Six interior styling tips to make your home feel warmer

I grew up in a house where cosiness was a year-round thing, not just a winter trend. Mum should have been an interior decorator – she chose nursing instead – but her love of decorating meant our childhood home was filled with perfectly fluffed cushions, chunky knit throw rugs and so many candles that Dad would joke we’d be completely fine in a blackout.

Growing up in that kind of environment obviously had an impact on me. Now, after 15 years as an interior designer, I’ve realised that cosy doesn’t come from spending money. It comes from knowing what to do with what you’ve got, where to put it, and how to take care of what you have.

Whether you have plenty of space or you’re in a tiny studio, there are simple and effective ways to warm up a space.

Rather than shopping for the sake of it, it’s about creating a feeling of softness and thoughtfulness. A well-thought-out home will feature some of the things I’ve listed below, and they will go a long way towards helping the people using the space feel welcomed and comfortable.

Move furniture closer together to create a ‘conversational zone’

‘By creating smaller, more contained spaces within the room you’re instantly adding warmth and cosiness.’ Photograph: Josep Gutierrez/Getty Images

No seriously, I do this often, especially when I first meet a client and they’ve told me something feels off about a room. Generally it’s because they’ve put all their furniture around the perimeter and there’s a dancefloor-sized space in the middle that feels completely naked. To counter that bare feeling, pull furniture away from the walls, add rugs as large as you can afford, and position the furniture on top of the rugs. By creating smaller, more contained spaces within the room you’re instantly adding warmth and cosiness.

If you are buying new furniture, opt for a single sofa and large occasional chairs positioned opposite, rather than the gigantic modular sofas that are popular at the moment. This will create a “conversational zone” and allow your guests to get comfortable and chat, rather than disappearing into the depths of your modular cushions.

Turn off the overhead lights and switch to warm white bulbs

‘One simple way to transform a space is to add warm light.’ Photograph: Oleg Breslavtsev/Getty Images

Overhead lighting is the enemy in my house; once the sun sets, it’s wall sconces and table lamps only. I use smart bulbs in a number of my table lamps so I can dim and brighten the lights from my phone to suit the mood. One simple way to transform a space is to add warm light. In clients’ homes, I’m always asking the electrician to swap out the lightbulbs to warm white bulbs rather than cool white. The warmer white tone is much more flattering and also feels less like an interrogation room. Combine smaller table lights or lamps with warm lightbulbs and you’ve got cosiness at the flick of a switch.

Drape throw rugs with intention

‘I fold them and drape them over the edge of the sofa so they’re at arm’s reach when you’re at peak rancho relaxo mode.’ Photograph: Olena Ruban/Getty Images

OK, this one seems obvious, but what sofa is complete without a few throws? I fold them and drape them over the edge of the sofa so they’re at arm’s reach when you’re at peak rancho relaxo mode in front of the TV. I also drape them across the end of the bed to pull up and snuggle under when it’s extra chilly at night. In winter, opt for cotton or woollen throws to keep you warm. Linen throws are great for a lightweight fabric to add texture to a space in the warmer months.

Don’t underestimate the cosiness of curtains

‘Curtains create a layered look in the room, plus there’s the benefit of sound absorption.’ Photograph: Liudmila Chernetska/Getty Images

Curtains aren’t what clients mention first when we walk through a room they need help furnishing, but they are the thing that helps finish a space. Sometimes their value is purely aesthetic, and that can be reason enough. Curtains create a layered look in the room, plus there’s the benefit of sound absorption for large open spaces with lots of hard finishes. For the best fit, have curtains custom-made to fit the windows rather than buying off the shelf, that way you’re guaranteed to have them sitting at the right height off the ground and they’ll be hung at the right height for the ceiling too.

Stack books along the wall

Make bookshelves a bit more exciting by mixing up the placement of books – vertically stack some and lay others flat. Photograph: Vanit Janthra/Getty Images

In my opinion, books are the hero of any home. They tell a story of who lives there, they’re something guests will often pick up and flip through – and they’re great styling tools for arranging on coffee tables or stacking up the wall. They create cosiness without looking messy. My favourite way to style a bookshelf is by colour coordinating the books and mixing up the placement. I’ll often leave a gap for breathing space on the shelf and then lay three books on top of one another topped with a little styling item – an ornament or candle, for example – to make the shelf a bit more exciting.

Don’t forget your nose

‘I always have a candle in the lounge room on the coffee table.’ Photograph: Anastasiia Krivenok/Getty Images

Scent shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to adding cosiness to a space. Hotel lobbies are an example of how scent changes everything; a carefully chosen smell has a lasting impression. Candles are a relatively inexpensive way to add a beautiful scent to your room. I always have a candle in the lounge room on the coffee table, on the console table at the entry to greet guests and then a fresh scent in the kitchen that doesn’t compete with any cooking smells.

• Emma Blomfield is the author of Style Your Home: Design Secrets for Styling with Confidence (Hardie Grant Books, $39.99)