Last week, 12 readers shared favorite parts of their homes. Everyone loved the photos and immediately requested a round two. We are happy to oblige! Here are 11 more cozy corners…
Above: “Ever since we got married, my husband and I have moved apartments every 1-2 years and have often had roommates. So, we’ve rarely tried to make a place feel like ours. This time around was different. We’re still not on our own (thanks to Boston rental prices, we share this home with my brother, my sister, a cat and a dog); but we knew it would be the home we’d bring our first child into and wanted to make it a warm, welcoming space. After our daughter was born, we spent afternoons on the porch, cuddling and sipping coffee. Now that she’s a toddler, she pulls us by the hand to look out for ‘doggies.’ It feels extra special because growing up my yiayia (grandmother) had a porch swing, where we’d look out at the garden and sing traditional Greek songs.” — Georgia, suburbs of Massachusetts
“I’m in my mid-twenties and live alone, and this disco ball is the perfect statement piece for this fun, independent season in my life! I love watching the polka dots dance on my walls.” — Carly, Lancaster, PA
“My sweet dog Blue and I moved to Portugal a couple months ago. The office in our home is painted a minty green that I wasn’t very fond of when I viewed the apartment, but I’ve found it to be such an optimistic color! When I’m feeling homesick, or just a little wobbly, I go sit at my desk and dream up all the things that Lisbon life could mean for me. Maybe I’ll publish the children’s books I’ve been keeping secret on my computer? Or maybe I’ll start making art again. This room has a grounding effect, which has been welcome in this sea of everything being so new.” — Naseem, Lisbon, Portugal
“I’m not an artist — in fact, I’m a lawyer by training — but I made all the art in our house. The piece by our front door is my favorite. My dad calls it the ‘Maddie Pollock.’ Because I used paint that my parent had stored in their garage from various house renovations, the colors remind me of my childhood home. When I walk by, I see the blue from our powder room, the sage green living room, and the mustard from my old bedroom.” — Madeleine, Vancouver Island, Canada
“Our headboard is the centerpiece of our bedroom. I made it from an antique fireplace mantle. It was a labor of love — I spent several audiobooks worth of hours scraping away old paint to find the lovely green underneath, and the center is upholstered with an antique tablecloth.” — Melanie, Maplewood, NJ
“Growing up, I was lucky to spend summers with my grandparents in Romania. Last year, when I moved cities for a new job, my parents gave me this rug, passed down from my grandparents. The rug feels the same beneath my feet as the ones in my grandparents’ old apartment. My relatives have often used textiles as points of connection as an immigrant family, and it feels wonderful to keep up the legacy.” — Diana, New Orleans
“I like when folks come over and look through the bookshelves; it feels like they’re getting to know me. And I know rainbow sorting books is polarizing, but I find it deeply satisfying.” — Kaitlin, Chicago
“You can see this hill from our living room window, and I never take it for granted. It changes by the hour — foggy one moment; blue, green and sunny the next. I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression for years and this view is like an old friend who sits with me when things are hard.” — Breanne, Northern Kentucky
“We live in the rainy, cloudy woods, and every winter I shove our bed into the corner, so we can see as much sky as possible. The full moon comes right over us! In the mornings, I have to crab walk to get out while my husband’s sleeping, but it feels kind of fun, like a challenge? Around May, the sun comes onto my eyes way too early and I know it’s time to move the bed away until next winter.” Kelsey, Pacific Northwest
“My favorite spot in my apartment is this ‘sock’ that I sewed to disguise the TV. Now, instead of a black box, it’s a happy quilt moment.” — Shannon, Brooklyn, NY
“I’ll never forget my first comment on Cup of Jo; I was going through a miscarriage and remembered this post. I wrote that I felt like I was in a car with my husband, lost, in the dark, late at night. I quickly received several responses; it felt like a hug. Fast forward a few years, and we are now raising our baby boy in this blue house. Many people say the kitchen is the heart of the home. For us, it’s this porch. The zoo is across the street, and we can hear the lions at dinner time!” — Mary, Atlanta
P.S. 12 readers’ favorite parts of their homes, and 12 readers share their cozy corners.
(Top photo by Lyndsey Hannah Photography. Photo of Mary’s family in Atlanta by Farrah Power.)