Snuggle up with your favorite hot beverage and enjoy this blog on tips to design with comfort in mind!
Fall is here in Vermont and Wright Construction has some tips to keep it cozy in your home! Consider these elements in your renovation or new home build to ensure a space that will make you feel warm in the chill of the Autumn and Winter to come. It not just heaters that make us feel cozy, it's colors, textures, lighting, and architecture too!
We've also got a couple little touches you can add to your existing space to up the comfort factor this season. With Covid-19, many of us are at home more often than usual. Just like we set up our workspace to be ergonomic and comfortable to maximize productivity, it's important to set up your living space to maximize relaxation!
Fireplaces
The most obvious example of coziness is a fireplace. Even if it is not real wood you are burning, just having a flickering flame provides a gentle pattern and sound promoting relaxation. It creates a focal point in your space, designed for people to gather around and enjoy one another's company. Not to mention it provides actual warmth, which when mixed with a hot cup of tea and a soft blanket sets the perfect mood for chilling out.
There are a few options for fireplaces depending on where you're at in your homebuilding process. For example, with a new build, Wright could work in a grand stone fireplace with a chimney and the whole 9 yards within the plans of the house. This gives you the most options for getting exactly what you want.
If you've already got a great home and you love it, a gas fireplace is a great option for you. With minimal renovation you can have a fireplace built into your existing space with a simple flue for airflow, and some real-looking fake logs to cover the gas burner. Gas fireplaces are by far the easiest option for real flame, real heat, real coziness if you're looking to add to an existing home.
Electric fireplaces are an option if you want the calmness of the flame and focal point aspect of a fireplace, but maybe you live in an apartment and can't renovate, or maybe you're a person who is usually warm and don't need the extra heat. Electric fireplaces can range from screens mounted to the wall to full on fake mantles that you fit up against your wall for a more traditional look.
Pellet stoves are also a great option if you prefer a more wood-stove look to your space. Pellet stoves have visible flame, heat blower settings, and can potentially heat your entire home.
When you work with Wright and want a fireplace in your new build or renovation, we collaborate with our favorite local company Green Mountain Fireplace Specialties in Ludlow, Vermont. Their Customer Service is wonderful, and comfort is their specialty!
Wood Beams
Wood beams are a design trend that is extremely hot right now. People are loving the idea of natural elements that provide color and texture in a space. It makes it feel more expensive, warm, and adds character and charm to more modern designed homes. Beams are another one of those things where (like shiplap) you're lucky if your house was built with these details originally. However, they can definitely be added to existing spaces! Which we love.
If you've already got high or vaulted ceilings, consider adding in beams like the ones in the photo here that we did in the lobby at the Inn at Water's Edge in Ludlow, Vermont. It's a fairly small space, but you can see that the beams don't feel too heavy in the room. They add charm, as if they were original to the building and just recently exposed or refurbished.
Textures
Natural elements like stone, reclaimed wood, and even some metals can really activate your sight and touch senses and provides a space to feel comfortable, yet stimulated. For example, the mixture of stone, wood, and metal in the entryway of this enormous Vermont home helps it to feel more welcoming. Almost like a Bed & Breakfast, just begging for guests. Giving you that fancy, yet still homey feeling.
Textures can be added to more places than just your entryway. Stone fireplaces provide texture, accent walls made out of reclaimed wood, or even wall paper (which is another popular trend recently). The great part about texture in relation to coziness is that you don't have to do a complete home renovation to get that vibe. Obviously it's great if you can work with your contractor or construction team on these elements during renovation or new homebuilding because your options increase, but simple décor can completely change the comfort levels of your home.
Some of our favorites are massive area rugs with a little bit of shag, interesting throw pillows made from textured fabrics like velvet or chenille, and even textured blankets over the back of your sofa or chair help add some snuggle to your space!
Lighting
Accent lighting can completely change the way a room feels. If you're thinking about building a home or doing some major renovations, that'd be the easiest time to choose the lighting you want in your home and include it in the build. There are tons of dimmable options that will set the mood and save you money on electricity!
If you're not building, but looking to cozy up your home for the colder weather, consider ditching the main lighting all together and go for accents! By that, we mean dimmable lamps (floor and table), fairy lights, rope lights, Himalayan salt lamps and even colored lights can be a game changer. Personally, I am a fan of warmer toned lighting over the whites and brights. I prefer a yellow or orange tone, but blues and even purples are crowd favorites.
Consider placement too when looking for accent lighting. Placing the light in a place that is not directly visible to guests, but the glow of the light is, creates a wonderful warmth that gives the space a lounge-like feel. For example, behind the television, underneath a shelf, shining down from the ceiling on a piece of art, or that 6" space of nothing on top of your kitchen cabinets!
A Space for Spirits
This wine cellar room is something I just had to include in this blog. While the room itself doesn't exactly exude "warmth and comfort" (except for the natural wood and beautiful color), what's inside sure does! If you're a wine enthusiast, consider converting an existing space into a room dedicated to your hobby. Or if you're thinking about an addition or new build, this could be a great option for you to include in your plans! It's a talking point, and there is nothing like sipping a glass of your favorite wine in front of your new fireplace in a well-lit room with your friends and family.
There are a million options to getting cozy this Autumn season. Just remember to stay true to you! Don't follow the trends if it doesn't feel like the style fits you. Think about what it is that relaxes you and surround yourself with it. Your home is your sanctuary and it's also where you spend a good majority of your time. Taking the time to make it comfortable and set the mood is essential to decompression and relaxation, which is something we ALL deserve.
Call Wright Construction today to start designing and building a home that is perfect for you. It's not just about choosing about how you want your home to look, it's about how you want to feel in it! 802-259-2094 or email us at Info@wrightconstruction.com