Cosy snug room ideas to create an indulgent and relaxing spot in your home to escape to

When it comes to snug room ideas, comfort is everything and it should inform every design decision. 

More cosy and intimate than your traditional living room ideas, your snug room ideas should be a haven on a cold winter's day or after a busy working week. 

'Your snug room ideas should be separate and closed off from other rooms. Think of it as a smaller living room designed to be even warmer and more relaxing,’ says Emma Deterding, founder of Kelling Designs.  

Snug room ideas

A snug is a private and intimate space, serving as an antidote to the busy, open-plan living areas that have become an integral part of many homes.

‘Cosiness is key – snug room ideas should be the most welcoming space in the home and somewhere to relax and unwind,’ says Jo Plant, head of design at Pooky. 

To create the ultimate sanctuary, draw on cosy living room design ideas. Every element must work together harmoniously, from the warm colour scheme to sumptuous upholstery, layered lighting and an array of textures. 

1. Opt for soft, layered lighting

In a room with a darker scheme, living room lighting ideas play a vital role in ensuring an intimate and welcoming feel. 

‘Supplement your ceiling or wall lights with a mixture of table and floor lamps with warm-toned bulbs, and opt for dimmer controls to allow you to create different moods,’ says Emma Deterding. ‘Also, don’t forget to bring candles into your snug room ideas – the flicker of the flame is so relaxing.’ Try opting for the best-scented candles with a soothing lavender or warming spiced scent for an added aromatherapeutic element.

2. Embrace a darker colour scheme

Snug room ideas are designed to feel intimate and cocooning, and so benefit from darker paint ideas. ‘Dark colours – such as navy, deep plum, moody teal, rich maroon and forest green – can help create a restful atmosphere, calming the eye as it looks around the room. Pair these deep backdrops with sparing pops of colour to lend the space that welcoming, safe feeling we all search for in a snug,’ explains Jessica Clayworth, lead designer at Morris & Co. 

‘Finding colour in patterns is also a good idea: fabrics and wallpapers tend to delicately fold hues into one another, rather than shout too loudly.’ On the walls is Morris & Co’s Wooded Dell, while the cabinet is painted in its Weld Yellow. On the armchair, just seen, is its Acanthus fabric in Indigo.

3. Up the comfort levels with a wood-burning stove

Nothing says cosy quite like a wood-burner. An essential addition to your snug room ideas, a wood-burning stove will easily emit enough heat to warm up the space while the dancing flames will bathe the room in a welcoming glow. Capitalise on this atmosphere by pairing with plenty of candles, and layer cushions, cosy throws and chunky knits, to create the perfect spot to snuggle up after an autumnal walk. The featured stove is the C-Six from Charnwood.

4. Create cosy nooks

As when designing small living room ideas, bold wallpaper ideas can feel claustrophobic when used in snug room ideas, especially if used across all four walls. Instead, consider applying wallpaper to the ceiling, as seen here. ‘We toyed with the idea of a full wall mural but decided this might be overwhelming, so kept the walls fresh and white and took the print to the ceiling instead,’ explains Pandora Taylor, founder of the eponymous design company who created this space. 

One of our favourite living room ceiling ideas, why not try wallpapering this space? 'Wallpapering the ceiling brings a vibrant touch of colour while the white walls ensure the small space feels fresh and bright. We introduced warming touches with the rust orange cushions that match the trim on the blinds and also help ground the space and draw your eye into the seating nook,' adds Pandora.

5. Ensure a harmonious design

Moodboards offer a great starting point to help you create a room filled with things you love. Start with a single, must-feature item – whether this is a piece of artwork, a beautiful wallpaper or a cushion cover. 

This will help you to establish a colour scheme that you can then use to pull together different colours and textures to define the key elements of the space. Laying it out beforehand will reassure you that all the parts complement each other and also prevent costly changes further down the line. 

6. Be careful in your choice of room

In theory, any room has the potential to become a snug, but some lend themselves more to snug room ideas than others. ‘A snug doesn’t have to be a bright space and for that reason, it is useful to utilise a room with a north-facing aspect,’ advises Emma Sims Hilditch, designer and founder of Sims Hilditch. When planning the design, it is important to think about its usage. 

‘Snugs are often used for watching television and so benefit from the best sumptuous sofas and blackout blinds.’ Opt for upholstery with thick cushioned backs and deep seats, and designs with a low-profile to prevent them from dominating the small room. ‘Regardless of its purpose, I also think that a snug should always have a traditional fireplace or stove if possible,’ adds Emma.

7. Lay wooden floor underfoot

Wooden flooring is renowned for the warmth it brings to a space, imbuing it with a rich, natural backdrop against which other textures and materials can be layered. Pairing a hardwood floor with a thick rug adds another dimension to the scheme while also being soft underfoot, providing heat and noise insulation and preventing the room from feeling echoey and cavernous. 

8. Fill walls with books

Serving as both storage and décor, bookshelves are a welcome addition to
snug room ideas. Most effective when used floor-to-ceiling, they instantly give the room a cocooning feel. 

‘There is no reason not to add bookshelves to a small room. These spaces are often very cosy and filling walls with books enhances this comforting ambience. Floor-to-ceiling shelving is also the most efficient and effective way of including some often-much-needed storage in the room,’ advises Sarah Davies-Bennion, senior designer at Kate Guinness Design, who created this literary-inspired space.

9. Treat yourself to a rocking chair

Snugs are, by definition, small spaces; however, some are smaller than others. In more petite rooms or those that double up as home offices or guest rooms, more flexible furnishings are preferable. 

For example, this beautiful rocking chair – crafted from natural cane with leather binding – is visually lighter than larger upholstered pieces and, as such, prevents the room from feeling too cramped, plus it can easily be repositioned if needed. When layered with scatter cushions and a throw, it would still offer ideal comfort for relaxing with a book or listening to music. 

The limited edition Laura Ashley indoor cane rocking chair is designed to celebrate the brand’s 70th Anniversary at Next.

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Now all that's left is to cosy up in your new snug room.