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Ensure your nights in are as fun as your nights out with design ideas to make curling up on the sofa a special event…

If your living room misses the cuddle factor, as fall unpacks, it’s time to spread the love into your design scheme to engender a welcoming sense of oasis for you, your friends and family.

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And worry not, making the switch doesn’t have to amount to massive effort: a sequence of easy tweaks, in fact, can actually suffuse big impact.

So what are you waiting for? Learn to embrace the climatic shift and welcome longer evenings, rather than lament those shorter days.

Here are a few easy ideas to help you on the way. Swapping out a linear sofa (or chairs) for a corner sectional won’t only increase the amount of available seats, it’ll also offer a ‘cuddle corner’ where you and your loved ones can spread out and enjoy time together.

Position your L shaped sectional on the largest unbroken wall or use it to create a ‘corner’ in an open concept room to delineate space and demarcate function.

Throwing in a few floor cushions or squishy poufs will help create comfortable and friendly ambiance. Kids, in particular, love stretching out on the floor (close to the television, for example) so doing this won’t just look good, it’ll free up space on the sofa for adults. For something a little different, try the Zahaa Pouf: made from vintage rugs, it’s a great buy that would add a shot of colour and texture to a modern or traditional scheme. $279 from www.assilahrugs.com

Make evenings at home extra special by adding simple touches – movie nights, for example, are a great way to bring the gang together, but don’t stop at choosing a great film. Make more of the get together by preparing popcorn and tasty snacks for all to enjoy.

Send guests printed tickets ahead of time for the movie, buy cardboard cones from Dollarama for chips and candies, stock up on nachos, pretzels and crudities and have bowls of dips and stacks of napkins handy for all to enjoy.

Tray tables will keep your nest orderly (with everything close to hand) so no one has to constantly wander into the kitchen. Choose a model with extra storage or concealed shelves, and seek out tables with wheels that can be quickly and easily whizzed from person to person to avoid enforced intermissions as the party endures. Try the Arturs Bar Cart from www.wayfair.ca Priced at $94, its sleek ebony colour way and slim lines provide bags of wheeled stash space for party sundries.

Follow your wardrobe’s example (hey: scarves and hats are just around the corner) and layer your sofa with throws and cushions for maximum comfort and drama. Opt for rewarding knits and textures that offer a warm ‘hug’ on cold days and don’t forget the floor: isn’t that cold timber or tile craving a rug or two? Layering rugs feels very bohemian, but be careful: don’t over do it or your living room will end up looking like a carpet showroom. Which is not the desired effect.

Pools of light equal pools of warmth, so invest in shaded table or floor lamps to warmly diffuse light levels and create a cozy glow. Low lighting creates atmosphere, ambience and mood: important aspects of any room design.

Fitting dimmable lighting is smart too as you can change mood at the flick of a switch – hey you can even get remote controlled light bulbs that change colour at the flick of a switch from Amazon Canada, www.amazon.ca.

And check Home Hardware for adaptor cables that can be used to update an older light fitting not previously equipped with a dimmer switch.

We imagine 2022 will be the year upon which we all look back as the time we learned to demand more from of our domestic environments, following our enforced time at home.

This in mind, let’s make staying in a choice – rather than a necessity – by ensuring every night spent at home is as exciting as every night out. It really is that simple…

Watch for Colin and Justin on Cabin Pressure and Great Canadian Cottages (Cottage Life TV) and on Cityline (CityTV). Find the Colin and Justin Collection in stores across Canada. Visit www.colinandjustin.tv.

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