How some simple tweaks to your lighting can turn your home into a deeply snug retreat…
As every interior designer knows, lighting makes all the difference to the mood of a room. Our latest blog series explores how lighting can help create different feelings and atmospheres, and this time, we’re focusing on warmth and cosiness.
When the nights are long and the winter seems to drag on forever, we all need a little cocoon to hide way in. With some simple but clever lighting choices you can make your home as snug as a bug in a cashmere rug, as cosy as an old bookshop on a rainy afternoon, as warm as freshly baked bread straight from the Aga, as – well, you get the idea. Here’s how to do it…
(See also: Creating the mood: Lighting for a calm home)
Lighting for warmth: the basics
Use the right light bulbs
For a cosy setting, you want bulbs with a warm, golden hue. Look for LEDs with a colour temperature of around 2700K to 3000K, which mimic the gentle glow of candlelight and instantly make a room feel more inviting. Also, use dimmers where possible. (Read more in our guide Understanding warm lighting - plus a guide to colour temperature).
Create a sense of depth with lighting layers
For warmth and cosiness, you want that feeling of depth – that the room can almost embrace you when you retreat into it. Layering light is a way to achieve that: instead of a single overhead light, use multiple light sources at different levels—table lamps, floor lamps, wall lights, and even candles. This allows you to build up a glow that feels soft, enveloping, and inviting.
Banish dark spots
Dark corners can make a room feel gloomy, even vaguely unsettling. Position a small lamp in a corner or use a wireless wall light to introduce warmth and turn cold areas into glowing, intimate nooks.
Turning a dark, cold spot into a cosy warm one, with a Rattle rechargeable lamp in woven rattan. Image: @ourlittlebrickcottage
Simple steps: quick and easy ways to create instant warmth
The good news is that just a small change can make a big impact. Here are some simple tricks to create warmth in a jiffy:
Create a glow with a rechargeable lamp
Position a cordless lamp on a bookshelf, coffee table, or console to add instant cosiness without the hassle of wires. The beauty of rechargeable lamps is that they can be moved anywhere, providing flexibility and charm in equal measure.
2) Introduce soft textural layers
Warm lighting isn’t just about bulbs—lampshades can also do the business. Go for fabric shades in velvet, linen, or woven textures and pair them with soft furnishings like throws and rugs to enhance the feeling of a cosy den. (Some people find animal prints particularly snug).
3) Choose warm lampshade colours
If your walls and general décor feel too cool-toned, then lampshades are a really simple and effective way to bring in warmer notes. Red, oranges, golds, and rust-coloured lampshades add richness and will heat up neutral palettes beautifully.
4) Add a flicker of candlelight
Whether it’s candles on a mantelpiece or storm lanterns on a dining table, flickering candlelight creates an instantly snug vibe.
Cosy layers of light, including Pooky picture lights, in this room by @michellelyonsinteriors
Year-round warmth: long-term ways to make your home cosier
For a lasting transformation, consider these cosy-friendly interior updates:
Give yourself a warm welcome
It’s easy to overlook the hallway, but creating that first impression of inviting warmth when you step through the front door can make all the difference. How about a pair of wall lights, or a lovely glowing lantern pendant to greet you in the entrance hall? (See more tips in our guide How to light an entrance hall.)
A warmly welcoming entrance hall with Elbow wall lights, Phileas rechargeable lamp and green block printed cotton shades - designed by @noushka_design
Base your colour scheme on deeper neutrals
Crisp whites can feel fresh and modern, but if you value warmth then go for deeper neutrals like warm taupe, caramel or soft terracotta. Combine these with warm lighting for a maximum snugness.
Incorporate natural textures
Avoid metals and smooth surfaces in favour of natural, rougher timbers, rattan and wicker, and natural linen. Warm up exposed floorboards with fluffy or furry rugs, and use handwoven blankets liberally. (See more ideas in our blog The seven elements of interior design: Texture)
Cosy up your kitchen and bathroom
These spaces aren’t usually associated with cosiness, but why shouldn’t they be? In the kitchen, use small rechargeable lamps to create an inviting glow in the evenings. In the bathroom, swap out stark lighting for softer, diffused options—perhaps a warm-hued pendant light or a portable lamp on a shelf.
Why shouldn’t kitchens be cosy? Pinks act as warm neutrals, while Elbow wall lights and Pooky shades provide layers of light. Credit: @nigehunt & @neptunehomeofficial
Lighting for warmth: Pooky picks
Here are some particularly cockle-warming Pooky lights and shades, guaranteed to cosy up your home…
Dontanello lantern
Lanterns, especially in brass and glass, radiate a lovely warm glow with a hint of Victoriana. This is the Dontanello with three bulbs – we have lots more lanterns to peruse.
Smaller Rattle rechargeable table lamp
A glorious cordless lamp in natural woven rattan – plonk the Rattle anywhere for instant cosy texture.
Tall tapered lampshade in posh pink velvet
Velvet is a beautiful, warm material for lampshades. True, it doesn't transmit much light, but instead with the tall tapered shade you get a gentle glow and pools of light spilling underneath. Gorgeous!
Moon wall light in antique brass
A beaten concave plate of brass with a gentle antiquing, the Moon wall light produces a lovely warm golden light.
Snuggle down and find lots more inspiration on our interiors blog here.
See also:
Creating the mood: Lighting for a calm home
The seven elements of interior design – a guide to understanding and combining them
Effortless interiors inspiration: four ways to use rechargeable table lamps for cosy living
How to use lighting to create a cosy corner
Image top: @ourlittlebrickcottage
