6 Interior Design and Architecture Ideas to Make Your Home More Cozy

Like all of you, we’re thinking a lot about the idea of shelter these days. “Shelter in place” is not a phrase we’re used to hearing unless a tornado is coming our way, or a hurricane is barreling down. But it’s a useful expression to convey the importance of home, and the way our homes can offer us respite from the outside world. That sense of peace and comfort is integral to everything we do at Morgante Wilson Architects every day of the year, because no matter the circumstances outside our doors, our homes should always be our refuge. With that in mind, here are six interior design and architecture ideas to make your home cozier:

1. Use your fireplace!

Here on Chicago’s North Shore, the weather is still chilly enough to enjoy a roaring fire at night – or even during the day, now that we’re all working from home. Notice the way seating is paired directly in front of the fireplace, to provide literal warmth along with a cozy mood. (We are all about the cozy right now.)

2. Bring in the view

Few things encourage a sense of serenity more than an amazing outdoor view, which this room has in spades. Not only are wavy waters and big skies in sight, but the feeling of being partly indoors and partly outdoors is especially welcome right now. Notice also how padded furnishings – from cabinetry doors to the overstuffed ottoman tucked beneath the coffee table – help communicate a message about comfort. Of course, the nap-inviting chaise parked in front of the window doesn’t hurt.

3. Relax in your bathroom

For many of us, there are few places more calm-inducing than the bathtub. Whether you like to float in bubbles, with or without candles, wine or books, you can bet a good soak will relax you like nothing else. All the better if you can enjoy that soak surrounded by gorgeous windows. Pro tip: repetitive architectural details create visual continuity that’s especially soothing.

4. Retreat to your bunk room

If you’re lucky enough to have a bunk room in your house, then you already know how fantastic it is for entertaining weekend guests and hosting slumber parties. But if your own kids are seeking a little extra nighttime reassurance right now, why not suggest a family sleepover? We can hardly imagine anything cozier than everyone nodding off together while Mom or Dad read a book aloud.

5. Spend time in your dining room

Reasonably scaled and just big enough, this dining room gives us all the feels. First, there’s the mural on the wall, which lends itself to daydreaming and contemplation. Then there’s the window treatment, which pulls closed to cocoon the room and make it feel like a refuge. The illuminated dome in the ceiling creates intimacy; the chandelier beneath gives a sense of being someplace truly special. We can’t think of a better place to spend an evening, whether enjoying a leisurely homemade dinner or working on a laptop!

6. Hang in the kitchen

You just know that in this house, the kitchen is where everyone is most likely to gather. Stools at the island keep kids close while meals are being made; they also provide the perfect perch for doing Zoom classes. The nearby breakfast nook – with its pillowed, padded bench seating beneath the window – is another draw. You can imagine all the activity that takes place here, from conversation to cooking to crafts. If that doesn’t spell coziness, we don’t know what does!

We invite you to visit our website for more inspiration. Right now, we can all use the break!