Honor Your 5 Senses with a Cozy(Hygge) Space in Your Home.

Like it or not, we’ve all been spending more time in our homes. It can start to feel like we’re stuck in a bad deja vu rather than experiencing the comfort a home typically offers.

An antidote to that can be carving out a space that is truly comforting; pleasing to your senses and that is all YOU.

Since so many of us are now working and going to school from home. A cozy corner can be a space where we enforce boundaries and give ourselves space, literally.

The rise of the Hygge movement is proof that coziness is desired by most people. Hygge means finding comfort warmth and pleasure in simple soothing things such as a cozy atmosphere or the feeling of coziness, contentment and well-being.

Being a New Yorker, extra space is a rare commodity. In the past, my cozy spaces have been in the bathroom mostly. I’d hang a nice shower curtain and put some plants that didn’t require much light (or watering) on a tiny thrifted table. I also stored my essential oil in the bathroom solely for the lovely geranium and vanilla scent they created after a steamy shower.

Unfortunately, my current bathroom is even smaller than usual, so, necessity being the mother of invention, I’ve created a new space.

I originally created this space for my children. “Infants and Toddlers often need a soft, quiet, protected place where they can relax and have some space away from loud or busy areas... Teaching children to soothe themselves by going to a ‘cozy area’ can help them feel comforted and better able to cope. They may benefit from a ‘cozy area’ to be by themselves while they adjust to events such as drop off or overly noisy activities such as movement or music.”

Surly, this is something us adults need too! Especially in this unique time - where our senses are under assault with zoom meetings and distance learning around the clock.

To create the space, I used a kids tent from Target as the frame, then I put our sleeping bags on the floor to make provide some cushioning. I then layered a super soft sheepskin to finish the soft bottom layer and to provide some warmth.

The tent can get pretty dark, especially on overcast days. I wanted to add some lighting while maintaining the cozy, safe, welcoming ambiance of the space. Soft lighting was in order. To add a whimsical twist, I used Pom Pom string lights.

In the rare moments I am able to escape from my adult duties, this is absolutely the perfect cozy space to go. I can curl up with a book and get a few pages read, before returning to reality.

My husband has been taking naps there as well; during breaks from work meetings. Oh so many meetings!

As someone who has moved quite a bit, I appreciate the portability of this space. While I am thankful to have a physical home I know this is not the final place I will live.

In crafting a cozy space I tried to incorporate the five senses:

Touch - Soft Pom Poms and a furry sheepskin throw.

Sight - Gentle lighting and pops of color.

Smell - The room where the cozy corner exists is treated to a stone diffuser, with geranium as the most often chosen essential oil scent. Studies have shown that geranium has anti-anxiety effects, which contributes to the cozy calmness of the area.

Hearing - A placement close to the windows where we can hear natural sounds from outside if we choose to. We try to keep this area as free from loud noises as possible.

Taste - Mess free eating only. Eating a perfect segment of a Satsuma Mandarin in such a cozy place is a slice of happiness and a gentle nudge to open up all the senses.

Having a cozy corner that will always have a space in any future home I inhabit, really helps me with re-examining ideas around home. Home can really be anywhere! And “cozy” is a feeling that can be sparked by any of the five senses, or even a person can be your idea of a cozy space and a home.

In this time of blurred physical lines we live, we should all take some time to cultivate “cozy” wherever or in whomever it may be found. Go forth and cozy!