Queen of Cozy
I have repeatedly been called the Queen of Cozy. I wear the crown with great pride. I have corners all over my home that are cozy. Areas you want to linger in, to snuggle into, to sit and enjoy a bit longer. I have always had them no matter where my home was, Germany, New Jersey, Georgia and all the other homes as well. Having cozy areas in my home always fells like I am turning a house into a home. I have made each place we moved into, into a home by turning the four walls that contain us into a cozy and inviting space. I am indeed the Queen of Cozy.
What makes the spaces in my homes so cozy are the items in each space. They are filled with warmth from a pile of well-worn blankets. Other times the lighting sets the mood. I have battery-operated lights tucked into nooks and crannies and twinkle lights plugged in always, in other areas around our home. I fill the spaces with fabrics that are inviting and warm on pillows and curtains. I have candles with each season’s scents strewn about. I place art or shadowboxes containing childhood treasures on the walls. High up I have a shelf full of antique cameras tucked into spaces. Each place has something special about it. The special items move the space from existing to magic.
When my daughter moved and we unpacked her, the first thing I did was make a corner for her. I plugged in the battery lights, I placed a scarf over the area, I gathered framed photos of hers and candles. I made an area that was cozy and felt like home. She even mentioned that it was a corner from home. Gathering special items and placing them collectively in a space allows those spaces to feel cozy. For me it is about making spaces of love for all to enjoy and allow them to feel comfortable in my home.
In the colder months, I have piles of freshly laundered heavy blankets piled up in the living room in a corner of every piece of furniture. I leave out mugs on the counter with spoons and hot cocoa in case anyone wants some. I keep a thermos of hot water on the ready. Peppermint sticks a must as well. I gather tea and place them in tiny baskets on the counters. I include honey sticks in tall glass and make cozy spaces on my counter tops. I invite people into those spaces by making them warm and inviting that they want to explore them.
Each corner has items that are inviting to see, touch, smell or taste. My cozy corners change from time to time depending on the weather and/or season, but there are feathers gathered and placed in tiny vases, tea lights waiting to be lit in pottery pieces gathered at thrift stores, sometimes items gathered from outside like acorns and pine comes are brought inside and placed in my antique wooden bread bowl.
Being called the Queen of Cozy by my friends is a compliment. I wear my crown high in my head and keep making cozy corners wherever I go. I strive to make a warm and inviting home where friends can linger. Where strangers on social media feel welcome to message me and talk about being cozy. We share this connection. We all seem to love the cozy feeling and I am happy to help others achieve that feeling in their own homes.
As we enter the truly cozy season, with the weather being cooler, I dream of corners with new elements to them. I am reminded of the smell of a basket of apples on my kitchen counter. I think of apple cider being made, those blankets grabbed for extra warmth, and honestly, this is my season where I shine the most with so much cozy that all who enter instantly feel loved, warm, and snuggled. Therefore, I will wear my crown high and off I go to make new and inviting cozy corners.
