The temperatures have dropped and the clocks have gone back, so we’re turning our focus to planning the perfect cosy night in. All week we’ll be sharing our top tips for making your home cosy, alongside our favourite picks from our Cosy gift edit. To kick things off, we caught up with someone who we think has one of the cosiest homes on Instagram. Kyla Magrath is an interior stylist and content creator who is known for her beautiful DIY creations and her beautifully styled home. Every time we look through Kyla’s Instagram feed we feel inspired to add more warmth and texture to our homes. To help you prepare for a winter when we’ll be spending more time in our homes, we asked Kyla to share her secrets for styling a cosy home.
What are your top tips for making your home cosy for winter?
For me, making your home cosy for winter is all about textures. Fluffy sheepskins on chairs, blankets or throws draped over sofa arms and lots of cushions in rich fabrics like velvet. I also tend to start bringing in some darker colours with accessories, like plum or terracotta. I have a few cushions which I switch over in winter, but if you don’t want to do that you can always add some winter foliage with rich coloured berries to add a darker pop of colour. Candlelight or fairy lights dotted about are a must to creating that warm cosy vibe.
Image courtesy of Kyla Magrath
What is your favourite spot in your own house for a cosy night in, and why?
I have a spot on my large sofa where I wrap myself up in a blanket and snuggle right in. It’s quite a deep sofa, so you can get right in there and if you move some of the cushions, there is comfortably enough room for 2 to lie down. The perfect cosy spot!
We love how snug your garden looks – can you share your secrets to creating a cosy outdoor space?
I tried to make my garden feel more like an outdoor room. Its only tiny so this was quite easy to do. I made a sofa out of pallets and bought some outdoor cushions for it and pretty much turned the space into an extension of my living room. Lots of cushions, sheepskins, festoons and lanterns. I tend to use solar lights as I still like to look out in winter and see the space lit up. Also outdoor rugs are a fab way to make your garden space feel cosy and more like a room.
Image courtesy of Kyla Magrath
What are your essential ingredients for a cosy night in?
I’d say soft lighting and a fire are the most important things for the ultimate cosy night in. Oh and a nice bottle of red and someone special to drink it with! I generally light a fire in the living room and turn all the lamps on, so the room is soft and glowy. Then I light a few candles and sit down when the kids are in bed and watch a movie or something rubbish on TV… and try not to fall asleep!
We love your recent autumnal additions to your home – what are your favourite ways to bring the outdoors in at this time of year?
I absolutely LOVE dressing my home for the seasons and it’s so easy to do. I usually go for a bit of a walk, grab a load of foliage and drape it about the house. This Autumn I have loved using Virginia Creeper – it grows everywhere and it has such beautiful colours through it. I just gather up a bundle and twist it into a loose circle and create a wreath that I hang on walls. It doesn’t stay fresh long but it dries so beautifully and keeps its gorgeous deep red colour.
Image courtesy of Kyla Magrath
What are you reading/watching at the moment?
Well, sadly I haven’t read for a while, probably not since I was on holiday last year! I just don’t seem to have the time with the kids and if I do manage to pick up a book, I usually fall asleep on the first page. However I love a good TV mini-series. The last one I properly watched was Normal People, which was just so good. Or I love a bit of light hearted trashy TV such as Gogglebox that you can watch easily – perfect for relaxing!
What would you add to your Christmas list from our Cosy gift edit?
Now that’s a hard one because there are so many gorgeous things. Quite possibly the Honey Checked Woven Throw, or the Paprika Linen Bolster Cushion. But I also love all the retro 70s inspired ceramics, the colours are so beautiful and they look so tactile, I just want to sit down with a cuppa and snuggle up.
