Have you ever just looked at your space and felt…bleh? 

It doesn’t feel like your space. It doesn’t feel like home. This is a problem.

Why? Because it’s literally your happy place.

Imagine coming home from work to a dark, dull, cramped house, with mismatched furniture and only hard, bare surfaces.

How would you feel after a week?

It’s not life-threatening, but it’s definitely not comfortable. A homey place is key to your mental and physical well-being, even if you're only staying for a few weeks. 
 
Remember: You spend a huge amount of time at home—sleeping, eating, resting—the only other place you spend as much time is at work. 

So here are eight simple tips to get you cozy in record time, for places big, small, forever, or temporary. 

Combine Design Styles

It’s easy to go online and do an interior design quiz, but tread lightly! If you copy Pinterest or follow an interior style to the T, you’ll end up with a cookie-cutter house.

It’ll be boring and too perfect. Too interior design magazine. Too restrictive.

Chances are you like elements from other design styles. Or have fallen in love with some quirky decor. So go for it—break the rules and have a primary, secondary, or even tertiary style. 

Have a modern house with natural elements. A boho apartment with a mid-century touch. Instead of checking off boxes on the “modern” style list, make your own. Labels are guidelines, not rules. It’s your house—this is your chance to be novel and unique.

Don’t Leave The Walls Bare

Easily one of the best ways to add personality—fill a blank space that reflects you!

It doesn’t have to be family photos. Framed prints, canvases, a rug/tapestry, a gallery wall of your favorite photographs—images that resonate with you are what make it home.

If you have kids’ artwork and the fridge is running out of space, this is a great chance to decorate. As long as your wall isn’t blank, it’s an improvement.

Don’t know where to start? Try going on Etsy, supporting a local artist, or even creating some art yourself. You don’t need to fill the whole wall immediately. Slowly build up a collection that’s meaningful to you.

Find Your Signature Scent

What does home smell like to you? Scents have an incredible effect on our memories and can bring us back to childhood in an instant. Once you associate a scent with home, it’s there for good. 

Whether it’s vanilla cake or the smell of a pine forest, find your scent and give yourself the gift of calm every time you return home. Incense sticks, crystal diffusers, candles—whatever scent you choose, it’ll elevate your space immediately.

Style Your Surfaces

Buying basic furniture is often the best choice for most people. Quality furniture is an investment, and there’s no telling how your style might change over time.

So the next best thing to spice up your space? Decor.

Frames, decorative objects, candles, books—any decor that works for you. Instead of buying furniture that fits your style, opt for decor instead.

A chair is not just a chair. It’s also about the pillows and throws and the table next to it. Decor is where your style reveals itself, so let’s avoid being one-dimensional. Style your furniture and surfaces with things that feel good to you and the space will come together.

Upgrade The Coziness With Textiles

From simple throws to woven knit pillows, textiles are a fantastic way to experiment with pattern, texture, and color. They’re highly functional and look good pretty much anywhere—living rooms, reading nooks, offices—and require zero assembly. You’d be surprised what a bold throw pillow and a throw can do to a simple sofa. Better yet, if you keep your room largely neutral but and accents of color, you can switch it up style anyway.

Use Storage Wisely

When you think of storage you’re probably thinking about hiding things in wardrobes, cabinets, and shelves. But what about hiding things in plain sight? Soft rope baskets or sturdy desk organizers keep things in order but also keep them on display. So if you’re a book lover, trinket collector, or just want to have everything in sight, consider more decorate storage.   

Become A Plant Parent

Being a plant parent is all the rage and for a good reason. A single plant can be the fresh focal point of any room, and easy care options like succulents only need occasional watering.

Plants are also scientifically proven to help you become healthier and happier, so they really are a win-win!

Create Space For Hobbies And Pursuits

As tempting as it is to decorate everything to the nines, it’s very important to have a space for your hobbies and pursuits.

Enough space for a yoga mat, puzzles, or an arts and crafts corner is essential—when your hobby has a specific space, it becomes a permanent fixture in your home! Now you have mental and physical space to relax and enter a flow state.

This space is uniquely yours, and if you take the time to set one up in every home (however temporary) you’ll feel anchored and truly at home.