Point of View: Cozy Corners

It wasn’t until I lived in The Netherlands, Italy, and New York City that I was introduced to the exhaustive interpretations of the word known as cozy. When I think of cozy in American terms as it was taught to me as a child growing up in the US, I think of a warm and fuzzy sweater and maybe a nicely decorated space during the holidays but not too much else apart from those contexts. After a childhood filled with wide, open spaces both indoors and outdoors, I was quickly confronted with small living quarters when living abroad and venturing to life in The Big Apple. My second apartment in Manhattan was a railroad apartment, meaning all rooms are stacked side-by-side like freight train boxes, which I shared with two roommates. Only one window was on each end of the apartment - one in my roomie’s master bedroom and the other, fortunately, in my miniature bedroom at the other end of the apartment. I had officially moved into a shoebox with a rental price tag as though I splurged on designer shoes each month, relatively speaking. My American full size mattress literally touched 3 of the 4 bedroom walls and the shoebox had no closet or storage inside. It was an open box like a storage unit. I had a tiny freestanding wardrobe to fit a portion of my clothes and the rest had to be in under-bed storage bins. I had to maximize that space by utilizing my wall space as if it was an extension of floor space. I hung floating shelves throughout and mounted a TV above the bed. I used the fire escape stairwell outside my window to put flowers and plants. I added a faux Venetian plaster paint onto the walls with 1 bolder color on the bed headboard wall and a pale silvery white on the other walls to open up the space. What made me laugh out loud every time was when I had friends over, particularly those visiting from overseas, and the typical response I got was - your room is so cozy! I guess it could also be a nice way of saying your room is so small, but you made the best of it.

For a couple years, I worked for a Danish luxury furniture manufacturer that required I would travel every couple of months to Copenhagen with clients or for sales trainings. The word that I heard used in almost every conversation among the Danes was “hygge,” meaning cozy. It’s no different with the Dutch. My mom and relatives who are natives of The Netherlands use “gezellig” like it’s a grammatical article (the, a, an). It’s used to describe the warm, fuzzy sweaters, the festive holiday decor, but more importantly the social gatherings, the enjoyable moments in life, the quaint corners that are filled with beauty, and pretty much anything else. You may hear someone ask in their native Danish or Dutch, “Would you like to go grab a cup of coffee together,” and the common response would be, “Yeah! Cozy!”

Highlighting the point of view of cozy corners and small spaces, all of the places I mentioned above hold a common thread of utilizing every molecule of livable space and filling it with beauty. A wasted space is a wasted opportunity. Despite an abode being itty bitty, it was just another nook and opportunity to create a warm, inviting, and “cozy” space that would also cause those who enter it to dive into a “hygge,” “gezellig” zone meant to be enjoyed alone or with the companionship of others. A well designed space creates a form of cozy that sets the tone for coziness in social settings. It’s meant to be savored. The same stands true in public areas.

I routinely scope out my personal life - speaking of the things of the heart and soul - and personal living space to see if all is maximized and at its peak functionality and beauty. Is it free of clutter? Does it produce a welcoming zone for myself to be full of joy and find it a cozy living space and does it create the same mood and effect on others? Cozy corners within us and without us (meaning externally around us) are not difficult to create. It is a matter of perspective and a fresh take on the circumstances, influences, and environments we make.

Need more design inspiration? Visit our online store here to browse our handmade products and ideas. Perhaps you have a nook in your dwelling area that is in need of a makeover or refresh to infuse it with cozy. It’s all about your point of view.