A house becomes a home when it is cozy, warm and inviting, and reflects the personality, culture and lifestyle of the inhabitants. The play of light and texture can be altered to make a room or home look more comfortable and informal.

Soft light makes a room look warm and cozy. Use soft incandescent lights to get such an effect. Halogen and fluorescent lights are harsh, and too bright to impart a feeling of warmth and coziness to a room.

Attract attention to some visually appealing points of focus in a room by directing light towards them. Utilize down-lighting from or up-lighting for attracting attention to objects on the wall such as portraits and family photos.

Use various textures. Fluffy and soft cushions, pillows, and throw blankets make a room cozy. Hardbound books arranged in book cases in an orderly manner give the room an erudite and sophisticated look. An effect of instant warmth can be achieved by using throw rugs. Avoid large mirrors, black chrome armchairs, modern irregular-shaped tables and metallic round chairs. They impart a forbidding air of formality to a room.

For a cozy tone in the home decor, use furniture that is textured. Sleek furniture leads to quite a formal look. Use patterns on upholstery, cushions, curtains, etc. Patterns in a room make it appear cozier and smaller. Use patterns with caution and restraint in a small room. Too much pattern in a room has a dizzying effect and takes away attention from focal points. It gives the room a haphazard and irritating tone.

The color scheme of the room can make all the difference in achieving a warm and cozy look. Light neutral colors make the room look larger, but give a cold look. Dark and warm-toned colors on furnishings, walls or furniture make a room look smaller and cozier.

For small rooms, pastel shades are great as they are warm-toned as well as light. This fulfils a double purpose of making the room look larger as well as giving it a warm and inviting appearance.