Bonjour lecteurs! Winter is definitely on its way. Temperatures are dropping, and London even witnessed a bit of snow today. I don’t know about you, but right now, I am on a mission to feel cosy and well. A candle, a little throw to feel warm, and a nice cup of hot chocolate are a great start. Here are my fav ideas to create the perfect cosy space for your family.
A Welcoming Home
Right now, life is a whirlwind between work deadlines, school events and endless dates in the calendar. But there is nothing better than coming home to a welcoming space and already feeling calmer.
The way a room looks and functions can genuinely change the mood of the whole family. The perfect cosy family home is not about perfection. My house might not always be tidy, but it’s a lived space full of love.
Many parents dream of a stylish home, with no mess etc. But children will always be children. The good news is you do not need a magazine-ready show home or a huge budget. Thoughtful textures, clever storage and a few well-chosen design choices can create a warm, elegant setting that still survives Lego, craft projects and endless snacks. A beautifully designed wooden panel wall or a cosy reading corner can make une grande différence than another plastic toy ever will.
Texture Brings Extra Cosiness
Texture is what makes a room feel snug rather than stark. Even if your colour palette leans neutral to keep things calm, mixing textures stops it gives your space a vibe. You can start with des détails simples like some woven basket or even a velvet blanket on the sofa.
That’s what we have done in our living-room. The walls might be white (so bright and luminous, it makes the space looks so much bigger), but I love our corner sofa filled with lots of cushions and a throw to cuddle up when we watch TV. Start a layered base and build on it. Our sofa is the main piece and we then added some subtle elements to build it up.
Add some Frenchie frames and a candle or two for une touche personnelle… Et voilà!
Family-Friendly But Still Grown-Up
Too often, parents struggle to avoid the feeling that the house has been taken over by plastic. But you can turn your home into a kid-friendly space while keeping your own taste. La solution? Choose a few grown-up anchor pieces and then layer the child-friendly elements around them. Par exemple, a sleek wooden coffee table and soft grey sofa can sit happily next to a basket overflowing with train tracks or dolls.
Think about the rooms you use the most. In the living room, a statement wall, a beautiful lamp and a couple of chic cushions can carry the style. For the little ones, add some storage benches and lidded baskets to hide the toys at the end of the day. In the kitchen, invest in plants and pretty mugs to distract from the cereal boxes and lunchbox chaos. Your home becomes a space where you can host friends and family without feeling like you live in a playroom.
Make Small Family Spaces Work Harder
The average UK home is not huge: an average of 97 m² or approximately 1,044 square feet. So most families have to do with modest-sized homes. This is why you need to use some smart designs to make your space work.
Think vertical and multifunctional: hooks to hang things or even a wall-mounted bed can save you space. Add a few floatable shelves and even some clever storage ottomans, et voilà! They are a true saviour in small homes. Invest in beds with storage underneath and declutter as often as possible. Too often, we tend to keep too many things we barely use anyway…Merci Vinted!
Create a Calm Bedroom
Do you sometimes feel that bedtime can be a battlefield, especially when children share a room? The environment plays a bigger role than we often realise. So you have to be stratégique. Soft lighting and warm colours with cosy textures are perfect to calm down. I also like fairy lights around a headboard or a small lamp on a shelf to turn their space into a welcoming cocoon for them to rest.
Even if your kids share a room, give each child a tiny area that feels personnel. It can be a board where they keep their treasures or a bookshelf to gather their favourite books.
Places That Collect Chaos
What’s the most chaotic room in your home? The entrance is often the first impression anyone will have. But it also set the mood when you come home. I hate a messy corridor that end up as a jumble of shoes, post, sports bags and random bits from everyone.
Time to plan carefully your space. You can have a a hook or peg for each family member but I also have a couple of baskets for shoes.
Add a mirror to bounce light around and the space will look much bigger already. Plus, you can all check yourself in on the way out each morning.
Little Rituals That Make Your House Feel Like Home
Yes, you can create the perfect cosy space thanks to some smart designs tips. But I think a welcoming home is also all about rituals.
What’s yours? We love watching a family movie on Sunday and we always eat at la table altogether. It’s just something I brought from France. Before becoming parents, we were quite chilled and happy to have dinner while watching TV. But I love hearing his school debrief and other chit chat from everyone while we eat dinner.
What’s your family tradition that everyone is looking forward to?
Feeling the cold season? If you need some extra warmth to your life, create now the perfect cosy space for your family with just a couple of détails. You don’t need to go for drastic changes. A candle that fills the room with a beautiful scent, some accessories that turn your home into a welcoming space or some clever storage to hide their toys… There are so many ways to do it so that all the family feels at home as soon as you cross the door.
Collaboration
