25 Tips To Create A Super Cozy Family Home!

How To Create A Cozy Home: 25 Tips

Ever since I was little, I have loved rearranging furniture and creating cozy spaces.  

Now as an adult, with a family and a whole house to arrange, I am in full-on hygge-making mode!

I have experimented with different aesthetics and layouts in our house, and I’ve finally found some great ways to give our home that warm, cozy, lived-in feel. 

I want my kids to feel like home is their haven; where they can play and rest to their hearts’ content. I want them to have an abundance of positive memories and warm fuzzy feelings when it comes to home.

I’m hoping this will mean they will always want to come home for visits when they’re older!

Our home is ever-evolving, but here I’ll be sharing some simple ways to create a cozy home!

25 Ways To Create Cozy Vibes At Home

Here are my 25 top tips to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere at home. 

Luckily, creating a cozy home can be done on a budget. Some of my favorite vintage cozy home decor items come from the thrift store!

1. Ambient Lighting

The right lighting can completely shift the feel of a room. A boring, lifeless room can become a magical sanctuary with a warm glow and some good mood lighting.

Warm mood lighting options include;

• Twinkle fairy lights
• Small countertop lamps
• Floor lamps
• Wall sconces
• Candles
• Electric fireplaces (or real ones)
• String lights

I especially love small vintage table lamps with a warm soft glow to add a touch of charm to a space.

Twinkle fairy lights are another easy way to add some magical hygge to a space. I like to string twinkle lights around plants or put them in glass jars.

Additionally, twinkle lights can be great to use in a fireplace if you do not have one that’s up to code or do not want to kindle a fire. We place flickering twinkle lights in a basket that sits in our outdated fireplace.

I also recently purchased a small electric fireplace to create a warm ambiance. The great thing is that you can use it with heat or just with a flame effect!

String lights have also elevated the cozy factor in our home. 

Our house was built in the 70s and has very few ceiling lights. Hanging Edison bulb string lights across the ceiling has created an ultra-hygge feeling in our living room. It has also provided some much-needed light practically speaking.

Floor lamps or wall sconces (electric or candle wall sconces) are another easy way to bring some light and joy to poorly lit rooms.

Natural light also brings magic into a home, so finding ways to emphasize any natural lighting is a plus. You can do this by decluttering areas where direct light comes in through windows or hanging a sheer curtain that filters natural light. 

2. Blankets

There’s nothing like some good throw blankets and big quilts to create a cozy atmosphere. 

I like blankets in neutral and earthy tones that are made of natural fibers, like linen and cotton. Blankets can be draped on living room couches for easy access, folded and placed in large baskets, or on blanket ladders. 

As questionable as it may sound, I have found some of our best blankets at the thrift store (I am sure to wash them at least a couple of times before using them!). I have found two amazing linen quilted blankets for a fraction of the price of what they cost in stores.

My favorite finds have been a Pottery Barn Belgian Flax Linen Diamond Quilt for $20 (it retails online for $350), and a Casaluna Linen Quilt for $40 (retails for $109). Both were in excellent condition!

I also bought a beautiful crocheted blanket at Goodwill for $6.

I love how it adds a touch of whimsy to an old couch!

3. Floor Cushions

As a stay-at-home mom with 2 young kids, I am down on the floor a lot. So I was excited to get some floor cushions to make the whole experience more comfortable!

I found these big comfy floor cushions at Ross. They add so much coziness (both aesthetically and functionally speaking) to our home!

4. Area Rugs and Scatter Rugs

A soft texture underfoot is perhaps the easiest way to cozy up a living space. 

While I love having hardwood floors and other hard surfaces for cleaning purposes, an area rug is a key element to create a warm feeling at home.

5. Clean and Clear Countertops

Clearing clutter and cleaning is one of the best ways to make a home feel cozy.

Clear countertops and tabletops create psychological space to breathe. While obviously not always possible to have a spotless home with young kids, it’s something to strive for!

6. House Plants

Indoor plants liven up a space and make it feel welcoming and alive. 

Real plants are way better than fake plants when it comes to creating a fresh look at home. Fresh flowers are a nice option too, however, I prefer house plants because they can live for years and years!

We do however have fresh flowers at certain times of the year when we can pick them ourselves. The sunflowers in the image above are from a u-pick sunflower farm!

7. Wicker Baskets

Warning; once you start buying wicker baskets, it can be hard to stop! The texture and warm tones of a nice basket immediately elevate the cozy factor in a home. 

Baskets are also incredibly functional and help contain clutter.

In our baskets, we keep kids’ books, toys, art supplies, plants, stuffed animals, and blankets.

8. Kitchen Candle

Lighting a candle on the kitchen windowsill is the best way to romanticize doing dishes at the end of the day! 

Having a couple of candles on the dinner table also creates a warm and welcoming vibe. 

9. Vintage Mirrors

Beautiful vintage mirrors add elegance and coziness to spaces. They also serve to expand a space visually. 

I bought this beautiful brass swan mirror at a garage sale, and this old wood-framed mirror/plant holder at a thrift store.

10. Curated Art Walls

Choosing a nice piece of art for a blank wall can add color, character, and inspiration to a home.  

11. Family Heirlooms

Having a couple of family treasures on display gives a house a sense of history.

Any item that evokes some storytelling makes a space feel more magical and interesting. 

12. Display Books

Selecting favorite books and having them out on a visible shelf is the perfect way to bring inspiration into a home.

Beautiful art books or travel books often have eye-catching visuals and covers that can be displayed on coffee tables or bookshelves.

13. Dried Plant Arrangements

Dried plants are a great option if there are areas in your home that do not get any sunlight to keep live plants alive!

 Arranging dried seed pods, lavender, and eucalyptus branches is a lot of fun and you can put them all over your house to add some warmth and whimsy!

Trader Joes has amazing dried seed pods in the Fall, and fresh Eucalyptus branches you can dry yourself year-round. They also occasionally have bundles of dried lavender!

14. Family Photos

Hanging family photos on a designated wall is a wonderful way to remember special moments. Life always seems to be moving at the speed of light, so I love taking a moment to stop and reflect on old memories.

15. Cozy Nooks

Well-curated cozy nooks are a fun way to bring warmth to a home. They serve as small nests where kids and grownups alike can take a moment to rest and daydream. 

All you need is a small corner, some throw pillows, floor cushions or a comfortable chair, and a blanket or two. 

16. Tabletop Center Pieces

Adding personal touches to dining table and countertop centerpieces is a simple way to bring some life to a home. 

I love the small plant that sits in a copper teapot on our dining room table, and the candle that sits in a wooden bowl on our kitchen counter. 

17. Craft Table

A thoughtfully placed craft table can be a great place for family and visitors to gather and chat over a simple art project or some good old doodling.

While our craft table is geared toward small children, I plan on always having some version of one in my home! 

We cover our craft table in paper and always have a basket of crayons and markers sitting out. My kids stop by this table several times throughout the day to draw. I like to sit here with them and draw too!

18. Entryway Hooks and Baskets

Having a thoughtfully curated entryway means that you can feel relaxed and welcome as soon as you step in your door.

Wall mounted coat racks, hanging baskets, and shoe cabinets are all great for organized and clutter free entryways.

19. Wall Clocks

Having the time easily visible with a nice wall clock adds simple comfort and practicality to a home. 

After a long search for a unique wall clock, I finally landed upon a vintage Audubon Society bird clock. This clock tweets various bird noises on the hour during the day! While my husband does not necessarily love this feature, I find it so endearing and prime material for a cozy home. 

20. Clean Bathrooms  

A clean bathroom makes a home feel taken care of, cozy, and fresh.

Luckily bathrooms are usually pretty small, so it doesn’t have to take a ton of effort to keep them clean.

21. Glass Bulk Food Jars in The Kitchen

There’s something that feels so wholesome and cozy about having grains and other bulk foods on display in glass jars in the kitchen. Having jars out like this is also very functional! 

We keep our flour, waffle mix, oats, and chocolate chips in glass jars in a wooden lazy Susan on our countertop. 

22. Throw Pillows

A couch full of throw pillows is a quintessential aspect of a cozy home. My kids love face planting into them and think it is so fun!

We have an eclectic collection of throw pillows, and while they do not all match, they are all squishy, soft, and plentiful! 

23. Giant Bean Bag Chair

A good bean bag chair is perhaps the most comfy lounge item that exists!

We recently bought a Cordaroy’s Bean Bag, and it is the best thing to curl up on with a blanket. I found ours on Facebook Marketplace for a great deal and in like new condition. It has a machine washable cover and can convert into a queen mattress for guests to sleep on! 

24. Tissue Box Holders

This may seem silly, but having a cute little tissue box holder is such a great and simple creature comfort!

25. Jute Door Mats

My favorite door mat is this jute rug from Ikea. The warm neutral color and texture make it feel cozy and earthy. It also never looks dirty somehow!

It’s a fine balance between filling a home with cozy items and cluttering a home up with too much stuff. So as I continue on my mission to make a comfortable home, I also keep my minimalist values in mind. I reference these in some of my other posts;

• Realistic Minimalism For Busy Moms: Striving For Simplicity
• Toy Collection Guidelines: How Many Toys Do Kids Need
• Minimalist Practices to Help Prevent Parent Burnout
• How To Create A Toddler Friendly Home