It suddenly got realllly cold, right? In a year where we’re all struggling to self-soothe, comfort is paramount. As the the days draw in being snuggly, warm and cosy as hell is the very least we can do for ourselves. Handily, we’re here to signpost you to a veritable cornucopia of pleasing things perfect for helping you to nest with the best of them. It’s going to be a long winter so let’s throw everything we can at it, and by everything I mean an awful lot of blankets.
Emma: the Carrie Lamp from Menu
I just bought this in black and I’m 100% eyeing up the Olive finish too, so believe me when I say this is the perfect cosy light. The round globe diffuses light, whether you have it on the lowest or brightest setting. And it’s portable, so you can take cosy with you wherever you like. Ours lives in the living room mostly, but we… carry (see what I did there) it into the bathroom for a long soak, or to the bedroom as a reading light. It’s so soft and warming – the ultimate little cosy-maker.
Robyn: Pyjamas, all of them
So the number one thing guaranteed to make me feel toasty, cosy and ready to relax are pyjamas and I collect them live nobody’s business. And don’t kid yourself there aren’t different PJs for different occasions because there categorically are. If I’m just lounging around then my Piglet in Bed monogrammed linen numbers are my go-to as I feel fancy as fuck in an everyday way. If I’m having a sleepover (those were the days) I’ll throw on my Yolke silk stripeys and if I’m off out (again, IMAGINE) the Sleeper feathers get thrown on with some glam flats. The ultimate all-over indulgence and I regret absolutely nothing.
Emma: the Collect Cotton throw from &Tradition
We have a running joke in our flat that Mr Crap Flat will be sat on the sofa in just his pants, while I’m wearing three layers and thick socks, swaddled in multiple blankets. It’s not so much a joke as it is reality, so, for me, no cosy is complete without at least one excellent throw. It has to be picked carefully, of course. A thick wool one might look great strewn artfully across the sofa, but it’s probably a bit scratchy to tuck up under your chin. A hand-woven embroidered number makes for an excellent piece of art, but is it really going to drape over you just so? Some say I have too much time on my hands, I say I’ve found the perfect blanket in &Tradition’s Collect Cotton. Soft, drapey, crinkled and double-sided so you can switch it up depending on how dark your mood is. Just point me in the direction of the nearest sofa.
Robyn: Bring the outdoors in with Surface View
When winter hits and the outdoors offers none of the leafy joy you get in summer, it’s nice to bring a bit of that arable awesomeness back into your house so you don’t go completely stir crazy. Enter Surface View and their heavenly roller blinds. Perfect if you don’t want to commit to the visual impact of a full mural but want a wink of the abundance that the summer months bring after the sun goes down in your sad little pad. Pop a heavy pair of velvet curtains, like the Made.com Julius pair, alongside to add a little drama and keep the drafts out.
Emma: the Twist Candles from HAY
Some people save their nice candles for best. You know what I do? Burn them, and laugh maniacally as I do. Even I would think twice about setting these guys on fire, but if you’re going to do cosy, you need candles, lots of. And now the actual candle can be as good-looking as the rest of your living room, thanks to HAY’s twisty brilliance. I’d be equally happy with some extreme tapered guys, like these from Esther & Erik, which are borderline sexual. Pop them in the forever-favourite Cooee Design Candlestick and have yourself a dramatically cosy night in.
Robyn: choose a new rug to feel fantastic underfoot
It’s easy to forget how important certain areas are when it comes to making yourself feel snug and the floor is the first place to get forgotten. But for me, one of the biggest changes we made this year was replacing our old manky synthetic rug for a super soft wool and cotton Highland one from West Elm. It’s so nice to walk over, uber-inviting and completes the lounge in a way I never anticipated. So there you have it, me exalting the virtues of something not just based on its colour and pattern but for it’s texture and feel. Wonder’s will never cease.
Emma: the AMPM Oderie Linen Curtain from La Redoute
If you live in a flat, chances are you feel constantly connected to other people. Either your noisy upstairs neighbours, the baby next door, or – if you’re on the ground floor – the constant stream of wanderers-past who gawp through your window. It’s ok, I’m moving soon – I’m not bitter. Lots of rentals come with blinds, because they’re easy to maintain, but a cold venetian does not cosy make. Enter the curtain. When we put curtains up in our little flat, it was the first time we ever felt fully shut away from the world, and it was bliss. There’s something about pulling them together that signals, no thank-you world, no more of you today, and they really help to soften the view from inside to out. Our specific ones are no longer online, but I favour a textured pale linen, like these from La Redoute, which are so light and romantic you’re basically living in a French film.
Robyn: Lovely jumpers are my oxygen
Nothing, and I mean nothing, makes me happier than a great piece of knitwear. I can mainly be found in a jumper, usually oversized, often over-patterned and always completely fubsy* to the touch. This year, top of my personal pops is Chinti and Parker because, well just go and look – it’s a riot of colour. Coming up the rear are Other Stories with their charming little collars and whizzy colours and finally good old M&S always do lovely knits in every hue you could ever imagine.
*yes, this is an invented word
Emma: the Big Amber from WXY
I can’t say it enough times: this candle smells like heaven. It’s like crawling inside what a cinnamon buns tastes like – that pillowy, soft, sweetness that’s just a little bit spicy and grown-up. And I know I already said candles, but the Smoked Rose & Sumatran Pine scent from WXY is all about room fragrance, so I’m going to allow it. Also, I’m in charge here and I won’t be stopped. The candles are all paraben-free, and WXY make a donation to charity when you buy one, so you’ll get that cosy feeling inside as well. I feel better just writing about it. full disclosure: I’ve worked with WXY before, but in no way is this content sponsored
Robyn: big old blankets for the win
I like to create myself a sofa nest the minute I flop down for the evening and a plethora of different blankets are a must. I want some that are just wonderfully warm and snuggly like the pom pom one from Dunelm. Ones that are cool and colourful like the geometric lovelies on offer from Toast and, for times I want guests to swoon at the unparalleled levels on my good taste, I like to whack out a Lucy Tiffney blanket with it’s incredible intricate botanical scenes.
So there you have it – a little intel from out massive minds on how you can nestify* your home for the coming months.
*yes, I made up another word.