London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 17, 2025

Cozy living room ideas – how to create a stylish den-like space in your home

Cozy living room ideas – how to create a stylish den-like space in your home

These cozy living room ideas are sure to make you want to curl up, surrounded with throws and cushions, no matter what the time of year

With their wood paneling, warm colors, log burners, exposed beams, brickwork, chunky rugs, and squishy seating, we could lust over cozy living room ideas all year round. Plus, there are so many simple switches you can make to up the coziness of your living room without having to totally redecorate – a sheepskin rug here, a throw pillow there.

And while cozy living rooms do have a reputation for being all about tartan prints, antlers hanging from every wall, a huge open fire crackling continuously, cozy has many other more... subtle faces and can be blended into any style of living room, even super minimalist, modern spaces.

1. Layer up the textures




Get ready to hear this word a lot – texture is what makes a cozy living room. It's also a really simple way to update your living room, just switch out your cushions, throw down a rug (or two) and bring in some throws in tactile fabrics to create lovely soft layers. Natural materials like wood and rattan work perfectly in cozy living rooms too, adding even more textures and creating a relaxed, laid-back feel.

'When I want to create a cozy room it's all about texture and lighting. Add in soft and textured throws, layer on a sheepskin rug, and maybe even switch out your pillows for plushier ones.' advises Emily Henderson. 'You want the space to feel layered Then for lighting, a fireplace is of course ideal, but making sure you have 'warm light' bulbs with dimmers will also help you to create and control your level of coziness.'

2. Go for a simple Scandi style




As we mentioned, you can take a more minimalist approach to cozy living rooms. You'll often find that Scandi-inspired spaces are both simple, stylish and cozy, mixing clean lines and simple shapes with touches of texture and natural materials.

A light and airy color scheme gives a cozy living room all year round appeal too, pale greys, whites, and creams keep this room feeling fresh and not too wintery. Come the cooler months, you can always add in more cushions in deep hues and pile up the throws for a quick seasonal change.

3. Create a cocooning space with darker shades




Working with a small living room? We are often so obsessed with trying to make a small space feel lighter and brighter, when in fact sometimes the best option is to lean into those smaller proportions and choose a darker color palette instead. Not only will this create cozy, cocooning space but can blur the boundaries of the room, especially if you go all over with a dark shade – ceiling including.

'It’s a misnomer that dark colors make a room feel gloomy and smaller.' says Anna Burles, Creative Director of Run For The Hills. 'They can do the complete opposite, making a room feel ultra-cozy, soft and expansive, by creating light and shade with the natural light coming into the space and the textures and tones of the furniture you pair with the wall, floor or ceiling color.'

'We love to contrast dramatic dark walls or floors with light and highly textured furniture and textiles, rugs and curtains, making the light elements really bounce and pop from the dramatically dark backdrop.'

4. Add softness with relaxed shapes




Slubby materials and relaxed, low-slung furniture with soft lines give a living room a very laid-back feel that's perfect for creating cozy spaces. See how in this living room, the sofa has a very lived-in look and all the soft layers of linen add that all-important texture. The color palette of this neutral living room is something to note too, rather than choose clean, crisp neutrals like white and grey, opting for softer beige tones can create a more cozy, inviting space.

5. Get your living room lighting spot on




'When it comes to creating a cozy space, lighting your home is important. Setting the mood rests entirely on the lighting you choose.' says Matthew Williamson. 'Forget about using one main lighting source in favor of illuminating a few lamps around the room for a more interesting, cozy lighting scheme. This way, you can be more flexible with what you intend to light. For example, a reading corner would benefit from an elegant swan-neck wall light, while a piece of art would look spectacular on the wall between two table lamps on a credenza or sideboard.'

6. Bring in cooler tones




Cozy living rooms are often associated with warmer, neutral tones, but as this space proves you can bring cozy into any color palette. Here grey-toned blues give a fresh, modern feel while still keeping with the cozy aesthetic. Combined with plenty of wooden textures and soft layers, this blue living room feels both contemporary and cozy. Note the wallpaper too – don't shy away from adding pattern which can make larger living rooms instantly feel more intimate.

7. Take a minimalist approach to cozy




Because all it takes is a roaring fire, a pile of logs and a soft rug underfoot to make a living room feel cozy. Be inspired by this minimalist approach and make a fireplace a focal point, adding a mismatch of modern furniture creates a very stylish contrast and of course bringing in a bean bag is always going to up the coziness.

8. Make it soft underfoot




The more softness going on when creating a cozy living room the better, so keep things soft underfoot too with a soft, long pile area rug or carpet.

'While wooden floors have been center stage in many homes in the recent past, we have seen a dramatic rise in sales in the last few years, and in particular sales of carpets.' explains Jodie Hatton, a Residential Designer at Brintons. 'Fitted carpets are back, and back with gusto. We’ve seen an increase in desire for cozy, warming patterns too like tartans and stripes.'

9. Add texture with exposed brick




Exposed brick is synonymous with modern rustic living rooms, adding texture and interest to any style of space. We love how in this living room, the brick of the inglenook fireplace contrasts the brilliant white walls and minimalist furniture, adding just the right amount of rustic to make the room feel cozy.

10. Fill (but don't overcrowd) the room




Cozy living rooms should have that cocooning feel, with soft squishy furniture and furnishings everywhere you turn. So choose pieces that are going to fill the space nicely, without overcrowding it, to create that intimacy. Sectional sofas that hug the walls or ottomans that break up a sea of empty floor space will have that instant cocooning effect. Just be sure not to cram in too much furniture, you still want each piece to have some room to breathe.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Trump: Cancel quarterly company reports and settle for reporting once every six months
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
US Launches New Pilot Program to Accelerate eVTOL Air Taxi Deployment
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Hong Kong Industry Group Calls for HK$20 Billion Support Fund to Ease Property Market Stress
Joe Biden’s Post-Presidency Speaking Fees Face Weak Demand amid Corporate Reluctance
Charlie Kirk's murder will break the left's hateful cancel tactics
Kash Patel erupts at ‘buffoon’ Sen. Adam Schiff over Russiagate: ‘You are the biggest fraud’
Homeland Security says Emmy speech ‘fanning the flames of hatred’ after Einbinder’s ‘F— ICE’ remark
Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Assassin Tyler Robinson Faces Death Penalty as Charges Formally Announced
Actor, director, environmentalist Robert Redford dies at 89
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
JD Vance Says There Is “No Unity” with Those Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Killing, and he is right!
Trump sues the 'New York Times' for an astronomical sum of 15 billion dollars
Florida Hospital Welcomes Its Largest-Ever Baby: Annan, Nearly Fourteen Pounds at Birth
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
×