Rustic, cozy rooms are currently in the interior design spotlight – and for good reason. This winter decor trend strikes the perfect balance between rustic and homespun; like an escape to the countryside without leaving the city limits.
It is this comforting philosophy that actress Anne Hathaway and her husband, jewelry designer Adam Shulman, were eager to embrace for their chalet home's cozy living room. While we like our rooms to feel uncluttered and streamlined in warmer months, come winter, we want cozy rooms that feel warm, cosseting, and inviting. You just have to look at social media to see the amount of rooms dedicated to this 'warm and welcoming' interior design trend.
Designed by Pamela Shamshiri of Studio Shamshiri, this 1906 country house takes its cues from the romance and idiosyncrasy of architect Myron Hunt’s vision for a Swiss chalet improbably planted in Southern California.
Designing a cozy living room, similar to Anne Hathaway's, is all about creating a comfortable, functional, and welcoming place.
‘To achieve the popular 'cabincore' aesthetic, embrace materials that evoke the textures found in the wilderness. Incorporate stone, reclaimed wood, linen and wool to add depth and rustic appeal,’ explains Jessica Hanley, founder of Piglet in Bed.
However, you don’t need to have an authentic timber cabin to create a captivating hygge ambiance. Your chosen room color ideas can turn a once-cold space into something a lot more warm and inviting. The answer? Nature's seasonal spectrum of earthy tones.
The power of decorating with neutrals to add warmth and elegance to a room should not be underestimated. When decorating with neutrals a key element is the importance of layering with textures and tonal shades.
'I love the calmness and coziness that you create when you have a neutral palette in a room,' says interior designer Tamsin Johnson. 'But this choice doesn’t have to mean boring: you can create an interesting and exciting space by layering different tones, such as off-whites and beige, then introducing a range of caramels and even accents of black and dark brown.'
Color is not the only to add warmth. If you want to up the comfort factor in a snug room, then think about using texture in interior design to add further depth and dimension.
You don’t have to commit to a complete redesign – just a few well-chosen accessories are enough to transform your room into the perfect spot to hibernate, says Sue Jones, co-founder and creative director of Oka.
‘To achieve a warm, light-filled room, swap linens for heavier fabrics in rich, earthy tones. Also, don’t hold back when it comes to layering prints and patterns; it will help create a feeling of depth that only adds to that coziness.’
