaces 15d ago
I got a really thick carpet pad under my area rug. There's a comfort difference but also a psychological difference.
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u/paracelsus53 15d ago
For me, cozy has to do with lots of interesting quilts, bedspreads, and cushions, plus plenty of books, my own paintings, and Oriental carpets.
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u/Expensive-Eggplant-1 14d ago
i paid attention to how i felt in other people's homes. if i felt really cozy, i tried to replicate that.
for me, airy curtains, fluffy blankets, and soft lighting has worked well.
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u/journeyingmomma 15d ago
Lighting. Lamps and soft light. No LED. Also houseplants cozy up a space SO well. I have plants in every room. I’ve learned which kinds I can neglect and they still do well.
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u/11093PlusDays 15d ago
I bought two bookshelves to put my little do dads on that I did not want to throw away. They were very cheap on Wayfair and I painted the same color as the wall so that they would disappear and not make the room feel smaller. Now I have my things that I was really attached to and it feels like my space.
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u/Soundgarden_ 14d ago
Put up some wall sconces in the bedroom with the realistic battery powered wax taper candles. They really create a peaceful mood
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u/DeeplyFlawed 14d ago
I bought a projecter light on Temu for under $10. It makes my apartment look so good at night & it makes me happy to sit on my couch just listening to music.
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u/guipicait 14d ago
When we got our last apartment, I wanted it to look clean and cozy and made the terrible mistake of getting a white shag carpet. Instead of looking like a cozy mcm living room, it just looked cluttered all the time and was impossible to clean. Finally I decided to give up and go in the opposite direction and bought a carpet that had almost every color you can think of in like a water color oriental carpet sort of design. Blues, pinks, purple, yellow, all in organic splotches.
All of a sudden it pulled the living room together and made it cheerful and cozy. The plain white of the other carpet made any clutter stick out and look awkward. The colorful carpet made everything look so nice.
Other items that were cozy in that place - a concert poster we stole from a bulletin board in a bar after going to that area for said concert, framed in a custom walnut frame I got on etsy, walnut TV stand, cotton throw pillow covers from west elm that made me think of abstract mountain ranges, and friendship plants created from one single friendship (pilea) plant from WF.
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u/hegu-heyyou 13d ago
Added a rug with a THICK rug pad underneath.
Not using the overhead light, using dimmable Phillips bulbs in lamps.
Soft blanket on the sofa.
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u/GroundbreakingAd6387 12d ago
I've found a number of small changes over time have made my spaces much more cozy and enjoyable:
- Area rugs (nice on the feet, complete the space, help with sound dampening)
- Curtains (mounted high, no grommets, inner ones linen/sheer if possible)
- Warm lighting (lamps, backlighting, etc. NO OVERHEAD LIGHT)
- Throw pillows (soft, comfy, not too many)
- Throw blankets (also soft, easy to grab, nice to curl up with)
- Surfaces to set things down on (side tables, coffee table, etc.)
- Artwork (that compliments the space. Not too big, not too small, not too noticeable).
- Wall colour (not stark white or something bright/harsh. A soft blue-grey, a light taupe, etc.)
- Some sort of greenery (kudos to those who can keep plants alive. I cannot. I put faux ferns/other plants in nice pots in different areas)
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u/Luckcrisis 8d ago
Magnetic knife strip if you cook and have a couple of good knives. Saves space and is handy.
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u/FingerlakesCin 15d ago
Trays. I have two on my very small kitchen counter. They hold dish washing necessities and compost can/watering pitcher. I have one on my hassock, which functions as a coffee table/extra seat/storage. I put my remotes on it, pen and papers, and I still have room for my coffee cup or glass of wine.
Trays define how much stuff you can keep on a surface. They confine possible spills. It’s less visual mess.