Cozy living room ideas work all year round. With their wood paneling, warm colors, log burners, exposed beams, brickwork, chunky rugs, and squishy seating, they never go out of style. Plus, there are so many simple switches you can make to up the coziness of your living room without having to totally redecorate – a sheepskin rug here, a throw pillow there.
'We use the phrase Style Up, Hunker Down quite a lot here at Livingetc,' says our editor Pip Rich. 'It means to put a lot of thought into the right colors, textures and materials to make the space pop, while also giving you somewhere you want to nestle into. Think tactile boucle fabric, rich shades like navy and cognac, then pops of red or other brighter shades to really lift the spirits.'
And while cozy living rooms do have a reputation for being all about tartan prints, antlers hanging from every wall, a huge open fire crackling continuously, cozy has many other more... subtle faces and can be blended into any style of living room ideas, even super minimalist, modern spaces.
Cozy living room ideas
1. Layer up the textures
Get ready to hear this word a lot – texture is what makes a cozy living room. It's also a really simple way to update your living room, just switch out your cushions, throw down a rug (or two) and bring in some throws in tactile fabrics to create lovely soft layers. As in Scandi living room ideas, natural materials like wood and rattan work perfectly in cozy living rooms too, adding even more textures and creating a relaxed, laid-back feel.
'When I want to create a cozy room it's all about texture and lighting. Add in soft and textured throws, layer on a sheepskin rug, and maybe even switch out your pillows for plushier ones.' advises Emily Henderson (opens in new tab). 'You want the space to feel layered Then for lighting, a fireplace is of course ideal, but making sure you have 'warm light' bulbs with dimmers will also help you to create and control your level of coziness.'
2. Go for a simple Scandi style
As we mentioned, you can take a more minimalist approach to cozy living rooms. Yes, even grey living room ideas can come into play here. You'll often find that Scandi-inspired spaces are both simple, stylish and cozy, mixing clean lines and simple shapes with touches of texture and natural materials.
In this living room, which joins onto the open plan kitchen and diner, designer Steve Nash chose to have a microcement floor across the whole space. 'It creates a sense of harmony,' he says, abut the way it blends one room into the other. 'Its color is also a little uneven, adding texture and a feeling of interesting warmth.'
A light and airy color scheme gives a cozy living room all year round appeal too, pale greys, whites, and creams keep this room feeling fresh and not too wintery. Come the cooler months, you can always add in more cushions in deep hues and pile up the throws for a quick seasonal change.
3. Create a cocooning space with darker shades
We are often so obsessed with trying to make a small space feel lighter and brighter, when in fact sometimes the best option is to lean into those smaller proportions and choose a darker color palette instead. Not only will this create cozy, cocooning space but can blur the boundaries of the room, especially if you go all over with a dark shade – ceiling including.
Also note, that with the changing season, it's best to refer to living room fall decor ideas to find out the colors that truly warm up the indoors and create a snug, inviting interior.
'It’s a misnomer that dark colors make a room feel gloomy and smaller.' says Anna Burles, Creative Director of Run For The Hills (opens in new tab). 'They can do the complete opposite, making a room feel ultra-cozy, soft and expansive, by creating light and shade with the natural light coming into the space and the textures and tones of the furniture you pair with the wall, floor or ceiling color.'
'We love to contrast dramatic dark walls or floors with light and highly textured furniture and textiles, rugs and curtains, making the light elements really bounce and pop from the dramatically dark backdrop.'
4. Add softness with relaxed shapes
Slubby materials and relaxed, low-slung furniture with soft lines give a living room a very laid-back feel that's perfect for creating cozy spaces. See how in this living room, the sofa has a very lived-in look and all the soft layers of linen add that all-important texture. The color palette of this neutral living room is something to note too, rather than choose clean, crisp neutrals like white and grey, opting for softer beige tones can create a more cozy, inviting space.
'The key to creating a modern beige space is all about texture,' says the interior designer Kelly Hoppen. 'Go for three or four different tones in a space, each a different texture, such as boucle with a satin, a linen and a calico.'
Find more super comfortable seating options in our shopping guides to the best sofas and sofa beds.
5. Get your living room lighting spot on
'When it comes to creating a cozy space, lighting your home is important. Setting the mood rests entirely on the lighting you choose.' says Matthew Williamson (opens in new tab). 'Forget about using one main lighting source in favor of illuminating a few lamps around the room for a more interesting, cozy lighting scheme. This way, you can be more flexible with what you intend to light.
For example, a reading corner would benefit from an elegant swan-neck wall light, while a piece of art would look spectacular on the wall between two table lamps on a credenza or sideboard.'
6. Bring in cooler tones
Cozy living rooms are often associated with warmer, neutral tones, but as this space proves you can bring cozy into any color palette. Here grey-toned blues give a fresh, modern feel while still keeping with the cozy aesthetic.
'I would use grey toned blues when I wanted to create a contemporary, urban space,' says Livingetc editor Pip Rich. 'They're softer than dark blues and richer than greys, so the make the perfect backdrop to city life. There is a hint of the Scandi about them which makes them really appealing.'
Combined with plenty of wooden textures and soft layers, this blue living room feels both contemporary and cozy. Note the wallpaper too – don't shy away from adding pattern which can make larger living rooms instantly feel more intimate.
7. Take a minimalist approach to cozy
Because all it takes is a roaring fire, a pile of logs and a soft rug underfoot to make a living room feel cozy. Be inspired by the ideas behind minimalism in interior design, approach and make a fireplace a focal point, adding a mismatch of modern furniture creates a very stylish contrast and of course bringing in a bean bag is always going to up the coziness.
Designer John Pawson knows just how to acheive coziness on a limited palette. 'Through the choice of plasters and paint,' he says. 'In my London house, I used enough coats of Quiet White by Papers and Paints to create a really deep white, while in our Oxfordshire home I’ve left the lime plaster unpainted, so it’s a slightly soft, pinky white. It has all the movement of the plasterer’s trowel.'
8. Make it soft underfoot
The more softness going on when creating a cozy living room the better, so keep things soft underfoot too with a soft, long pile area rug or carpet.
'While wooden floors have been center stage in many homes in the recent past, we have seen a dramatic rise in sales in the last few years, and in particular sales of carpets.' explains Jodie Hatton, a Residential Designer at Brintons (opens in new tab). 'Fitted carpets are back, and back with gusto. We’ve seen an increase in desire for cozy, warming patterns too like tartans and stripes.'
9. Add texture with exposed brick
Exposed brick is synonymous with modern rustic living rooms, adding texture and interest to any style of space. We love how in this living room, the brick of the inglenook fireplace contrasts the brilliant white walls and minimalist furniture, adding just the right amount of rustic to make the room feel cozy.
'From a brick fireplace to a brick wall, the rough texture can add a real sense of wanting to hunker down,' says Pip Rich. 'Even just a brick hearth will do the trick. Failing that, I once saw a bookcase made of brick supports and railway sleepers as shelves, and even that had the same effect.'
10. Fill (but don't overcrowd) the room
Cozy living rooms should have that cocooning feel, with soft squishy furniture and furnishings everywhere you turn. So choose pieces that are going to fill the space nicely, without overcrowding it, to create that intimacy.
Sectional sofas that hug the walls or accent chairs that break up a sea of empty floor space will have that instant cocooning effect. Just be sure not to cram in too much furniture, you still want each piece to have some room to breathe.
‘The beauty of multi-directional sofas is that they allow people the freedom to come together in whatever way they please,’ says Ludovic Aublanc, Creative Director of Chaplins. ‘In 2022 our homes will work harder than ever, and we’ll need designs that can keep up, switching modes between spots to relax, socialize or even fire off a quick email in.'
11. Add a stove to up the coziness
A crackling fire adds an instant cozy ambiance to a living room, plus you get that lovely soft glow and smell that adds to the welcoming atmosphere. If you have a more modern living room, or are squeezed for space, a compact wood burner can easily be installed and won't take up lots of room. And in a period property, restoring the fireplaces will add a lovely focal point.
'Adding period features to your home is an effective way to create a cozy living space for the family to enjoy.' says Owen Pacey, founder of Renaissance London (opens in new tab). 'By restoring the original plasterwork such as the cornice or ceiling roses in period homes, you can add a traditional dimension to your home which is undeniably cozy. Adding a period or period-style fireplace can give the room an anchoring focal point, around which you can gather the furniture to create an alternative to a TV-centric room. This encourages conversation, creativity and peacefulness, which contributes to the cozy value!'
12. Be on trend with boucle
'A quick way to create a cosy atmosphere which remains elegant is by adding in a boucle fabric. The rich, loop-like texture is ideal for creating a warm, relaxed space, and has long been part of our upholstery offering, selling particularly well on contemporary shapes to soften a modern scheme.' says Laura Hadad, Design Ambassador at Arteriors (opens in new tab).
'As well as the choice of material and fabrics making a difference to the coziness of a room, the furniture you select, and the overarching design of the space can lend itself to be more comfortable. A subtle curve in the right place on a chair, sofa or stool creates an inviting place to take a step away from the day – we know the effects that beautifully soft curves and arcs bring to the senses when creating a welcoming and homely feel to your interiors.'
13. Panel the walls
It doesn't get cozier than wooden paneling. Adding warmth and of course texture, it's a sure-fire way to give your living room those rustic cabin vibes. White shiplap walls seem to be the way to do paneling at the moment but if you want to give more depth to your room, keep the wood bare and contrast it with crisp white walls and ceilings for a contemporary edge.
14. Make a feature of log piles
The easiest cozy living room idea out there, pile up the logs. Not only it is practical for making the logs easy to access, but you can also turn them into a real feature of the room. A tall recessed shelf is piled high with logs in this living room, creating an interesting focal point as well as adding yet more texture.
15. Add pops of pink or red
in this living room, the darker blue tones of the sofa by Edra are enlivened by the red cushions and floral rug. And despite the light bright windows, the result is a space that feels completely cozy.
'I'm a big fan of pillar box red at the moment,' says Pip Rich. 'Anything with fiery orange tones does the trick of adding heat to a room. For an even more layered approach, painting details like skirting or cornicing in a something like Charlotte's Locks by Farrow and Ball does the trick. I'm doing my radiators in this shade.'
How can you make a living room feel cozy?
The easiest way to make a living room feel cozy, without having to make too many big changes is switching out soft furnishings, changing lighting and of course adding in plenty of texture. Even something as simple as rearranging your living room layout can make a living room feel cozier. Try moving your sofas away from the walls and have them face each other rather than the obvious choice of the TV. Place a large coffee table or ottoman in between and use a rug to ground the furniture and you'll see it instantly feels more intimate.
A really quick tip for making a living room feel cozy is to ensure you have a large area rug to ensure there are soft textures on the floor, as well as the furniture and decor. Noemie Deed, founder of Cosy Coco says, 'A rug is the obvious way to introduce coziness into a living room scheme from the ground up. The best choice is sumptuously soft wool that you can sink your feet into after a long day at work, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It’s worth investing in the rugs which will sit in your main rooms – the higher quality of the wool and the thicker pile increases both durability and softness which is the perfect pairing for high traffic spaces such as the living room. To inject even more of that comfort and coziness, consider layering two rugs over one another within the space.'
What colors work best in a cozy living room?
The best colors for cozy living rooms will depend on the overall look you are going for. You can't go wrong with a soft neutral palette made up of whites, creams and beige, but that doesn't mean you always have to stay away from more colorful schemes.
'Warm and earthy tones such as terracotta, yellow and coral will naturally bring a zest and sense of energy to a room. Yellows in particular, are known to lift a mood and evoke a feeling of warmth and connection to the sun. Similarly, terracotta tones are not only particularly on-trend at the moment but are also perfect for bringing a warm and comforting, cozy sense to a room, naturally lifting the mood.' says Helen Shaw, director at Benjamin Moore (opens in new tab).