Contents
Fall in the Farmhouse
Fall is upon us, and that means it’s time to pull out the lambswool rugs and the quilts. Let’s add some candles, gather your firewood too! Some pumpkin pie spices simmering on the wood-burning stove add an aromatic touch.
Friends! It’s time to get cozy! Since we tend to spend more time indoors when the temperatures drop, it’s a good time to set up cozy little sitting nooks around the house. Add welcoming, homey spots layered with pillows, a woolen coverlet, and a worn quilt where the kids can drop into and read a book or draw or hang out with a cup of hot chocolate and a movie.
Farmhouses lend themselves naturally to such cozy nooks.
Balance Messy and Cozy
While minimalism is the trend du jour, I like to add to my decor in the colder months rather than take away from it. A basket filled with sticks gathered from the woods to use as kindling, stacks of books against the wall, extra candles, more pillows, more blankets, just more, more, more.
I’m not saying make a mess. But in the colder months, a home looks natural and cozy if it has a less tidied appearance.
Just remember, casual and comfortable is one thing, but dusty, dirty, sullied is quite another. Moderation is key. Be intentional with your cozy messiness — a rumpled quilt on the couch with a couple of magazines laying next to it is cozy, but a dirty plate and yesterday’s stained teacup laying atop the rumpled quilt on the couch is gross.
Creating the Cozy Nooks
You can cozy up corners in all areas of the house. A leather couch? Cozify it with a vintage Kantha blanket and some mudcloth pillows! Add a soft sheepskin too.
Do you have a wall in a walkway that seems blank and “in need of something“? Get yourself a vintage chair from Craigslist or Facebook marketplace (or from your garage). Drape it with a lambswool blanket and add a soft pillow for lumbar support. Place a wood side table next to it with some books, candles, a plant. And voila! You’ve created a cozy little reading nook.
No chair? No problem! Pillows of all shapes and sizes make for cozy spots. Place a couple of beanbags or floor pillows down and add a furry backrest. What was once bare wood boards near the hearth is now a cozy spot for your little one to plop down on for a rest!
Since we’re indoors much more during the colder months, there’s nothing wrong with using our spaces differently. An older, original farmhouse usually has lots of cute recesses and alcoves that in the warmer months might go completely unused, but when the cold winds start howling, they can become areas in which to gather.
Take a corner or side wall in your dining room where you might have a table or a shelf that you don’t use often. Remove that shelf and add some chairs! Now you have a sweet, easy spot for sitting down with a friend for a cup of tea while watching the leaves fall outside the window. Look at that!? You’ve just created a cozy nook!
Even the entryway, if large enough, can be a cozy spot. In the fall, I like to add a softer rug, a basket with slippers, a bench covered with quilts and pillows where someone can sit, take off their shoes (put on some slippers?), and instantly feel that they can shake off the cold world outside.
Texture, texture, texture
Although it’s cheaper, synthetic materials like nylon or polyester are the opposite of cozy. Wool, wood, alpaca, and even cotton are natural and warm. Use these instead of the cheaper options.
I’m all for bargain shopping, believe me! I’m no billionaire, but my experience has taught me that cheap, poorly made decor ends up breaking, ripping, or falling apart within a few months. Opt to buy the pillow made from real wool, rather than two or three that look like wool but are made of a cheaper, fake alternative.
Remember that the tactile experience is as important as how something looks, especially when you’re snuggling up with it.
Don’t forget the little things
The blankets and pillows are great but don’t forget the little things that add to the cozy ambiance. Candles, books (and more books), magazines, and even newspapers tucked into a vintage magazine rack next to an easy chair by the fire all add to snug hominess.
I like to place little handmade clay vases filled with sprigs of yellow and golden Aspen leaves around the house. A couple of mini-pumpkins are a cute touch here and there too.
So, take a look around your house and make some cozy nooks! Take some photos and share them with us in our newsletter— maybe yours will be featured in an upcoming post!
