How To Blend Style and Snug In Your Home

Do you often flick through the pages of interior design and home décor magazines, oohing and aahhing over the beautiful, lived-in yet impeccably styled homes? I certainly do! But in reality, is it always possible to blend style and comfort? I have an active 20 month old toddler who is as inquisitive as can be and there are times I find it difficult to keep my home just mess-free! But yes, on the whole, it is possible to create a balance of style and comfort for that lived-in yet stylish look and feel.

Today we have guest contributor Sarah, discussing 5 different ways to get this feeling of comfort and uncomplicated elegance in your home.

If 2016 taught us anything, it would be the power of hygge - the Danish concept of comfort and contentment. This simple concept is all about embracing easy comfort; the warmth of a home in winter, or a hot mug of coffee and the gorgeous scent of a burning candle. Read on to get the how to, without the cost of a trip to Copenhagen in winter - brrrr!

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Blanket Solution
There’s no warmer, more useful home decoration than a throw. Throws add an immediate sense of cosiness to a room. They’re also decorative and practical, and available in a range of textures and colours. A throw can transform a simple sofa into an inviting place, or a place that’s just right for spending lazy afternoons curled up to enjoy a gorgeous home décor magazine. Play with colours and textures, and swap throws with seasons to create a fresh look. A divine throw from The Spotted Quoll can elevate a plain, basic room into a space that’s worthy of a magazine page.

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Investing In Furniture
Well-made and well-designed furniture can be the bedrock of a stylish home - and also a wise investment. If you make the choice to purchase a piece of investment furniture, think about how it will affect the overall mood of your home, and what this mood conveys to you. Natural textured fabrics like leather and suede are timeless and hard-wearing, but they are also weighty and wintry. Fabrics such as linen and cotton are lightweight and washable, but they’re also flimsy and easily soiled. Decide on the story you want your home to tell - and then purchase your furniture accordingly.

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Personal Art & Photos
Perhaps the cheapest and most personalised method for introducing warmth and style into your home is through the addition of art and photos. Many people keep their photos tucked away in boxes, photo albums, or (most commonly) on their computers or phones. The price of photographic printing is now so cheap that it makes sense to use these photos for their intended purpose - a reminder of moments passed.

Select a few choice photos and see how they look groupeda. Once you’re happy with the set up, get them printed in the size you require, and pick up cheap but elegant frames. Think of printing them in black and white to create a striking gallery wall. This is an easy, cheap-as-chips antidote to mass-produced prints and artwork.

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A Cup Of Comfort
A different way to blend style and comfort into your home décor is through the use of technology - in particular, kitchen appliances. A coffee machine is a perennial favourite because it can create a cup of soothing, hot coffee in no time at all. Coffee machines are easy to look after, come in a range of styles, budgets and finishes, and best of all, they don’t stop working when the weather is too cold or too hot (or when there’s a public holiday).

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Eternal Flame
Nothing says snug quite as effectively as a burning candle. The crackle of a candle as it flickers on a passing breeze is an inexplicable joy to the senses. A lovely touch to any stylish home, candles are now made from many different materials, with popular, sustainable and eco-friendly choices being beeswax and soy candles. They are pleasant smelling, beautiful looking, and they create wonderfully diffused lights and ambience in any room.

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Combining these touches of warmth, texture, and well-made furnishings and furniture is a no-fail way to stay chic throughout the seasons. They’re also easily switched and stored as the weather changes and as your mood or personal taste changes, so that your home can be as practical, enticingly comfortable yet as stylish as you'd like all year round.

Do you have any fail safe tips to balance style and comfort in your home? Share with us in the comments below.

Till next time... blend style and snug in your décor!

xox

Rani

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About the Author
Sarah is a writer, musician and luthier hailing from Melbourne, Australia. After spending the last decade writing for a wealth of magazines, journals, blogs and newspapers, Sarah is still on the lookout for artistic outlets wherever she goes.