The Comfort Curator: How to Make a Space More Welcoming

A home really is what you make of it. There’s no recipe for the perfect space because every person is going to have a slightly different idea of what it means to be comfortable and welcome in a home. For some, that will mean sparse minimalism that allows them to clear their mind and wash away the stresses of the day. For others, it means a more maximalist approach, bringing the things they love together and feeling cosy and nestled within their many hobbies and interests. It’s a very personal thing that is a mirror of our needs and experiences.

I say all that to preface the fact that making a space feel more welcoming may not look the same for you that it does for me. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t put out some ideas that will make a lot of people out there feel safe and cosy. Plus, even if you disagree with our tips, that disagreement will hopefully give you a clearer understanding of what it means to have a welcoming space for you.

With that preamble out of the way, let’s talk about ways that you can make a space feel welcoming.

Finding Your Furniture

When we think about coming home after a difficult day, many of us think about the feeling of winding down and letting the stress of the day wash away while relaxing on the couch. It’s certainly a tradition that is near and dear to our hearts in the working world, and if you can relate to that feeling, doesn’t it feel like you deserve to have somewhere nice to do that?

I personally have difficulty prioritising my own comfort when it comes to purchases, being a very pragmatic shopper that will often go for a more cost-friendly alternative when the time comes. However, recently, I allowed myself to splurge a little and got a new sofa and daybed, and I can safely say that they have changed my life for the better. It’s the little things that really make life wonderful, and even if it costs a little more, if you can afford it, a fantastic sofa or lounge chair can make a world of difference to the safety and comfort a space exudes.

I personally have a love for cloud sofas with their intense plush, but the correct choice will really be different for everyone. I know people who just prefer to have an overwhelming number of ottomans everywhere, and that absolutely works too. However, too many ottomans may come to clash with the second point in our little list here.

Avoid a Cluttered Floorspace

Now I don’t want you to think I’m suggesting a sparse, spartan lifestyle when it comes to your room’s floorplan because I’m not. Rather, I’m just saying that the more difficult a space is to get into and rested in, the less comfortable it’s going to feel overall. You want to be able to easily walk into a room half-asleep and still feel pretty secure in the fact that you’re not going to trip over and land on the floor on the way to the couch. So, try to position your furniture so it’s easy to get snuggled into, even if it’s impossible to leave once you do.

You also might want to keep your furniture close together. That way, when you have guests, or if you live with friends/family/loved ones, it won’t feel like everyone is too spread out and separated to feel truly connected.

Make Sure Your Room Smells the Part

We discussed the fact that each person is going to have different preferences and ideas of what makes a room comfortable, and this may be the most subjective of them all. Smell is one of our most powerful senses when it comes to comfort, memory and emotion, and if you have a comforting emotional connection to a scent, then it can go a long way in making your place feel that little bit nicer.

For some it will be flowers, for others, it might be musk. Me, personally, I find cinnamon to be an incredibly comforting scent, and it’s one of my favourites to put on as a pure essential oil when I need to just zone out and feel at peace with my apartment. Whatever your comfort scent may be, try to find an organic-based essential oil or candle that can offer you that, assuming it’s not something you can just place directly in a room such as freshly cut flowers.

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This is by no means an exhaustive list, of course, but it will hopefully be enough to give you some good ideas as to how to make your room feel a little more lived-in and lovely. Remember that it’s your space, and even if nothing we’ve said here today resonates with you, the choice is yours in how you decide to create a comfortable atmosphere. Good luck.