There is no question that the pandemic changed the world in many ways. If you are inclined to find yourself reclined, you are not alone. The cocooning trend celebrates the enjoyment of being home and doing many routine activities from the comfort of your living room. It promotes eating, streaming movies and shows, gaming, working, shopping and, yes, even just relaxing at home. As the name suggests, safety and privacy from the outside world are key to designing in a cocooning style.
The cocooning decor is reflected in the furniture people are buying. First, they are looking for comfortable, curvilinear couches they can sink into. These couches must be long enough for people to fully recline on, so they come in varying lengths. The fabric that best defines cocooning is boucle — a once-popular mid-century fabric being rediscovered for its elegance and soft, snug feel. The feeling of sitting on boucle-upholstered furniture can be described as being wrapped in a warm blanket. Boucle is a thick, nubby-textured, versatile fabric that can find its way onto sofas, accent chairs pillows, upholstered beds and curtains. To make the couches even more squishy, look for seat cushions made from feathers blended with foam.
Multiple options
The original “cloud couch” has been touted by popular celebrity influencers as being as “soft as a cloud.” With low backs and overstuffed seat cushions, these little pieces of heaven do not come cheap, some starting as high as $6,000. Sectional couches start at around $10,000. Happily, cloud couch copies are available from online retailers at a fraction of the cost — some beginning at around $1,000. Many online retailers will send you free fabric swatches and offer free furniture delivery. Before purchasing, however, check to see whether assembly is required — one retailer boasts that it only takes 15 minutes to assemble one of its couches — and what the return policy is if you are not completely satisfied.
Curvy, cloud-shaped furniture is not just reserved for sofas and chairs, it also appears in accessories such as coffee and side tables. This furniture style tends to be more abstract in shape, resembling a cloud. Velvet or wool throw blankets can be casually draped over the arm of a sofa or accent chair to add texture and softness. A soft, fuzzy, woolen area rug on a wooden floor will cozy up any room. Consider adding comfortable seating in the dining room with plush button-tufted chairs. Introduce this style with banquette seating in a cozy kitchen corner, perfect for socializing and casual dining.
Cocooning colors should communicate softness and comfort in soft neutral tones like beige, taupe and gray. Mix the neutrals with soft blue and green pastel colors to give the room a sense of peace and tranquility.
Everyone deserves a hug now and then, but cocooning decor offers that every day. Contact us for more ideas on how to come home to this welcoming style.
Claudine Steinfurth
REALTOR®
(216) 409-4039
RE/MAX Above & Beyond
7570 Chippewa Road
Brecksville, OH 44141
