It’s finally firewood season, warm-mugs-of-cocoa season, extra-blankets-on-the-bed season. And though it’s a short one in North Texas, it often leaves us wanting to switch up our home decor for something a little more comforting.
Making your home a snug refuge doesn’t require anything major. A few simple swaps — a new pillow here, a lamp there — and you’ve got a cozy cocoon without breaking a sweat. Denise McGaha of Denise McGaha Interiors and Cody Brown of Bridges Brown Interiors say it’s all in the layers, the light and the little things.
Bring in rich fabrics and textures
Think of cozy as a mood you can touch. Start by trading slick or shiny fabrics for soft, touch-me textures that invite you in. “I love chenille fabrics,” McGaha says. “I love softer fabrics that wear well, [like] a woven texture, almost like a tweed, that’s a little bit softer and has some visual texture to the weave, nothing too perfect. And I love using darker, cozier colors. We use a lot of velvets — and a lot of indoor-outdoor velvets, believe it or not, for durability but also comfort.”
Once you’ve grounded the space with texture, pile on the comfort. “I just think pillows that are multifunctional are really great,” McGaha says. She suggests pillows in different sizes (large in back, smaller in front) in fabrics that are inviting. Her current crush: Schumacher’s Shanghai Peacock fabric in Cinnabar. The vibrant chinoiserie pattern practically radiates warmth, even though the fabric is linen.
Anthropologie’s Velvet Tapestry Pillow retails for $68.
Courtesy Anthropologie
This square pillow from Eastern Accents retails for $198.
Courtesy Perigold
Moody in teal and gold, Perigold’s Boutique pillow covers come in square or lumbar shapes and offer a similar color scheme to McGaha’s suggested fabric. Another option is Anthropologie’s Francois Verte velvet tapestry pillow, which balances sweetness with the season.
Cody Brown says a mohair or cashmere blanket can give you that effortless, oh-this-old-thing vibe. Peacock Alley’s Fairmount cashmere throw instantly makes a sofa look (and feel) like a plush getaway, and it’s one of Brown’s favorites. If you’re looking for a less expensive option, Williams Sonoma Home has a cashmere blanket that will keep you equally toasty.
Brown recommends this cashmere throw from Peacock Alley. It’s priced at $890 and comes in five colors.
Courtesy Peacock Alley
Williams-Sonoma sells solid cashmere throws in numerous colors for $319.
Courtesy Williams-Sonoma
Switch on the glow
Warm light is everything, McGaha says. “2700k bulbs or less,” she says, noting that the soft, yellow glow of Rejuventation’s Tala bulbs amp up the cozy instantly. Layers of lighting, especially from lamps is essential.
Her trick for instant ambiance: lamps on timers. “There’s nothing better than coming home [on] a dreary day and the lamps are already on and your house greets you as you drive up,” she says.
“I love that I set all my lamps to come on at 4 in the afternoon in the winter, and then the mornings, they’re on when I get up. So the house is kind of prelit before I get out of bed.”
The Whitman Desk Lamp from Visual Comfort retails for $999.
Courtesy Visual Comfort
GE Cync Smartbulb Plugs are a great option for remotely controlling or scheduling your lamps. There’s also the Caseta Smart Switch by Lutron, which makes any light switch remote operable and easy to set to a schedule.
For stylish lamp ideas, McGaha recently used the Visual Comfort Whitman desk lamp to create inviting light in a client’s home. The similarly artful Atticus LED table lamp comes in two heights — 12 and 19 inches — and offers a similar look at a more affordable price point ($200 to $300 depending on size). Brown likes the whimsical look of the one-of-a-kind, gold-plated Chase Gamblin multicolored lamp. And for a sculptural glow that won’t break the bank, try the blue-gold 360 Lighting option.
Restyle your surfaces
Think about your coffee table, shelves or sideboard as a place for storytelling. When surfaces are warm and personal, the whole room feels lived in and welcoming. Whether it’s a ceramic vessel from your travels or a bowl of pinecones from your yard, the objects you include in your displays can alter the mood without any real effort. And much like the pillows and throws that you are swapping our for a richer look, updating tabletop accessories for fall- and winter-themed options can shift the feel of your home.
This vase by Gisele Hicks Ceramics adds texture to a floral arrangement. It is handmade and costs $750.
Courtesy Twelve Thirty Four
The natural ribbed Artisan Handcrafted Terracotta Vase from Pottery Barn costs $139.
Courtesy Pottery Barn
Brown recommends the Giselle Hicks vase for table styling. You could fill it with a bouquet of foliage from your yard. For an alternative, consider the Natural Ribbed terra-cotta vase from Pottery Barn for a subtler statement that also looks good filled with something plucked from the garden. Bringing in darker, moodier colors can also contribute to feeling of warmth. CB2’s Bangle Teal Glass Bowl adds a touch of elegance to any console table.
The idea, though, is to keep things casual and organic. “It’s not cluttered or overly styled, just intentional, tactile and balanced,” Brown says.
Fire up a fragrant flame
Scent is one of the easiest and quickest swaps as the weather changes. “I’m a total candle person,” McGaha says. “I switch scents with the season, so pine or wood smoke in winter, something pumpkin-y in November.” McGaha says a candlelit dinner is the ultimate way to create a warm feeling. “I love to light candles over dinner, even if you’re ordering pizza and have it in the dining room … that’s cozy to me.”
To Brown, that sounds about right. “Ultimately, an ideal cozy home is a gentle exhale, a place where life slows, laughter lingers and beauty quietly supports every moment.”
Trudon’s Ernesto candle retails for $135.
Courtesy Neiman Marcus
The Sinner candle by Moodcast retails for $68.
Courtesy Moodcast
McGaha describes Trudon’s Ernesto candle as spicy, smoky and a little mysterious — it’s one of her favorite scents. The Moodcast Sinner candle gives your room that woodsy cabin smell you might be craving. And of course, there’s always the cult-favorite Hearth & Hand candles from Target.
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