Winter is the perfect time to cozy up! Here are four quick and easy steps that are sure to make an impact in creating a warm and cozy space. The good news is, you probably have some of the things you'll need to achieve coziness in your home already.
Candles
You probably already have some candles at home. I encourage you to bring them out in higher quantities in the colder months. Place a giant 3-wick candle on your dining room table or several vintage brass candle holders with tapers on top of a mantel (see my beloved sun and moon ones above). I also love to add a candle on a tray on my coffee table with some pretty books.
Try a mixture of scented and unscented candles. A lightly scented candle can add to the cozy atmosphere - here’s my favorite Forest-scented one from Brooklyn Candle Studio. I also love the beeswax candles from Beeswax Candle Works (used in photo above) The natural beeswax scent is so wonderful.
Pro tip: Make sure you actually light them! So many of us buy candles and never light them because they are too *pretty.* But a burnt candle adds an element of authenticity to your environment and will automatically up your cozy game, even when unlit.
Warm Lighting
Bright and white is in right now! But in fall and winter, I find myself wanting to turn up the coziness with lower, warmer light.
Replace a white lampshade with a tan colored one for warmer, lower light. My favorite tan vintage lamp shade was found at a thrift store and I love the warm light it creates.
Alternatively, you can add a bamboo lamp to your space. A favorite of mine is the Boja table lamp from Ikea. It creates the perfect low, warm ambient light you need to cozy up on the couch with a book or enjoy a glass of wine with friends.
Pro tip: Look for light bulbs with 2700k - 3000k (k stands for Kelvin!) for the warmest light. For reference, a candle creates 1900k light and anything higher than 5000k tends to feel very cool and quite bright. So the lower the number is on the kelvin scale, the warmer the light will be.
Hanging Plants
Hang a trailing plant from the ceiling (preferably using a macrame plant holder if you are a vintage lover, too!). My favorite plants to hang are String of Hearts and pretty much any variety of Pothos. As a bonus they're both very easy to take care of and can tolerate lower light. If you can't hang the plant, put it on a stand, shelf or side table and let it cascade over the edge. I’ve bought plants at Home Depot, local plant shops (I love Sierra Water Gardens in Reno), and even online!
Pro tip: Using trailing/hanging plants is particularly calming because they create downward (grounding) energy.
Incense
Scent can evoke emotion, and the right incense can create a relaxing vibe. I have tried a lot of incense, but my absolute favorite are Paine’s incense cones. If you don’t have a fireplace or woodstove, these are key. Talk about being transported to a cozy cabin in the woods!
They're made from Maine trees that are brought to Paine’s by local woodsmen in Auburn, Maine. They then grind and dry the wood and press it into molds, so it’s completely natural! My two favorite scents are Cedar and Pinion Pine. They come in both sticks and cones, but the cones are my favorite. I actually leave the boxes out on the table because their packaging is so authentically vintage. Plus, they also offer these tiiiiiiny log cabins for burning your incense in. It’s got a teensy chimney, so it’s like a little fire is burning in there!