To Be Cozy and Warm, Must a House Be Small?

That is the question.  From the homes selected below, the answer appears to be yes. I was drawn to one earlier home because it just seemed cozier and warmer.  It is so windy and cold here today, all things warmer and cozier are more alluring.  Our weather definitely may have been my deciding factor, but don't let it influence you.  Decide yourself.  I end with more current, but still small rooms. See what you think - does small = cozy?  Or, is it just the weather in upstate New York that makes me think so?

Yes, you read it correctly - a 1996 issue of Veranda.  But the key word here is Winter.  Even Veranda was affected by winter in 1996.

Not a teensy house, but not large by today's standards.   And, I might add, not covered in snow.

View of one of the chimneys.  Aren't the windows on either side of it perfect??  They look like the eyes of the home.

Jean Keller Huff designed several other Atlanta homes for this medical couple.  Working on this house, all involved trusted one another which had to make the effort seamless - unlike we see on Million Dollar Decorators.

Main entryway.  Horses will be a recurring theme of the owners.

Besides size, the red accents, the oriental rug, the antiques, the books and the leather chair all radiate coziness.

The interests of the husband can be seen here - from travel to horses.  Love the worn-looking leather chair and antique globe.

Ah yes, one of the fireplaces and more red touches.  A warm hearth, but not a huge hearth.

Other side of living room with more red.

Someone is a firm believer that "more is more."  Even though small and cozy are the focus of the day, a bit less "more" might be a good choice below.  Have you ever dined at a table with a cloth going to the floor?  Impossible to be comfortable and even seems like a disaster in the making.  Still, it looks lovely - and warm.

Note the fireplace in master bedroom - such a luxury.  Again, this room and hearth are not huge, just warm.

A glimpse of the window to the right of the bedroom fireplace.  Remember, we saw it from the outside.
Painted floor in the master bedroom and bath is unique.

Kitchen eating area with its fireplace roaring.

View through hallway to rear entry.

The kitchen's red AGA radiates its own heat.  On the right is a better view of rear entry/mudroom.

What did you think, a pretty house, right?  Not huge, but comfortable and warm.  It actually reminds me of our house before the great "chrome peanut purge" took place.  (See 6/12/12 post to clarify the chrome peanut reference.)

Now briefly to Malcolm Kutner's London home.  I've posted about this home earlier, but it rates another quick view here; it is so warm and cozy and the rooms are not large but so, so inviting. ( From Home magazine)

The blurry, but warm red dining room with its fireplace.

A kitchen I have loved.

Ending now with just a few random images I filed under warm and cozy, and they are also smallish.
Besides size, the colors in the first image seem to fit today's topic.

The antiques and woodwork spoke to our topic here.

And here the books, dark paneling, and leather.

Here the artwork, antiques and flooring.

The beams, the leather sofa and the tea.  Nothing huge, just cozy.

And this last image from Velvet and Linen.  How much do you love this bedroom??

Before I bore you to tears with my randomness, I'll stop.  But, what do you think?  Don't you think the smallish size of all the rooms in today's post increased their cozy factor?

Till next time, I'm off to make a warm cup of tea.
b

A Tale of Two Owners

But first, a quick little response to the ending of my last post.  I, of course, feel that the Bunce home in the Hudson River Valley is much more cozy than the one in Ojai, California for one major reason - the weather.  California does not need cozy with its beautifully warm weather year round, so homes there reflect the weather with their open, serene, calm and uncluttered decor.  Homes in the northeast with subzero temperatures and two feet of snow need cozy.  Let's look at a home I've admired for years, that of Bill Blass in Connecticut, a man who knew how to do cozy.

This 1998 Italian edition of Elle Decor featured the following images of his home.

Here we see the designer in the throes of winter with his two goldens.   Even the dogs look cozy.

The beautiful stone exterior.


The wood tones of the floorboards, beams and antiques warm winter viewed through his french doors.

The cool white tones of the living room walls are warmed again by wood tones.  The fire in the hearth and the books add more.  I hesitate to add the word cozy - not a word associated with Blass - but this room and its fire are definitely inviting on a cold winter day.

Another living room view with such interesting antiques.

And more.

His dining room replete with antique maps and silver candle holders.  Love his simple table setting.

Library bookcases, mantel, and antique mirror.

Library's other side.  Blass has a library, I have a den with bookcases - somehow that defines the vast difference between his cozy versus my cozy.  His is so lovely.

The staircase model on the bedroom's table always fascinated me.  Again a fireplace stands ready for duty.

The designer himself amid his collections.  (Personal aside: love men in corduroy in the winter.)

Summer views from the internet.  Note at least three chimneys for winter warmth.

The following images were all found on Google images.

Another view of his mudroom.

More living room and collections and antiques.

From the ceiling molding, I believe this room is from his NYC apartment, not from Connecticut,  but the leather chair and the books and the antiques, and another staircase model all speak to me of, dare I say, cozy.  Had to include it.

Close up of Connecticut bedroom.  So, so tasteful.

"In 1981, the Vogue described it as “a house with integrity . . . and the best kind of American good looks.” As Blass’s friend and neighbor Oscar de la Renta noted a decade ago, Blass “achieved perfection in an extremely simple manner,” and in this, as in the effortless clothes he designed, which melded insouciantly chic practicality with silver-screen glamour, he was “totally American.”'  

Sadly, Bill Blass died in 2002 and his home was sold.  Vogue featured an article showing the changes made by this new owner, Daniel Romualdez, himself both a designer and architect.

Exterior still so beautiful.

Much brighter color in living room and fewer antiques.  Cozy?

Brighter dining room with some great antiques.  I really like this room.  Cozy?

Interesting entry way.  I've never been a fan of stuffed animals, but somehow I love the goose.  Cozy?

And because neither article from above showed the home's kitchen, I thought I would end with this kitchen from Colonial Revival Shingle Style.  It's both warm and cozy, I love it, and, after all, it suits the name of my blog.

Have a warm and cozy week end.  Till next time -
b