With the UK being hit by multiple storms last week, ensuring your home feels as warm and cosy as possible is highly important to many Brits, with UK Google searches for ‘cosy’ reaching 47k last month. Therefore interior stylist at ScS, Victoria Foster has revealed which interior mistakes may be making your living room feel like you’re still outside.
From incorrect lighting, to having too much storage, Victoria shares her 7 biggest mistakes people may not realise they’re making which are contributing to a cold and gloomy home.
1. Arrangement of furniture
“Improperly arranged furniture can disrupt the flow and functionality of the living room. This space is intended for relaxation and spending time with friends and family, so placing your larger furniture items like sofas and chairs correctly is key.
“Plan your living room layout with comfortable conversation areas in mind, ensuring that seating is effective for socialising. Ultimately this is dependent on the size and shape of your room, but pairing two and three-seater sofas perpendicularly with a large coffee table or footrest offers a great shape for creating a cosy atmosphere. It’s also important to not place bulky pieces of furniture in front of radiators as this will impact the flow of heat around a room.”
2. No ambient lighting
“Relying on a single source of lighting can create dark corners that make the room feel cold and unappealing. Or, if you have particularly bright overhead lighting it can be too bright which makes it difficult to relax.
“The living room is the most important room for getting your lighting right as you’ll tend to use it for winding down at the end of the day. Layering your lighting by adding floor lamps or table lamps can really add dimension to the room. Choose warm-toned bulbs to create a cosy atmosphere.”
3. Neglecting floor space
“Having bare floors can make the living room feel incomplete and less inviting. Whether you have engineered wood flooring, laminate flooring or carpet, any floor type can be accessorised to create more warmth within a room.
“Rugs help to anchor your seating area and add warmth and texture to the room. I’d suggest opting for a size that accommodates your existing furniture arrangement, ensuring that it is big enough to sit under the front feet of your sofa(s). This creates a cohesive and comfortable zone for your living space.”
4. No wall decor
“Bare walls or artwork that doesn’t fit the scale of the room can leave your living room feeling stark and cold. If you have neutral coloured walls and interiors, a lack of artwork or detail on the walls can make the room feel flat.
“Use your wall space to personalise the room with carefully chosen artwork, tall or hanging plants that can become a wall feature, mirrors, or hanging wall decor. Pay attention to the scale of the piece versus the size of the room and be clever with the placement to enhance the visual appeal of the room. Generally I’d advise trying to keep things symmetrical and choose one theme or style for each room.”
5. Not using a balanced colour scheme
“Overusing one colour or not using complimentary colours can make living rooms feel like they’re missing something. It can make the room feel cold, particularly if you have strong shades like white or black dominating the room.
“You can create a balanced colour palette by mixing both warm and cool tones. If you’re not a huge fan of colour, you can incorporate it into the room subtly with pops of colour through accessories, throw pillows, plants and artwork to add vibrancy and interest.”
6. Minimal decor
“Whilst minimalism has been a big trend in interiors, it isn’t the cosiest of aesthetics. A lack of personal touches and accessories can make a living room feel impersonal and uninviting.
“Decorate with meaningful artwork, decorative pillows, and personal items. Make your favourite items focal pieces in the room and introduce different elements with plants or mirrors to add warmth and personality.”
7. Lack of storage
“Although minimalism can feel impersonal, having too much clutter is also uninviting. If you have insufficient storage it can often lead to your living room feeling cluttered, making it appear disorganised and chaotic.
“For a warm, cosy but uncluttered room it’s important to invest in stylish storage solutions such as built-in shelves, ottomans with hidden storage, or entertainment units. This helps keep your space organised whilst also contributing to the overall design and adding points of interest that add depth to an aesthetic, and in turn feeling more inviting and cosy.”
To find out about the lighting, sofa and flooring ranges on offer at ScS you can visit www.scs.co.uk. Or for inspiration on making your home a sanctuary you can find out more here.
