Design Ideas for our Dark + Cozy Study

The wheels have been turning my friends and I’ve had all sorts of fun ideas to turn this old study into a space that feels SO cozy, every person that walks by it will feel a pull to curl up with a good book in front of the fire. I want it to feel like a dark, yet welcoming cocoon that instantly wraps you in comfort the moment you walk into it. I mentioned in my inspiration post earlier this week that we don’t want to change too much in here as this is a really special space that holds a lot of nostalgia and connection for our family. So, while what we consider the “bones” of this space will remain largely the same (the layout, the built-ins, and all of the oak), there are still a few things on our update list that I think will have a big impact. Let me tell you all about our plans…

1. FLOORING

At the very top of our list is changing out that old pink carpet. For being 35 years old, this carpet is still surprisingly soft – my Mother-in-law always said that carpet is all about the underlay and she definitely chose to go with the best throughout this whole house. While the carpet still feels amazingly soft and cushy, there’s really nothing we can do about all of the stains or that dusty pink colour that was so popular when this house was built back in ’88.

We still haven’t decided what carpet we want to go with in here or whether we even want carpet at all – maybe we should just carry the hardwoods that we’re planning for the rest of the main floor into here as well? If we do go with carpet, these are two looks we’re considering:

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What do you think, should we go with a bold patterned plaid, a thick wool with lots of texture or simple hardwoods with a bold area rug on top?

2. FIREPLACE

The fireplace is next on our hit list. While the oak will be staying, we are planning to change out that purple marble tile (I know bold marbles are coming back, but I’m just not sure I can get on board with purple). I’m thinking either a plain charcoal, but in a fun shape maybe, or perhaps even a creamy white marble with bold veins of browns and charcoals running through it.

3. CURTAINS

This room is one of just a few in this whole house that faces the street and, while the house is set back quite far from the street and it’s not a very busy road to begin with, there is a lot of walking traffic that use our road to access the forest trails behind out house. Considering I drink my coffee in here every morning in my pj’s, I probably should get some window treatments over these windows at some point. I’d love to add something really heavy and dramatic feeling in this little bay window alcove – I’m picturing a dark wool drape that will mirror the dark cocoon feel of the rest of this space. I’ve known for ages now what I want to do in here, it’s a just a matter now of finding someone that can help me bring my ideas to life.

4. WALL LAMP

I absolutely love having a little wall lamp hanging just above this little desk area. There’s even a smart wall switch to control it, which is so handy because I can’t really reach the switch on the lamp (#shortpeopleproblems). I would love to add something that takes up a bit more visual space in this little corner, particularly vertical space on this side wall. With so much of this room taking on a pretty traditional feel, I think this would be a perfect spot to add something really modern to balance things out.

5. FURNISHINGS

This is a big one my friends. The layout of this room is a bit offset from one side of the fireplace to the other, which makes this room quite tricky to furnish. I know I want a comfy sofa to sprawl out on and at least a couple of chairs to curl up in, but figuring out just what we need and where it should all go has been harder than I’d expected. I think I’ve landed on a small sofa, two chairs and a long coffee table for now and I have a few ideas up my sleeve in terms of layout that I’m excited to play around with (big thanks to my sister-in-law Lindsay for her help in talking through it all – having a sounding board to bounce ideas off of is always super helpful when I’m feeling a bit stuck). I’m not sure what I which way I want to go in terms of colour for each piece yet, but I’m thinking I’d like to play around with some different colours and styles to create a fun mix of modern and traditional. I really think that’s going to be the name of the game in this space!

This room is going to be a balancing act for us like no other I think. Finding a sweet spot between traditional and modern, and highlighting all of the character in this space, all while maintaining the sentimental value that this room in particular holds for our family – well, let’s just say it’s not going to be easy. I think this is going to be a space that will continue to evolve over time, but that doesn’t mean we can’t figure out a way for it to function better for our family in the mean time. I’d love to hear what you think – how can we best honour the character and memories that this space holds while still updating it for our family? Let me know your thoughts about things in the comments below!

Wishing you SUCH a lovely day my friends! 

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