When you walk into someone’s home, what is the first thing you notice? If you are like me, you probably get a good feel for the home within 10-20 seconds of coming through their door. The decor, textures, the smells, the lighting; it all creates a vibe. And if that vibe is good, it can make you instantly feel cozy and comfortable. THAT is what I desire when a guest walks through our door, not even a guest per se, but whether it’s my husband, one of my girls, or even myself, I desire that when we walk through that door, we feel instant hygge.
Hygge simply means, “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).” Think of a stormy evening, an overcast sky, rain beating down on the windows. Dinner is cleaned up, lamps are on creating cozy pockets of lighting, kids are playing a game of trouble at the dining room table. You are wrapped up in a knit blanket next to your husband with a cup of decaf coffee in your hands, watching the storm. The dogs are lounging at your feet, and you are all together and safe. To me, that is an example of hygge.
How to Create a Cozy Entryway
Since the entryway is the first place guests are greeted with when they come to your home, I thought I would offer some tips on how to create some cozy vibes.
Tip 1: Scent
Whether it’s a candle, a plug in scent warmer or a diffuser (my preference), scent is important in creating a cozy atmosphere. Think of stores like Abercrombie & Fitch, William Sonoma, Anthropologie, etc. They all have a yummy scent associated with them. When I walk into one of those stores, I relish the smell that fills the space. After my Grandpa passed away, I was browsing Bath and Body Works and as I was opening candles and sniffing them, I opened one that brought tears to my eyes. The scent reminded me of my Grandpa, the cologne he wore smelled very similar. I bought my Grandma the candle and even though she has passed away, it still sits on their old tv. Scent is more important than we maybe think!
With my essential oils, I love that I can change up the scent in my home everyday & that we are also receiving health benefits as I diffuse my oils.
Diffusing oils brings me joy! I love that I don’t have to worry about forgetting to blow out a candle (have totally done that before in the past) and that I can change up the scent depending on what I want for that day. If I need to chill out I reach for stress away, if I want to boost our overall health I grab Thieves, if I want our home to smell like fresh flowers I grab gardenia. Go here for my post on oils and how to get your own!
Tip 2: Cozy Textures
Whether it’s pillows, cushions, blankets, or baskets, using different textures is important in creating a cozy space.
Don’t have a bench? No worries. Throw a pillow and blanket in a basket and that will help bring cozy vibes to your entryway area. I found these two cushions here, a great price and great quality. They are technically called floor pillows but I think they work great on this bench. I love how chunky and cozy they are!
Tip 3: Lighting
Lamps evoke cozy feelings. You can find the above lamp, here. I love at dusk, to turn off all my overhead lights in our home and turn on our lamps. Matt makes fun of me for all of the lamps we have but they truly bring me joy! If you don’t have a spot to place a lamp in your entryway, consider installing a sconce. Sconces are equally as cozy- here are a few options that I think are super cute.
If you do not want to pay an electrician to hardwire one in for you, simply use a puck light! These are small lights that are battery operated and come with a remote. Put one in a sconce light and bam, you have instant light! I’ve used this trick multiple times throughout our home.
Tip 4- Layers
Layers create interest and coziness. Place your diffuser or candles on a stack of books. I added two antique window panes behind this mirror to create an extra “layer”. Keep in mind that differing heights of items creates interest as well. You don’t want everything to be at the same height.
Tip 5- Attitude
I like things neat and clean. I like white furniture. I like organization. It’s important to me that we have rules (no messy foods in the living room for example) but it’s also important that my family feels comfortable and like they can actually use what we have. If something spills on my rug, or Emersyn gets ahold of a crayon and colors a pillow, I really try to have an attitude of “not a big deal”. Most of the time I use a little dish soap and the stain comes out. When creating a cozy entryway, keep in mind (especially if you have little ones), to choose things that are durable.
I hope these tips help give you some inspiration to create a cozy, inviting entryway! Thanks for stopping by!
xoxo, Kayla
