When we bought our house 3.5 years ago we loved everything about it… except the kitchen. It was seriously an armpit. Tiny and obscure. Plus, you had to roll the dishwasher over to the bathroom to plug it in and run it. 😂We hoped to eventually overhaul the space, but in the meantime I would have to settle for throwing some lipstick on a pig, as they say. I scoured Pinterest and antique stores for clever ways to embrace the quirkiness of the space and just went for it. Mint, red, retro, vintage. We removed cupboard doors, wallpapered the fridge, painted countertops, generally made the best of it. And in all truth, it served us just fine until we pulled the trigger on our major renovation last year.
Now that I have lovely granite countertops, a farm sink, slow close cupboard doors (YES!) and most importantly space to cook and be with my people, I’m continually grateful for how far it has come. But I keep these two little pantry buddies as a constant reminder of what a blessing we’ve been given.
I’ve shared before how I have specific rules around buying serving ware because if I didn’t I would still have all the things in all the colors with exactly zero storage space for it. Now my collection is trimmed down to specific pieces in woodgrain or white… With the exception of accessories where I throw off almost all restraint. 🙌🏻 Picked up these little gold numbers the other day at 
This week I’m featuring what I call “unexpected whimsy” and the role it plays in making a space feel cozier by sharing a few of the fun ways it shows up in our home. (Refer to 
You know that one dish you simply must have every Thanksgiving…? Or maybe you occasionally travel back to a place you once lived and eat through a list of foods you can’t get anywhere else. I personally believe nostalgia has a lot to do with coziness. Especially when it comes to food. We make sentimental attachments through all of our senses and taste is one of the strongest.
This is social security of great value, and one of the most important sources of our happiness. In hygge we also find a sincerity and comfort that means that we dare to express ourselves when we disagree. And when we, in a respectful and relaxed way, dare to discuss the bigger questions of life, we get the opportunity to see ourselves and the life we lead with a new perspective, becoming more aware of what makes us happy. At the same time this new perspective opens our eyes to what we are able to change in order to improve our wellbeing… hygge contributes to a general contentedness in the long run.”
“Why do you have a “Y” mug when no one here has a “Y” name?” she asked. “Because it’s for You,” I replied.
Composition is important to design and creating coziness. I like vignettes that mix elements and textures to create a well-rounded and approachable look. For instance, in this cozy little corner alone are metal, wood, glass, greenery, paper stock and ceramic finishes.