How to create a cozy atmosphere
I have major sensory issues. I love my crew necks, my cozy socks that aren't too tight, and my sweatpants have to be at just the right height on my waist. My world gets loud, and by this I mean the tv is running, so is the dishwasher and washing machine, my kids are being kids, and the dog is licking herself too loud and now my toes feel funny... That kind of loud. When this happens I fall back on my cozy atmosphere to help ground me.
Outside of my creative career I teach people about minimalist and hygge lifestyle living! Our space really does play a large part in our moods. From color therapy to cleanliness, it all plays a part in how we get by our day. For starters a clean home is where I thrive the most. Stepping outside of that, the mood. One of our mood settings is lighting.
During the day all of our lights are off and we let the sunlight flood in. We have airy cream linen curtains. When the evening graces us we close all the blinds and curtains, turn off all the lights and ring in “lamp o'clock” . It's that time of day with the sun sets and everything feels golden and warm.
We turn on our lamps strategically placed in a triangular location to cozy up the living room where we retire at the end of the day to snuggle and unwind. Some other lighting favorites are candles and candlesticks, we don't have a fireplace but from time to time I will put on ‘A Fireplace for Your Home' on Netflix. As for candles, synthetics are a no go as they give us headaches so I religiously go to any coffee blend by Illuminate space. You can view her products here.
Another cozy atmosphere go-to for us is getting a large pot of soup or stew going around lunch time, we make a giant batch to last us for dinner and lunch the next day as well. Pair this with a scratch pan bakery bread loaf freshly toasted in the oven with butter for an extra cozy meal. I especially love doing this before guests arrive. It fills our home with a delicious aroma and we get to feed our friends and family which is part of our love language.
As the evening progresses I like to slip into some cozy socks, throw on my fuzzy slippers, and if we are not having movie night I like to turn on some ambient music. If you have company, personally I recommend something like a Parisian cafe playlist on spotify or something low key instrumental. Get a pot of something hot going like tea, coffee or hot chocolate during those cold months. During summer that playlist changes to Jack Johnson and that beverage turns into a watermelon mint lemonade or maybe a sneaky last minute bowl of ice cream before bed as we share giggles and quality time with our babies.
Spring is right around the corner and we are slowly getting back into the sense of community with our friends now that holidays have settled. This is a good time to start thinking about those spring and summer gatherings. Bringing out the adult beverages, a backyard potluck or BBQ, we have a dog group as well and we will gather with ALL the pups and kids with some good food. It's not just food, warm drinks, and lighting that create a cozy atmosphere. It's also the people we love that we welcome into our space. And I encourage creating this sense of hygge in your homes at any time. Gather during stormy weather to eat well, play board games, and wait out the rain or snow together. I’d love to see more of us adopt this way of living. Seeking joy through it all and intentionally setting our surroundings.