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How to Make Your Home More Cozy and Inviting

If you’ve followed along for a while, you know how much I love being at home and cozying things up a bit, even if it’s just in small and simple ways.  With that in mind, in today’s post I’m sharing some easy decorating ideas to make your home look and feel more cozy and inviting, while retaining an elevated and luxurious feel.

Love this beautiful modern living room design with a large sectional, round ottoman, and neutral decor and furniture - living room decor - living room furniture - coastal decor - modern coastal style - coastal grandmother - beach house decor - pure salt interiorsPure Salt Interiorssimilar ottoman – similar sectionals here, here, and here 

How to Make Your Home Look and Feel More Cozy

Below, you’ll find some easy ideas on how to make your home look and feel more cozy and inviting, not just in winter but every season. 

Even better, these ideas work beautifully with any design style, color scheme, and budget.

1. Add warmth with rugs

One of the easiest ways to make your home feel more inviting is with rugs.  Since all the floors on the main level of our home are wood or tile, rugs are a must — especially during the cooler seasons.

I love the elevated feeling a vintage rug brings to a space, as demonstrated in this gorgeous living room from Pure Salt Interiors:

Love this beautiful living room design with a large sectional, round wood coffee table, and neutral furniture and decor - living room ideas - living room decor - coastal interiors - modern coastal living room ideas - pure saltPure Salt Interiors – similar sectionals here, here, and here – similar coffee table here and here

I love the warm look this vintage runner adds to this timeless kitchen design from Jean Stoffer Interiors.  Here’s a similar vintage rug.

Beautiful and inspiring kitchen design with beamed cathedral ceilings and black framed windows - Jean Stoffer #kitchen #kitchendecor #kitchenideasJean Stoffer Interior Design

This bright and welcoming dining room is perfectly tied together via a striped jute rug, wood dining table, and statement chandelier

Beautiful dining room with striped rug and black wishbone side chairsLight and Dwell

A rug made of jute or a wool and jute mix is the perfect way to bring a touch of warmth to the living room.  I have jute rugs in almost every room of our home, and I love how they add a casual yet cohesive look to any space.

Pure Salt Interiorsrugside chairs

area rug ideas:

2. Bring in warmth with cozy blankets and throws

One of the best ways to warm up your home for winter is with throws and blankets — particularly ones made of soft fabrics like cotton, cashmere, linen, or faux fur. 

Studio McGee

I love the cozy look of layered throws and bedding in the beautiful bedroom shown below:

Love this beautiful bedroom design with neutral bedding, furniture, and decor and a striped jute rug - bedroom ideas - bedroom decor - coastal bedroom - the heart and havenThe Heart and Haven

favorite throws:

3. Add in a few pillows

My next tip is to pile on the throw pillows.  I can’t think of anything that changes the look and feeling of a space faster than adding in a few new pillows.

Pure Salt Interiors

I’m a big fan of velvet pillows — especially for winter decorating.  Their soft, luxurious feel adds the perfect touch of warmth to the living room and bedroom.

Love this beautiful modern living room design with a wood coffee table and light neutral decor and furniture - the hillary styleThe Hillary Style

favorite pillows:

4. Plants

I love having plants in the house–especially during the colder months. 

Love this beautiful modern organic living room design with a large sectional, marble coffee tables, and neutral decor and furniture - living room decor - living room furniture - organic modern decor - fall decor - warm neutral living room - modern earthy living room ideas - the life styled coThe Life Styled Co.

They definitely keep me busy with all the watering, but I love the positive energy plants bring to our home!

Cozy decorating ideas for the living room and mantel - jane at home #livingroomdesign #coastalstyle #coastaldecor #livingroomideas #fireplacedecor #mantlehearth room

5. Layer on the cozy textures

One of my favorite ways to add some interest and warmth to a space is with textured rugs, baskets, wood elements, and textiles.

I especially love the cozy look of nubby or tweedy fabrics, fur, sherpa, and boucle’ for winter. 

A look at the quiet luxury interior design and decor trend, with ideas for bringing beautiful, elevated style to your home for 2024.Studio McGee

I recently added some texture to our living room, via a boucle’ ottoman coffee table, a natural jute rug, and cozy fur throw, and I love the sense of coziness they bring to this space.

jane at home living room - boucle ottoman with wood overlay coffee table

Even though the artwork in this bedroom is beach inspired, the cane bed, braided jute rug, basket, and mix of pillows supply abundant texture, warmth, and coziness to this space.

Love this beautiful bedroom design with a cane bed, modern coastal artwork, neutral bedding, decor, and furniture - bedroom ideas - bedroom decor - coastal interiors - modern coastal bedroomPure Salt Interiorsartwork

6. Artwork

Displaying artwork, photos and treasures from your favorite trips, either individually or as a collection, is a great way to bring a fresh touch of warmth and personality to your home.

Love this beautiful entryway with a wood bench, oversized landscape artwork, and light Scandinavian style - entryway ideas - entryway decor - Lindye GallowayLindye Galloway Studioartwork source

7. Books

Books add a personal touch to any space and are such an easy way to make your home feel cozy on a budget.

Studio McGee

I like to display books on coffee tables, side tables, kitchen counters, night stands, and consoles. 

Pure Salt Interior Design

In our kitchen, a basket displays a rotating collection of favorite cookbooks.  This basket is no longer available, but here’s a similar one.

Winter decorating ideas - cookbook basket in the kitchen for storage and organization - jane at home

8.  Natural wood

The natural beauty of wood creates a warm and welcoming environment in any space.

Love this gorgeous living room design with a rustic wood console table and light neutral decor and furniture - coastal living rooms - cozy coastal living room - modern coastal interior design - beach house interior design - coastal boho interior - pure salt interiorsPure Salt Interiors

And, with the growing desire for lighter, airier spaces, wood adds a much-needed grounding effect. 

Love this beautiful modern master bedroom with soft neutral bedding, decor and furniture - bedroom decor - bedroom furniture - bedroom rug ideas - alexis andra austinAlexis Andra Austin

Warm wood tones are making a big comeback, particularly in flooring, as well as kitchen and bathroom cabinetry.

Love this beautiful modern kitchen design with a light oak wood island, vintage rug, wood beams, and white and brass cone pendant lights - kitchen decor - kitchen lighting - kitchen island ideas - jean stofferJean Stoffer Interior Designpendant lights

You can also incorporate warm wood tones through coffee tables, side tables, chairs, and wood picture frames.

Love this contemporary living room with a round wood coffee table, TV wall, neutral sectional, and warm coastal style - living room ideas - living room decor - living room furniture - living room table - coastal decor - coastal living room - modern living room - pure salt interiorsPure Salt Interiors – similar coffee tables here and here

Wooden counter stools and wood cutting boards are always a great way to bring a touch of warmth to the kitchen.

Love this beautiful European style kitchen with a rustic wood island, wood counter stools, marble backsplash and sage green lower cabinets - kitchen island ideas - kitchen cabinet ideas - kitchen decor - anthologyAnthology Creativessimilar counter stools

9. Add coziness to your home with color

Earth tones, warm neutrals, and rich colors like burgundy, navy blue, and chocolate brown are trending in 2025, and that trend will continue to grow in popularity throughout this winter into spring.

Studio McGee

Warm tones of sand, mushroom, camel, terracotta, oatmeal, deep wine, and chocolate, along with muted greens and blues, work with every other color palette, making them the perfect cozy addition to any space.

Love this beautiful modern organic living room design with a warm aesthetic and neutral decor and furniture - pure salt interiors - katrina scott - fall decor ideas for the homePure Salt Interiors for Katrina Scott

Rich earth tones work with every style of decor and are hugely popular this year, thanks in part to the modern organic and quiet luxury design trends.  

Studio McGee

A couple of years ago, gray and cool tones were popular in winter home decor; however, 2025 is all about a warm aesthetic and rich-hued tones.

If you’ve already embraced neutrals and warmer hues in your home, you might not need to do much to make your home feel more cozy for the cooler seasons!

Love this gorgeous modern living room design with a sectional, vaulted ceilings, and neutral furniture and decor - beach house living room - modern coastal living room - organic modern living room - california casual style - coastal living rooms - cloth & mainBirds & Bobos

You can learn more about incorporating earth tones and a warmer aesthetic in your home in my posts, What is Coastal Grandmother Style? (and why I’m loving this trend) and California Casual Style Decorating Ideas for Your Home.

Love this beautiful modern living room and open concept kitchen design with a large sectional and neutral decor and furniture - living room furniture - living room ideas - living room decor - coastal decor - coastal living room - lighting ideasPure Salt Interiors

Also, my post, Colors of the Year: Top Home Color Trends for 2025, shares more about this year’s color trends.

After we painted all the walls and ceilings in our house white, I discovered I could still make our home feel cozy by adding in some color via pillows, rugs, throws, artwork, and decorative accents.

Despite the piles of snow outside, a touch of color helps bring a warm feeling to our hearth room:

Coastal home decor in the living room - jane at home

My favorite color is blue — and even though blue is on the cool side of the color spectrum, it’s also a “friendly” shade, making every space feel more welcoming.

Beautiful modern living room, dining area, and kitchen with neutral furniture and decor Salt Design Co.

Love this beautiful space with neutral decor and furniturePure Salt Interiorschairs

10. Cozy scents

With all its hard surfaces, creating a cozy atmosphere in the kitchen can be tricky. 

But I’ve discovered that a warm and welcoming feeling can be brought into any space with aromatherapy.

How to make your kitchen feel more cozy by diffusing essential oils - jane at home #homedecor #kitchen #style #design #decorkitchen sources

Here are some of my favorite essential oil diffuser blends I use to add a warm and inviting feeling to our kitchen:

3 drops clove + 4 drops orange
3 drops frankincense + 2 drops orange + 2 drops peppermint
4 drops orange + 3 drops cinnamon
4 drops tangerine + 3 drops peppermint

There are so many great ways to create a cozy, inviting feeling in your house, and I hope this list gave you some ideas for making your home feel more cozy and comfortable.

If you’re looking for stylish and affordable decor for the coming season, you might also be interested in my post about The New Studio McGee collection at Target.  xo Jane

get the look:

Looking for more great ways to make your home cozy?  Here are a few popular decorating ideas from the blog:

How to Add a Touch of Nancy Meyers Style to Your Kitchen and Home

Quiet Luxury Style: How to Bring this Chic Trend to Your Home

Modern Kitchen Pendant Lighting Ideas You Will Love

Where to Find Affordable Turkish Oushak Runners

Modern Coastal Decorating Ideas for Your Home

2025 Kitchen Design Trends and Decorating Ideas

Guest Bedroom Ideas for a Beautiful & Welcoming Space 

Beautiful Modern Bathroom Design Ideas You Will Love

A Simple Guide to Mixing Metals in the Bathroom

How to Install Decorative Wall Molding: An Easy Weekend DIY Project

2025 Home Decor Trends and Design Styles You Will Love

Modern Bedroom Design Ideas for a Dreamy Master Suite

Modern Living Room Decorating Ideas You Will Love


Pure Salt Interiors

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18 Comments

  • Jen
    March 10, 2023 at 10:53 am

    Hello! Thanks for all these great tips! Can you share where the couch is from in the first picture?

    Reply
    • Jane
      March 11, 2023 at 8:51 am

      Hi Jen! Thank you so much for your kind words! That beautiful living room is from Pure Salt Interiors – they do have an online shop, but it doesn’t look like they have that sectional available right now. Here are a few other ideas:

      The Pottery Barn Big Sur
      The Crate and Barrel Oceanside
      The Serena & Lily Norfolk
      The Aiobha from Wayfair
      The Serena & Lily Haven

      I hope this helps! Let me know if you have additional questions. xo Jane

      Reply
  • Lynn Reiner
    April 16, 2020 at 4:57 pm

    Jane: have a question regarding the living room rug. Love, love the indigo color, yet when I click on the picture, I am jumped to a Target page and while the description says “Indigo Blue”, the picture looks like navy blue or almost black. Is the rug really the beautiful indigo as your pictures show?

    Reply
    • Jane
      April 17, 2020 at 7:30 am

      Hi Lynn! Thank you so much for asking about my living room rug. In real life it’s more of an indigo blue than it appears in the photos on Target’s website. Even in the store, when the rug is rolled up, it doesn’t show how pretty it is when it’s unrolled and placed under furniture. The nice thing about Target is that it’s easy to return things if they don’t work out in your space. Right now, they’re temporarily not accepting returns in store, but have extended their return window and are offering free UPS returns. I hope this helps — please let me know if you have any more questions! Xx Jane

      Reply
  • Michele Holleran
    February 21, 2020 at 11:24 am

    Jane… I adore your ideas! I live in Westminster and my decorating tastes run parallel to yours. But I always find new ideas from what you share. Thank you! And here’s to an early spring in Colorado. Fingers crossed!

    Reply
    • Jane
      February 22, 2020 at 3:21 pm

      Thank you so much Michele, that means a lot to me! It’s so wonderful to connect with you — and yes to an early spring!! xo Jane

      Reply
      • Anonymous
        October 16, 2021 at 7:40 am

        Lovely! Keep in mind some essential oils can be toxic for pets.

        Reply
        • Jane
          October 17, 2021 at 8:06 am

          Thank you so much for this wonderful reminder! I’m always very careful when using oils around our pets and encourage everyone to educate themselves before using oils on or around their pets. xo Jane

          Reply
  • Sue
    January 11, 2020 at 6:23 am

    Jane, I love your blue and white décor, and those rugs are perfect! However, I have two cats and a long haired pup, and find that the rugs just attract and hold hair and dust too much. After vacuuming at least once a day for way too long, I gave up and reverted to my wood and engineered vinyl plank floors. Is there something I could treat the rugs with, that would repel hair? Like ScotchGuard or ?
    Thanks for your help, and inspiration.

    Reply
    • Jane
      January 11, 2020 at 10:14 am

      Hi Sue, thank you so much for your lovely comment. Having had a menagerie of dogs and cats over the years, I completely understand your rug issue! I do think the type of rug makes a difference. It seems like low pile rugs seem to hold less hair–and I always look for tufted rugs, rather than loop, so our pets’ nails won’t catch and snag. I would definitely avoid rugs made with viscose, as they seem to attract hair and dirt. Also, patterned rugs–especially if they’re the same color as your pets’ fur–help make hair less noticeable! I hope this helps! Have a great weekend xo Jane

      Reply
  • Lynn
    January 10, 2020 at 1:58 pm

    Beautiful Jane! Now can you come to Northern Ireland and work your magic on my home! Determined to add blue this year!!!! Lynn x

    Reply
    • Jane
      January 11, 2020 at 9:58 am

      Thank you so much, my friend! Oh, how I wish I had a trip to Ireland in my future! If you’re like me, once you start adding blue, you won’t be able to stop! Have a great weekend xo Jane

      Reply
  • Mariangela
    January 10, 2020 at 11:45 am

    Love the blue and white theme! Any suggestions on rugs for a more pale gray/white room?

    Reply
    • Jane
      January 11, 2020 at 9:55 am

      Hi! Thanks so much–I love pale gray and white together! For a more neutral look, I love a pale gray or gray/green oriental style rug, or even a natural jute or sisal rug. If you look under the Shop + Favorite Sources Tab above, you’ll find a section called Rugs, which has several rug ideas in all colors, styles and price ranges. Hope this helps! xo Jane

      Reply
  • Jeanne
    January 18, 2019 at 5:57 pm

    Your blue and white theme continues to mesmerize me! And you’ve made it as cozy in the winter as it was fresh in the summer!

    Reply
    • Jane
      January 18, 2019 at 8:08 pm

      Thank you so much, Jeanne!! Your kind words mean the world to me! Have a wonderful weekend! xo jane

      Reply
  • Kristen
    January 18, 2019 at 5:20 am

    Hi there,
    I love this — thanks for sharing! I’m looking to add open shelving just like you have in your kitchen. Can you let me know where the shelves are from? I’m having a difficult time finding ones that aren’t too rustic, and yours are perfect!

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jane
      January 18, 2019 at 9:59 am

      Hi Kristen, thank you so much! I also wanted non-rustic shelves, so after lots of searching I ended up buying the Omega brand of shelves through Woodworker Express. I bought the unfinished alder and we added a crystal clear satin poly coat (Minwax). The poly coat did darken them a bit, but I’m happy with the darker color. I hope this helps! I’m working on a blog post sharing all of the details and sources for our kitchen, and I hope to have it published soon. Have a wonderful day! xo jane

      Reply

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