A Cozy Nook
Who doesn’t NEED to have a cozy nook in their home?
When we renovated our house in 2022, part of the addition was something we all affectionately call, The Little Den, and when I say “we,” I mean Brian and me, but also our design team, our GC, and all the vendors. It was so funny to hear burly contractors delicately refer to a construction zone as The Little Den. Below are some pictures of The Little Den.
Anyway, The Little Den ended up being that room that received a bunch of random furniture that was leftover from pre-renovation with the exception of my writing desk—I bought that from Robert and Kaci Lyford from East End Salvage. Swoooooon! It’s a French antique—200 years old—and is such a special piece to me. And just FYI: The Chef and Sous Chef paintings are by Jane DuBois. The Little Den really functions as my office, so I feel really sentimental about the pieces in there.
On the opposite wall from the writing desk is a small wingback chair that once sat in our living room. The corner where it sat always looked boring and unappealing to me, but then I saw the picture below on Instagram and I had an idea. @alabasterfox is known for cozy moments and warm interiors, and I felt inspired to create a similar space.
And here is the finished product:
This chair actually has a matching ottomon, however, there’s not enough space in the room to use it, so I loved what @alabasterfox did by using the small footstool. I found mine at The Antique Company Mall in Downtown McKinney, and used a thrifted pair of jeans to recover it. Aren’t the pockets cute!?
The brass reading lamp is part of The Official Art of Living Beautifully Fall Edit. It’s adjustable, under $100, and was so simple to assemble. I love the traditional look. The gallery wall was a compilation of photos and paintings that I already had: a ballerina I found at The Antique Mall months ago that made me think of Noëlle, my character from The France Dance; an antique oil painting I inherited from my grandmother; a watercolor BP and I purchased in Puerto Rico last summer; and some photographs from past travels that I love.
I absolutely LOVE black pottery, and this cachepot from Pottery Barn is also on my Fall Edit. I think it’s so cool and has soooo many uses! (stay tuned) Because the space is so small, when it comes to the side table, I used this little martini table from Ballard. It only holds a drink, but the cachepot acts as a catchall so the little table works well. If you are looking for a side table for a very small space, I cannot recommend this one enough. I’ve had mine for years!
Here is a little collage of favorite items I think would be perfect for your own little nook.
The Vineyard Table Cookbook, great gift for your friend who loves to cook and/or The Texas Hill Country
To-Go Coffee novelty Throw Pillow, great gift for friend who loves coffee and has a playful style
Brass Floor Lamp, great gift for yourself just because rarely do we give lamps as gifts 😂
Coffee and Croissant Slippers, great gift for your francofile friend
Tartan Plaid Throw Blanket, great hostess gift, or for any female you know
Cachepot, great gift for a gardener bc it has a drainage hole in the bottom
Bistro Tile Mug Paris, another great gift for a francofile friend, but other cities are available: Texas, Philly, London, Boston, Chicago, and NYC
Martini Table, honestly a great gift for your son/daughter who have moved into a new home that’s short on space
So if you’re looking for a little inspiration to create your own cozy corner, I hope this helps. Surround yourself with inspiring furniture, pictures, fragrances (think your favorite candle!); create a little nest so you won’t have to get up for a charger or some chapstick once you get settled. Read my blog post about building nests HERE. And for an added challenge, be sure to use as many pieces you already have as possible. It’s less expensive and really sparks creativity.
Thanks for reading, friends!
