Make big spaces feel cozy

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There is a bit of Goldilocks in each of us.No, I don't mean we all sneak into our neighbors' homes, break their furniture and eat their food. I mean that we are on a constant quest to create home environments that are "just right."One challenge we face is making the rooms in our home feel warm and cozy, no matter what their square footage. This can be tough enough for those who have small-scaled homes. But for those who own larger or newer houses with open floor plans and high ceilings, creating a feeling of intimacy and warmth can seem impossible. However, when you are armed with these decorating tricks, making your big spaces feel snuggly is simple.ARRANGE FURNITURE IN INTIMATE GROUPINGS: The easiest and most effective way to make large rooms feel cozy is to dissect them into intimate furniture groupings. For instance, to make the long and lumbering living room in my Greek revival feel warm and inviting, I broke the space into two distinct seating areas.I divided the room in half by placing a sizable pedestal table in the center. The table acted as a friendly barrier, directing guests to either the smaller, formal seating arrangement at the front of the room or the larger furniture grouping at the back, near the fireplace.Then, I gave each seating area its own personality by using harmonious but dissimilar furnishings, area rugs, accents and artwork. The room flows beautifully together, but each space looks distinct and complete.PICK A DARKER COLOR: I'm a big believer in the power of paint, and I have seen cold, lofty rooms suddenly feel warm and cozy when the right color is on the walls. While not every large room can handle a dark hue, those with big banks of beautiful windows have enough natural light to absorb a deeper color without feeling too dark and heavy.INVEST IN A STATEMENT PIECE: When you furnish your vast rooms, be sure to showcase one large "statement" piece that can hold its own and not get gobbled up in all that open space. Choose an oversized wood case, like a large bibliotheca, hutch, secretary or armoire. These dark and dramatic pieces absorb a lot of empty wall, serve as excellent focal points and give you lots of shelves on which to display the beautiful accents that personalize the room and give it character. One of my favorite picks at market was a huge bookcase that resembled the wall of an old English library, complete with a ladder that rolled along a brass bar, allowing you to retrieve books from the top shelves.INTRODUCE DRAMA THROUGH ART: Art is the best way to warm up a room, especially one that is large in scale. When selecting pieces for vast walls, try a larger, impressive painting above your sofa or fireplace. Fill up a blank wall with an extraordinary grid of similar pieces, like a set of nine or 12 architectural drawings, interesting maps or a black-and-white photographic study.Be sure to hang pieces in high places, like above windows and doorways and over bookcases and armoires. Once you've created a wall of exciting arrangements, you'll be amazed by how much the artwork finishes and fills the room.TRY BOLD TEXTILES: You can go two ways on this. One is to choose all harmonious fabrics, such as the various creams and white I paired together in my living room. Then, add colorful pillows and accent rugs. Or take a chance and experiment with bold patterns that would overwhelm a smaller room. Feature a spunky graphic pattern, interesting toile, sizable check or strong stripe in paneled drapes. Try them on minor upholstered pieces like a side chair or ottoman. Or bring them in through accent pillows on your sofa or club chairs.(Mary Carol Garrity is the proprietor of three successful home-furnishings stores and is the author of several best-selling books on home decorating. Write her at nellhills(at)mail.lvnworth.com. For more stories visit scrippsnews.com.)