Although designers are constantly reminding us that open floor plans are becoming a thing of the past, it can take years for a major change like that to truly take effect.  In the meantime, many of us have a large (sometimes cavernous!) space in our homes that functions as a kitchen, dining room, living room, entry, etc.  Making a large space feel homey and cozy isn’t something that happens by chance.  It takes a bit of effort, but the payoff is immense!  Here are a few tips:

Tip 1: Create Divisions

The best way of dealing with a large space is creating smaller “rooms” within it.  These rooms – or zones – help give the space definition and make it feel cozy.  You may have a living room grouping, a reading nook, a casual eating area, or whatever functions the space performs.  The beauty of a large blank space is you can really determine how to make your home best serve you and your family!  Zones can be solidified by rugs, room dividers or other furniture.  PRO TIP: When creating large seating areas, look for a focal point to guide furniture placement.  It may be the television, a fireplace, or a stunning piece of art based on your personal lifestyle.

Tip 2: Bring the Ceiling Down

High or vaulted ceilings are a wonderful asset in a home, but they can be the antithesis of cozy.  Visually bringing the ceiling down can instantly help a room look and feel more intimate.   One of the best ways to bridge the airspace gap can be large chandeliers, which are always a welcome addition over seating areas.  You can also hang clusters of beautiful paper lanterns or suspend art pieces from ceilings, depending on your style.  PRO TIP: Another option is to work from the ground up with indoor potted trees or open shelving used as room dividers.

Tip 3: Amp up the Layers

The top trick in a designer’s go-to bag for making a large space cozy is adding in multiple layers of lights, textures and art.  Lamps, chandeliers, and spotlights all create layers of light that will make each zone within a space feel intimate and warm.  Soft furnishings help, too – blankets, throws, pillows, drapes, and upholstered chairs all lend that feeling of warmth or hygge.  And always, always, always add texture; nubby textiles, 3-D art pieces, geometric vases, etc.  PRO TIP: Adding small uplights on the floor behind furniture gives a lovely glow, and with the advent of battery-operated options you can even install small spotlights for art now, too!

BONUS TIP: One of the least cozy aspects of a cavernous room is an echo.  If your soft furnishings, rugs and other textiles aren’t enough to rectify it, look for ways to stash in a few acoustic tiles.  You can tuck them behind art, mount them under furniture or line the back of bookshelves.  I once saw a designer tuck squares of acoustic tiles into her bookshelves, each carefully wrapped in a book cover.  How clever!