Cozy Decor Tips: How to Make Your Decor Cozy & Cohesive
Living Pretty Ep38 // Cozy Decor Tips: How to Make Dark Decor Cozy & Cohesive
Want some cozy decor tips and ideas for creating a cohesive design in your space? Introducing my new segment, “Dear Moda”, where I answer one interior style question in depth - advice column style!
In this video, I answer Ashley’s question about creating a dark decor look in her space while giving it a cozy home decor style. She’s moving into a new home soon and wants to know how to incorporate a more moody decor look into her styling without getting rid of all her current stuff. And that’s totally doable!
If you’re looking for advice on how to make your home cohesive, finding your interior design style, incorporating a dark decor style, and creating a cozy home decor vibe, you’re in the right place!
Video Transcript ↓
I’ve made some slight edits in the transcript below so that everything makes more sense in text form. But overall, this is almost a word-for-word dictation of what I say in the video. I’m a much better writer than this, I swear, haha.
So I don’t know about you, but when I decorate, I ultimately want my space to feel like a dark womb of coziness. Which is why the dark decor style is so wonderful! It basically feels like you’re constantly being hugged.
I’m really excited to introduce a new segment to my channel called “Dear Moda”. For each Dear Moda video, I’m gonna answer one interior styling question - advice column style!
And today I’m answering a question about dark decor submitted by Ashley, who’s a member of my Living Pretty Facebook group, a community I created for interior decor lovers to gather and share. Click here if you want to join!
And if you’re new to my channel, my name is Steffi and I’m the creator of the interior style blog Moda Misfit, and you’re watching Living Pretty, the place for apartment styling tips and small space decor inspiration, so if you like that kind of thing, be sure to subscribe and hit the bell to be notified when a new episode goes up every week!
I was really excited to answer Ashley’s question because it’s all about creating a cozy, cohesive dark decor look in her space. And I’m always down to geek out about dark decor here.
So now, let’s dive into Ashley’s “Dear Moda” question!
“Dear Moda,
Currently my decor is funky and colorful. I'm moving to a bigger house where I will actually have a bedroom and I want to make my decor darker and cozier throughout the space. However, I don't want to have to get rid of everything I already have. Is there a right and wrong way to mix in some dark and make the space cozier without having to throw everything out? …I love your dark and cozy decor! It is so cohesive and I really would like to create a more cohesive look for my space.”
Thank you so much for your question, Ashley!
I have a few pointers for Ashley, and I’ll also go through the pictures she gave me and give some tips that she can apply to the house that she's moving into.
So just to reiterate, basically Ashley is asking how she can create a cohesive, cozy look in her new space, and throw in some dark decor vibes as well.
1. The Key to Cohesiveness
So first, let's tackle the idea of cohesiveness. Now, there's all kinds of ways that you can achieve cohesiveness in your space, but if I were to boil it down to one thing, the key to cohesiveness is commitment.
Instead of asking yourself if there's a right or wrong way to create a cohesive dark decor look in your space, shift your mindset to a place of commitment. When you make a decision to go for a certain style - in Ashley's case, dark and cozy - commit to it.
This is a mindset that I learned from my acting days, actually - and it applies to so many things - where if you don't fully commit to a scene or fully give yourself to a character because you're afraid of looking silly or messing up, then you’ll end up looking silly and messing up my default because people can sense your fear and your hesitation. And it just ends up being bad acting.
Whereas if you fully commit to what you're doing and let go of the fear and hesitation, you have a much better shot at giving a dazzling performance. And the same thing goes for styling. And really anything in life!
When you make a styling decision, commit to it. You might make some mistakes, but if you don't give something your all, that is the worst mistake you can make. And a lack of commitment to a styling choice is often what causes a space to lack of cohesiveness.
Does that make sense? Drop a comment below if you need some clarification on this!
2. New Decor Vs. Old Decor
So now I want to tackle the idea of getting rid of your current stuff versus repurposing it for a new space or a new look.
So, Ashley mentioned that she doesn't want to get rid of the things that she already has, but at the same time, she wants to sort of create a new look in her new space.
And ultimately, my advice when you’re moving into a new space is to keep everything you currently have - just experiment with it in the new space. Don't make a judgment call until you experiment.
I’ve carried a lot of my current decor from apartment to apartment as far back as my NYU college dorm days in 2006, so it's possible for one piece of decor to last you for... oh my God, how long has it been since college? So long… *give me a sec while I fend off an existential crisis…*
And you won’t know if any of your current stuff will work with the new style that you want to create until you try it. At the end of the day, it's your decision as to whether you donate or sell any of your current decor. There's no right answer here.
If you don't get that happy feeling in your stomach when you look at a piece of decor, then it might be time to move on. But we can't ignore that money is an ever-present issue when it comes to decorating, and of course it's better to hang onto old things than spend money on new things.
And it sounds like that's exactly what Ashley wants to do. But it also sounds like you're questioning if it's going to work for this new style that you want to create.
So when you move into your new space, experiment. Don't get rid of anything until you give it a fair chance. And be kind of relentless about it. Try all kinds of positioning and locations for each piece of decor and furniture you already own.
This is the long game and will require some patience. It'll mean having to deal with that tension inside of you, feeling like “ugh, my space just isn't coming together!” But if you really want to keep your current decor, it'll be worth it in the end.
3. How to Get the Dark & Cozy Look
So now let's talk about how Ashley can get the dark and cozy look with her specific stuff in her space.
Now, keep in mind that the photos Ashley sent me are photos from her current space. She hasn't moved into her new house yet. So Ashley, all of the advice I’m about to give you, just apply it to your new space!
Also, remember that Ashley said she doesn't mind buying new furniture. She would just ideally like to keep as much stuff as possible, so I am going to make some suggestions on new decor that Ashley can buy to really get that cozy, dark look.
Let's talk about her bedroom area first!
The main thing I would recommend is to get bedding that makes a dark statement. I think that you can level it up to something a bit more sumptuous, a little bit more luxurious.
Now, I don't mean spend a whole bunch of money on a new duvet cover. I mean, my comforter is from Target. But I think a real key to making your next bedroom really cozy is to get something with a bit more substance to it.
And then when you get a darker comforter, I want you to start layering textures on it. I want you to get a throw to throw at the end of the bed, and I want you to get just a few decorative pillows and then layer those at the top of your bed.
If you just do those small things with your bed, you’re immediately going to make it cozier and infuse that dark decor look into your space!
And then also for your bedroom, the next thing I want you to focus on is lighting. Lighting is key. In fact, it's everything when it comes to creating a cozy space.
If you want to keep your current lamp, I would consider painting the base black and getting a new shade for it. I would get a lamp shade that makes that dark decor statement.
So I think between your lighting and your bedding, if you just tackle those two things in your new bedroom, it's going to be great!
Now onto the next photo of Ashley's bookshelf. Ashley, I think this is another thing that you can paint black. I think the theme song to this video is gonna be the Rolling Stones song Paint It Black. When in doubt, just paint it black!
I really think that could be a way to uplevel this bookshelf and give it a style point of view.
I would also pay attention to the styling on top of your bookshelf when you move into your new space. You has everything on the shelves arranged in a very intentional way, and then the top of the bookshelf almost looks like an afterthought. You have some really pretty things up there, but it almost looks like you kind of put them up there and forgot about them.
So I would make sure that you stay very intentional about your styling on your bookshelf, including the top of it. I would space them out a little bit, create triangles... you can watch this video if you want some more advice on how to make a space feel cohesive. I talked about the Rule of Three and creating triangles in that one.
I also talked about it in this video about how to style a shelf. In fact, that one would be even better in this case!
Honestly, the key to good styling with multiple objects is to simply create triangles. And if you're confused as to what I mean by that, watch this video!
For this next photo of your dresser - I'm going to sound like a broken record here - but I would paint it black. Or dark charcoal or something that makes a little bit more of a statement. I think the lavender is fine and could actually be a really cool point of contrast in a dark decor room, so I would just experiment with that in your new space and see how it looks and feels.
But again, this dresser is a really great opportunity to go bold, embrace the darkness, and paint it black. ♪ I see a purple dresser and I want to paint it black… ♪
But in addition to painting your dresser in a darker color, I also want to point out the opportunities that you have to style around it in your next space. So when you move into your next space and you're styling around this dresser, there are a few key things that I would definitely recommend.
First of all, this will probably look totally different in your next space, but I want to point it out because it's important when it comes to styling… and that is wires. Wires are the eternal enemy of interior stylists. Seriously, it's always a pain. And it looks like you have your modem and something else plugged in there, and I would definitely make sure you always keep those hidden. Because they always kind of just throw off the scene, you know?
I have my modem behind my big armchair over here. Actually, the main reason why I bought this armchair wasn't to sit in it. It was literally just to cover up my mess of wires over here!
So I would recommend that you do something similar. Find some way to keep your modem, keep your router, keep all of your tech stuff hidden away. Because they immediately sort of detract from any sort of styling that you do.
And then for the surface of your dresser, I would get some items that have a bit more scale to them. So right now you have a bunch of small pretty items - I think that you can add a little bit more drama and a little bit more scale. So when I say scale I mean add some height, add some size, you know, add some variety in terms of size.
If it were me, I would probably get a statement vase and then put a bold floral arrangement in it. I would also probably get a bigger lamp. That dresser can handle a little bit more size.
Next for your table and chairs. Honestly, I don't think you need to do really anything with those! You already have them painted a really nice deep blue and I think that’s going to let itself really nicely to your new dark decor look in your space.
I think the only thing I would say you could consider is to continue the dark blue onto the base of the table. Right now you have it white, which could be a really cool contrast, but I think it would also be a really cool bold statement if you just continue that dark blue right on down to the base of that table.
So now let's move on to the final photo that Ashley submitted, which is a wider shot. And with this wider shot in mind, I want to talk about creating an overall feeling within a space when you’re going for a certain style.
When it comes to creating a cohesive look with the dark decor look in mind specifically, I'll just tell you kind of how I did it in my space, since you said you like this look that I created!
So first of all, I applied what I call my Color Code, which is actually something I talk about in my upcoming online course, Small Apartment Styling School. If you're interested in hearing about it first when I launch it, you can join the waitlist here!
And in Small Apartment Styling School, there's a lesson about creating your color palette. And that's where I talk about the Color Code!
So the Moda Misfit Color Code for creating cohesiveness in your space using color is as follows: it’s one base color + one accent color x repetition = color cohesiveness.
This is actually a direct glimpse into one of the slides from Small Apartment Styling School, so you're getting a sneak peek first here!
So let me break down exactly what I mean by this little formula that I live by.
First you want to choose a base color - and Ashley, since you want a dark decor look, I would choose a base color that is, well, dark. Dark charcoal gray is my base color in my space, and you can see it in my couch, in my bedspread, in my armchair... Basically, all of the big things in my space are just dark charcoal gray, or maybe black.
So basically, I would choose a dark color as your base color. And again, your base color is going to be the bigger things in your space.
Then I would choose an accent color. This is the color that is reflected in the little details like decorative pillows, throws, faux florals, just the little decor pieces.
Now, my accent color in my space is green, or various shades of green and gold. You don't have to be super strict about this. I’m talking about maybe choosing one color family as your accent color.
I personally like to stick to one color family for the accent color. I just think it's a very easy way to keep a space feeling cohesive through color.
And a lot of people might disagree with me. Some people are really good at mixing a whole bunch of different colors and still making it look cohesive, so if you really love playing with color, I don't want to deprive you of that. But it's a nice foolproof way to create cohesiveness in a space if you just choose one color on top of one base color.
And the repetition aspect of the formula comes in in committing to one base color and one accent color. My accent color is repeated several times throughout my space. An easy way to create that cohesive feeling is to repeat things. There is so much power in repetition, and especially when it comes to styling, repetition is my best friend.
And this plays really well into my earlier tip about committing, you know? I love when people make bold styling choices that they truly commit to, and repetition is a really great way to commit to a style and make it super clear.
Think about interior styling as telling a story. Which makes a better story: a sort of unclear, half-assed, incoherent story or a clear, well-thought-out, passionate story where the author tells the story with conviction?
You would obviously want to read the second story, right? The same applies to interior styling. Approach it like you're telling a story to your best friend and you want to make sure that she hears every single detail super clearly.
4. Making Things Cozy & Experimenting
When it comes to creating that super cozy factor in your styling, I would just make sure that you don't shy away from layering multiple textures.
I think that's one of the things that gives my space a very distinctly cozy look is that I have layers of faux fur, different fabrics, and multiple layers of throw pillows. I kind of go ham with that stuff, you know?
So if you want to create a cozy space, think layers. When you're shopping? Layers. When you're styling? Layers. Like, just have a very layer-focused mind.
Now of course, it’s possible to go overboard, and that’s where clutter can come into play. So if you style your space and then you feel that sort of chaotic, stressed out feeling inside you, that means you have too much and you should probably pare it down a little bit.
And this is where the experimenting comes into play. Just experiment, experiment, experiment. If something doesn't feel right, remove it or move it to a different spot. You have to try a whole bunch of different things until your styling clicks together and works.
And I think that's where a lot of people get discouraged and can't really get through the ugly phase. And when I say ugly, I mean that sort of cluttered chaos of when you just move in. They can’t get past that, and so they resign themselves to feeling like, “oh I must not be good at this, I guess this is impossible for me”.
And that's just not true! You just haven't broken through to the point where things click together. And I swear, I stand by the fact that everybody has style.
That’s what Moda Misfit is all about: that everybody has style. It's just that we have to be patient with ourselves and allow ourselves to discover things.
So Ashley, things are not going to be cohesive immediately in your space. And I know that you know that. We all know that logically, but in practice it's kind of hard to swallow.
But stick with it. You got this. And if you have any questions - whether you're Ashley or you're not Ashley - feel free to ask below and I will give you my two cents on how to create cohesiveness in your space.
So that was the very first Dear Moda segment! I hope you enjoyed it, and Ashley, I hope you found it helpful.
If you have a question that you would like me to answer in future Dear Moda video, then feel free to comment below or DM me on Instagram or message me on Facebook and just start your message with “Dear Moda” and I will know that you want it to be considered for a future Dear Moda video!
If you want daily glimpses into my studio apartment life, follow me on Instagram @moda.misfit. And if you want regular doses of interior styling tips and small space decor inspiration, then subscribe to this channel and hit the bell to be notified when a new episode goes up every week!
And remember, your apartment is destined to be pretty. And you are pretty powerful!
Now, my accent color in my space is green, or various shades of green and gold. You don't have to be, like, super strict about this. I’m talking about maybe choosing one sort of color family as your accent color. And I personally like to stick to one color family for the accent color. I just think it's a very easy way to keep a space feeling cohesive through color.
And a lot of people might disagree with me. Some people are really good at mixing a whole bunch of different colors and still making it look cohesive, so if you really love playing with color, I don't want to deprive you of that. But it's a nice foolproof way to create cohesiveness in a space if you just choose one color on top of one base color.
And the repetition aspect of the formula comes in in committing to one base color and one accent color. So my accent color is repeated several times throughout my space. An easy way to create that cohesive feeling is to repeat things. There is so much power in repetition, and especially when it comes to styling, repetition is like my best friend.
And this plays really well into my earlier tip about committing, you know? I love when people make bold styling choices that they truly commit to, and repetition is a really great way to commit to a style and make it super clear.
Think about interior styling as telling a story. Which makes a better story: a sort of unclear, half-assed, incoherent story or a clear, well-thought-out, passionate story where the author tells the story with conviction? You would obviously want to read this story, right? So the same applies to interior styling. Approach it like you're telling a story to your best friend and you want to make sure that she hears every single detail super clearly.
And then specifically when it comes to creating that super cozy factor in your styling, I would just make sure that you don't shy away from layering multiple textures. I think that's one of the things that gives my space a very distinctly cozy look, is I have layers of faux fur and different fabrics and multiple layers of throw pillows. I kind of go ham with that stuff, you know?
So if you want to create a cozy space, think layers. When you're shopping? Layers. When you're styling? Layers. Like, just have a very layer-focused mind.
Now of course, it’s possible to go overboard, and that’s where clutter can come into play. So if you style your space and then you feel that sort of chaotic, stressed out feeling inside you, that means you have too much and you should probably pare it back a little bit.
And this is where the experimenting comes into play. Just experiment, experiment. If something doesn't feel right, remove it or move it to a different spot. You have to try a whole bunch of different things until your styling clicks together and works.
And I think that's where a lot of people get discouraged, is they can't really get through the ugly phase. And when I say ugly, I mean, you know, that sort of cluttered chaos of when you just move in. They can’t get past that, and so they resign themselves to like “oh I must not be good at this, I guess this is impossible for me”.
And that's just not true! You just haven't broken through to the point where things click together. And I swear, I stand by the fact that everybody has style. That’s what Moda Misfit is all about: that everybody has style. It's just that we have to be patient with ourselves and allow ourselves to discover things.
So Ashley, things are not going to be cohesive immediately in your space. And I know that you know that. We all know that logically, but in practice it's kind of hard to swallow.
But stick with it. You got this. And if you have any questions - whether you're Ashley or you're not Ashley - feel free to ask below and I will give you my two cents on how to create cohesiveness in your space.
So that was the very first Dear Moda segment! I hope you enjoyed it, and Ashley, I hope you found it helpful. Feel free to Facebook message me with any more specific questions.
So if you have a question that you would like me to answer in future Dear Moda video, then feel free to comment below or DM me on Instagram or message me on Facebook - any of the ways - and just start your message with “Dear Moda” and I will know that you want it to be considered for a future Dear Moda video!
If you want daily glimpses into my studio apartment life, follow me on Instagram @moda.misfit. And if you want regular doses of interior styling tips and small space decor inspiration, then subscribe to this channel and hit the bell to be notified when a new episode goes up every week!