12 Cozy Living Room Updates That Feel Easy and Intentional

Having a cozy living room honestly makes so much sense.

Because you know how you have comfort food for the cold seasons? Well I think you need a comfort room as well.

The kind of room where you walk in, feel the soft rug underneath your feet, see your favorite read on the soft chair that has been unofficially recognized as being “your chair,” and a lavender-scented candle ready to be lit.

It’s your space, or at least it will be. At this point, you’re probably thinking and planning out your living room aesthetic, so I think it’s a good idea if I give some good ideas on how to make this cozy space dream a reality. ♥️ 

And down below are a few DIY projects, my own personal tips, and some cozy living room ideas from other writers. I hope you get exactly what you need for your instant de-stress living space.

1. Seasonal Gallery Wall

Michael from Inspired by Charm did an incredible wall art gallery made up of beautiful paint-by-number art pieces.

But something I liked that he talked about was how he switched out pieces depending on the season.

Here’s how I think this can help you create a warm and inviting space.

Let’s say it’s February. It’s cold but you don’t want to be reminded that it’s cold. So you can either do one of two things.

1. You can have pieces up that have warmer colors and make your living room feel like it’s helping to usher in spring a little sooner.
2. Your gallery wall can have cozy winter scenes that make you feel happy that you’re inside and relaxing with a hot cup of coffee.

There are other ways you can probably create casual comfort with art, but those two are the obvious ideas I see.

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2. Combine Vintage & Antique Finds

I really liked this tip from The Thrifty Apartment.

Antiques and vintage pieces are so good for giving your living room a relaxing and calming vibe.

A lot of times, they tend to have warmer colors and unique designs that won’t make your space look cold (like some Scandinavian designs). Also, they tend to be more affordable than a lot of newer pieces, so I think they’re worth looking into.

3. Living Room Fireplace & Bookcase Styling

Bookcases and fireplaces kind of just seem like they belong together. They really do give you a cozy aesthetic living room.

It’s that quintessential look that you get in movies where someone owns a huge English country home. The fire’s roaring while it’s snowing outside and there are warm-colored books perfectly stacked and ordered on shelves.

And if you have a fireplace and bookshelves (or want to get some), then Michael from Inspired by Charm talks about how to style and decorate this type of space. 

4. Two Ways to Decorate With Books

1. Have a comfort book (or books) that you slowly go through places on your side table or coffee table. So think the kind of book where you go into the room, see it and instantly feel good. It’s that book where you sink into your super comfortable couch or chair, grab a blanket, take of a sip of coffee, and flip to the last page you were on. Oh, and there’s probably a candle lit as well. It’s a book that gives you good feelings because of it’s contents and because it’s the book you read when it’s time to relax outside of the cold. 
2. Tamara from The Thrify Apartment talks about how having a reading nook is one of the best things you can do when learning how to create a cozy living room. I feel like a reading nook brings out memories of those movie characters who have books on top of books and their apartment is probably way to big and expensive for the salary their job would be paying them (in real life), and everything about it feel perfect and cozy and inviting. 

5. Make Sure You Have the Right Couch

I feel like Tamara from The Thrifty Apartment has so many good ideas on how to make a living room cozy, so here’s another one.

Your couch. It’s important. Colors and sizes and styles are up to you and your taste and your living room space, but in the end, it’s also important to make sure you pick the right one.

You want it to not just be inviting for you, but for your family and guests as well. It’s that couch that people see and they just want to take nap on. But they won’t because they told you they were coming over for you, not the cozy atmosphere you created and your practical and comfy furniture.

6. Buy Comfort Candles

If you want some good inspiration or ideas on creating a relaxed and curated look, then don’t skip on candles.

The look + scent of a candle is kind of just an effortless way to make your living room cozy. You buy a candle you like the smell of; one that you know is going to give you good feelings every time you light it. Then, you make sure you also like how it looks and buy one or more of them and put them on your coffee and side tables.

You’re building a mood that you can’t get outside of the home, so make sure to pick your candles and other living room pieces carefully.

7. Good Lighting

Lighting really does make a living room comfortable and livable, and here are two ways you can do it:

1. Lamps for elevated lighting: I really hate when you book an Airbnb and all they have are harsh overhead direct lights. They’re horrible for relaxing so I think that warm lamps are such a great way to create that softer glow in your living room.
2. Dimmer switches: Speaking of overhead lights, I completely understand the importance of having them; they’re great for when you actually need things to be well lit. But I also think investing in some light dimmers is a great way to create that comforting atmosphere you want.

8. Portable Fireplace

Remember how I talked about how candles were an easy way to add a cozy atmosphere to your living room without really trying? Same with this, but just on a bit of a larger scale. 

9. Use Sentimental Decor

Remember that cozy throw blanket you had in your first home with your husband? Or that beautiful piece of furniture that your grandmother left you after she passed away? I honestly feel like this tip is such a great way to make your living room a space of comfort.

You’re surrounding yourself with things that make you feel so good everytime you enter the room.

10. Houseplants for De-Stressing

House plants are great for two reasons:

1. It’s been shown in some studies that plants can help soothe and calm you. 
2. They bring bright colors into your home when things are kind of just dark and grey outside.

So basically you’re surrounding yourself with greenery that’s going to help you relax and make you feel at ease. I think it’s time to make a run to the nearest plant shop.

11. Choose the Right Texture for Your Rug

This one probably doesn’t sound like the most important tip in this post, but I promise it’s essential.

You have no idea how many times I’ve walked into a home, stepped off the wood floor and onto a super soft rug and I instantly felt comforted. There’s something so nice about having an extra soft rug to stand and even sit on. Also, if you get the right one, it can really pull your whole cozy living room look together.

12. Use Soft & Cozy Textures Throughout the Living Room

Find ways to give your living room softer and cozier textures. So this could be pillows, a textured ottoman, soft, fabric-wrapped lampshades, drapes, or even tapestry.

Or it could be this pretty cute knitted candle DIY idea.

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