Let’s get cosy

For some a cosy space might be a lushly designed room, designed for escape and relaxation, adorned with rich, warm colours, low lighting and soft textures. For others, it might simply mean any small, welcoming space that offers comfort and a sense of home.

The key to cosy is finding colours, textures and decorative pieces that speak to your own idea of a warm, comforting retreat.

Shades to soothe

For Resene Colour Expert Meryl Southey, cosy can mean experimenting with warm, darker colours, but it can also mean softer, muted shades and natural finishes for a lighter, airier type of cosy that connects with nature and helps us recharge. “Soft neutrals and subtle warmer tones of saturated colours, with the use of natural materials such as timber and textured styling elements, can combine to create an organic, sophisticated space which also appears calming and inviting.

Though there can be a tendency to stick to deep, saturated tones such as forest greens like Resene Top Notch, inky blues like Resene Carpe Noctem, deep charcoals like Resene Night Magic and rich reds like Resene Pohutukawa are the definition of a cosy space, she says. “But sometimes they might feel overwhelming if used on all walls or a dark colour might just not feel right in a particular room.”

This is where softer, muted colours, particularly greens like Resene Wabi Sabi and blues like Resene Duck Egg Blue can work well. “They are nature-inspired and so can evoke a sense of wellbeing or feel naturally soothing.

“Olive greens such as Resene Contour have a yellow ochre undertone which gives them a softened finish, yet they can still add a brightening effect to a room. Accent them with mid toned blues and a hint of orange-toned pinks, such as Resene Wayfarer and Resene Inspire,” Meryl says.

Drenched in colour

Colour drenching can be another way to add cosiness and appealing comfort to a room, she says.

Colour drenching means applying one colour or layers of tonally similar colours over most of the surfaces in the same space. “It can create an illusion of space, while looking sophisticated and inviting.”

Meryl suggests layering the warmer tones of honey neutrals like Resene Tua Tua with lighter browns such as Resene Open Sesame, then painting the ceiling or floor with a chocolate such as Resene Rebel.

“Choose linens and materials in a similar shade. Adding in a small proportion of an accent colour, like dusted blue Resene Baring Head, will stop the scheme from feeling too monochromatic.”

If you do want to colour drench with deeper shades, Meryl suggests trying Resene Gunmetal, Resene Forest Green, Resene Black Doris or Resene Incarnadine, teamed with pared-back neutrals such as Resene Half Solitaire, Resene Meringue and Resene Half Villa White. “A pop of a complementary colour will enhance the overall scheme.”

Play with proportions

If you have high ceilings, think about painting them in a darker colour and bringing that colour down the walls about a quarter or even a third of the way. If you have light, sunny walls in pastel apricot Resene Sandy Beach, think about a bold ceiling and upper walls in warm Resene Moroccan Spice to pull the room into a cosier scale.

Similarly, you could try a deep colour on an end wall, carried round over a small part of the adjacent walls to play with the horizontal scale of a room, making large spaces feel cosier.

If you want a simple cosy reading nook within a larger, more airy room try painting out a corner or section in a warm, jewelled toned shade, going over a section of the floor and ceiling as well as the wall, to create the illusion of a room within a room. This can work particularly well if you match the paint colour to the colour of a comfortable chair or small sofa. If you have a velvet covered chair in a beautiful gold or mustard shade, try painting around it on the wall, floor and ceiling in a shade like Resene Mustard or Resene Rob Roy. Keep the rest of the room airy and neutral with an off-white like Resene Half Spanish White.

Add an accent note or two in something like mid-green Resene Highland to visually connect the two areas, keep one cool and airy, the other small and cosy.

Texture and finish

The type of paint finish you choose is another way to significantly impact how cosy your rooms feel, Meryl says. “Glossy finishes reflect more light and can make a space feel brighter, while matte finishes like Resene SpaceCote Flat offer a softer, more sophisticated look. In some deeper shades a matte finish can even give walls a suede-like finish and can be very effective at hiding any imperfections like dents on the walls.”

Textured wallpapers can be another simple way to give a cosy, matte finish to a room. Try the fabric grain effect of Resene Wallpaper Collection 537741 or a painted wood-look like Resene Wallpaper Collection 537048 to give you a simple, textured base from which to build up layers of cosiness.

If you have bare wooded flooring try a wood stain like Resene English Walnut or Resene Matai to anchor your space and add an area rug for a touch of lush texture to match the wallpapered walls.

Add throws and cushions in wool, suede, faux fur or linen for comfort and to emphasise cosiness.

Complete your cosy look by paying close attention to your lighting. Add lamps for small areas of light in focused areas and, if you can, add dimmer switches to your main downlighting so you can adjust your sense of cosiness to suit your mood.

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May 31, 2024

If you need help choosing colours to cosy up your project, visit your local Resene ColorShop or use the free Ask a Resene Colour Expert online.

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