Every home needs a cosy corner where we can hide away from the world
telegraph.co.ukbazaar-london.com). “We want a small room that is ambient, warm and not at all overwhelming.”The word “snug” conjures up images of a small room in a low-ceilinged farmhouse with an open fireplace and a window seat.
Indeed, in many period houses the snug was originally the smoking room, explains Jonathan Bramwell, of property finders the Buying Solution (thebuyingsolution.co.uk), with pelmet curtains, enormous sofas and a wide range of ashtrays.The modern snug is every bit as cosy as its predecessor, yet more self-consciously zen – a place for wellness and chilling out, and it doesn’t have to be a whole room. “I create snugs in bedrooms – a comfy armchair to enjoy the view of the garden or read bedtime stories,” explains designer Lisa Burdus (lisaburdus.com). “I’ve also created a ‘man snug’ for the man of the house to play his guitar and watch television away from his wife and daughters.”The designer, Simone Suss (studiosuss.com), meanwhile, recently created a snug next to one of the floor-to-ceiling glass walls in a penthouse with panoramic views of London. “The view was one of the best in London, but the space was cold and dark; we achieved warmth and comfort with deep reclining chairs, greenery, blankets and outdoor reading lamps,” she says.There’s a science to creating a calming space, according to Bernheimer, whose book explores how everyday spaces affect our behaviour.
The modern snug thus brings together decades of psychological and architectural research: curved forms, for example, are shown to make us feel calmer than angular ones, and plants can reduce blood pressure and increase attentiveness.
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