Some homes just feel cozy the moment you step inside, and that feeling is usually the result of a series of thoughtful design choices. If you feel like your home could be more inviting than it is now, here are some suggestions for warming it up.
Start with how you use your home
Look for the little frustrations you’ve learned to live with. Something as simple as seating that faces away from the room can affect how comfortable a space feels.
Our Masonville Makeover gallery is a useful place to begin gathering ideas for a home that better reflects how you want to live.
Create layers of light
Instantly transform the mood of any room by layering light with ceiling fixtures, task lamps, under-cabinet illumination, wall sconces, and dimmers.
Warm white bulbs are more comfortable in living rooms, bedrooms and dining areas. And just to be clear, you don’t need a lamp in every corner. A few well-placed lights can do the job without making your home resemble a lighting showroom.
Browse the Carriage Hill project gallery for more interior inspiration.
Bring in warm materials and texture
Natural materials help a home feel grounded. Wood, stone, linen, wool and woven fibres have subtle variations that add character without making a room feel busy.
A wooden table, linen curtains or a wool rug might be all you need to visually soften a space. If you plan on going bigger, hardwood flooring, ceiling details or a stone fireplace surround can make a big difference.
Keep in mind this doesn’t have to be complicated. A few materials repeated throughout the home usually feel cozier than a different finish on every available surface.
For ideas on combining finishes throughout a renovation, explore our Hunt Club and Hyde Park galleries.
Choose Colours That Instantly Make You Feel at Home
Warm neutrals, muted greens, soft blues and earthy colours all create an inviting atmosphere, especially when paired with the right colour lighting. Even white can feel warm if it has a creamy undertone.
As a precaution, do a paint test before committing. Place a large paint sample on more than one wall, then check it throughout the day. A colour that looks lovely in the store can look very different under your lightning conditions.
Artwork, cushions and other smaller pieces can introduce colour punches of colour without overwhelming the room. They’re also easy to change later.
Keep in mind there’s no single palette that works for every home. Your colours should suit your home’s architecture, natural light and the ambiance you want to create.
The Riverside Retreat gallery can help you think about the mood you’d like to create in your own space.
Arrange furniture around people
Arranging chairs and sofas close together shapes how people interact and encourages easy conversation.
An area rug can help define a seating space, particularly in an open-concept room. Leave clear paths for people to move around, but avoid creating so much distance that everyone has to raise their voice to communicate.
Scale matters, too. Large furniture can overwhelm a smaller room, while undersized pieces may leave a larger space feeling sparse. Comfort is usually a better guide than perfect symmetry, and understanding how you use a room will help you strike the right arrangement.
Give your entrance some attention
Adding small touches like a bench, mirror, or small lamp can help your entry make a great first impression.
If the entrance feels dark or cramped, consider better lighting or a lighter wall colour.
Include things that mean something to you
A warm home is a reflection of the persona of the people who live there. Spend some time curating things like family photographs, books, collected objects, or artwork and make them part of your living space. And remember, not everything has to match the drapes.
Pay attention to flow
Warming touches can only do so much when your home’s actual layout makes everyday tasks frustrating and inconvenient.
Sometimes rearranging furniture does the trick, but it’s no fix for a wider doorway, a more functional kitchen or a reworked main floor.
The Greyrock Main Floor and Masonville Makeover galleries offer inspiration for thinking beyond individual rooms and considering how the home works as a whole.
Let your home evolve
You don’t need to do every room at once. Make one or two changes, then live with them for a while. Moving a lamp or a chair might make a big difference to how a room is used.
If you discover your home needs more than a few finishing touches, we’d be glad to hear what’s working, what isn’t and what you’d like to change. Learn more about our renovation process and how we manage each project from planning through completion.