Based on experiments, different colours instil different vibes and emotions. The psychology of colours relies mainly on a sighted person’s mental and emotional sensibilities. Say, you see a cool one. The first vibe that you get from this is that the place is a restful one, where if you see a warm colour, the vibe that you get is that the place gives you passion and drive.

You can – in addition to setting the desired mood for your home – set goals for a specific room. This room could be a nursery, so you might want to paint it with bright and playful colours. This room could be a study room, so you might want to paint it with metallic colours to inspire you to strive for bigger achievements. You can use this colour psychology in order to achieve the mood that you want. Restaurants, if you have noticed, also use this. They usually paint their spaces with bright red, yellow and orange colours which evoke the feeling of hunger, savour and delight. Here is a rundown of a few colours and the emotions that they evoke.

• WHITE: peace, comfort, purity
• BLACK: power, authority
• GRAY: practicality, neutrality
• RED: love, romance, passion
• ORANGE: warmth, happiness
• YELLOW: warmth, enthusiasm
• GREEN: growth, money
• BLUE: peace, serenity, restfulness
• PURPLE: death, creativity, mystery
• BROWN: stability, strive
• PINK: gentleness, love, romance

As you can see, different colours evoke different emotions. Expressing your personality through colours is a great way to show off “you”. The emotions behind paint are sometimes left unnoticed, but they actually do affect people both mentally and emotionally.

Painting is a great DIYer project but it usually takes more time than you think. Here are some tips that may make it easier.

Cozy,  Kevin B Harrington

A small cabinet or shelf from IKEA can hold a DVD player, a compact stereo, a cable box and even some movies in a small corner. The key to keeping space uncluttered is to install as many things on the wall as possible. This includes the TV, the speakers, shelving and wiring. Speakers for a small house can stay in one area or can be installed in various places around the house. An unobtrusive style of speaker system from Bose is only around $160 and comes with custom mounting brackets. They are only about 4 inches high and about 11 inches wide. If your main source of entertainment is your computer or laptop, this and its components can be tucked away into a desk or shelf or even inside an ottoman with an inside storage area…only being brought out when you want to watch a movie or your favorite show.

If you have to share your small space with other people and you don’t want to watch or listen to the same thing, a good pair of headphones can be a relationship-saver. A pair of wireless TV headphones allows one person to listen to the TV while the other sleeps or reads. A Sennheiser set of headphones runs about $70.

By Christina Nellemann for [Cozy Home Plans]

At only 307 sq. ft. the El Capitan’s layout never ceases to amaze me on what can be done with it. We now have 4 different configurations for the inside, depending on your needs or wants in a small house. All versions have your basic full-time needs covered with a great place for sleeping, cooking, relaxing, bathroom and laundry facilities.

The original El Capitan is a perfect mixture of Pool & Guest House with bathroom access from both outside and from within.

307 sq ft “El Capitan Pool House” Floor Plan View

307 sq ft “El Capitan” 3D Outside View

We changed things up a bit by creating the perfect writer’s retreat, that also serves double duty as a private guest house called the “Studio”.

307 sq ft “El Capitan Studio” Floor Plan View

This layout shows off my love of cooking and perhaps is Cozy’s smallest and most perfect “Gourmet Kitchen” granny flat to date. This one has two different layouts offering both a Full and ¾ Bath option. Both designs work well in my opinion and it would be tough to have to choose between them. I guess it would boil down to the loss of 12” of closet space.

307 sq ft “El Capitan Gourmet Kitchen” Floor Plan View

307 sq ft “El Capitan Gourmet Kitchen w Full Bath” Floor Plan View

Last but certainly not least is the “Fireplace” layout, which was just created last night and coming in at #2 just behind the Humble Pie for smallest Cozy Home with a fireplace. This version has just about everything for making it the perfect backyard or full time Casita; I think!

307 sq ft “El Capitan Fireplace” 3D Top View

307 sq ft “El Capitan Fireplace” Floor Plan View with Grid

My Essentials for the “Fireplace”

The Kitchen has all the basics covered.

Rendered with a Full size Bed but a Queen could still fit in the space.

The Bath has a 48” shower, storage closet and a nice sized vanity.

Storage areas are provided by closets, cabinets and furniture.

The stackable Washer/Dryer fits nicely into the Bath, but if not needed could easily provide an additional closet space or a full sized tub.

Space is my 6^th “Floor Plan Essential”. This particular layout has seating for 3 with the desk chair making it 4. The backdoor also provides another way of combining in and outdoor living.

The only negative thing I see is…     The act of actually eating what you have cooked at a table is somewhat compromised, it could be accomplished at the desk area, flip-up dining table or the old stand-by… TV trays.

This brings up the point that my renderings are precisely that, my vision of what it could be and how the furniture “could” be laid out inside.  Your version could have two recliners with room for a table and no desk at all.

Our design Motto is “Let our signature be yours”, all of these plans are 100% customizable. Let my vision be your inspiration, we can then meld them together and create the perfect Cozy home… just for you.

Cozy,  Kevin B Harrington

For a Cozy home, a smaller patio might work best. Not only will it be less expensive to construct and you could do the labor yourself, but it will not overwhelm a smaller home. With a good design you can also fit an eating area, some plants, a barbecue and maybe even a small water feature. Pre-cut paver stones or bricks make a good patio and they can be laid down in a variety of patterns and styles. Natural stone pavers create a more organic look, but will need to be adjusted a few times to fit together – like a puzzle. Both types of pavers can have sand, small pebbles or “gator dust” pour in between them to create a smooth, seamless patio. Also make sure that you create a level and stable patio that can support foot traffic, chairs and tables. Transition areas between the yard and the home should also be smooth and should not have sharp corners or places where you can trip.

Here are some additional design tips for building a small patio for a small home (from Better Homes & Gardens):

• Make the design attractive: It should complement the house and landscape, as well as provide a comfortable living space.

• Don’t be square. Add slabs at the corners of paver patio, for instance, to make a unique geometric form. Curves often make the best use of space.

• Create a hidden or enclosed patio away from the house. It is one of the simplest outdoor rooms you can make. All you need is level ground, comfortable seating, and the shelter of trees and shrubs.

• Extend a patio’s usefulness with a roof or partial cover. Position the patio to be warmed (but not baked) by the sun; a southeast or southwest location is ideal.

• Keep in mind the costs of maintenance over the anticipated lifetime of the paving material, when figuring the patio’s cost initially.

Photos by Wonderlane and Houzz

By Christina Nellemann for [Cozy Home Plans]

592 sq ft Small House “A B See” 3D Top View

592 sq ft Small House “A B See” 3D Outside View

New Features!

Larger and more open Kitchen & Dining area.

It now has access to the backyard like all homes should have.

A door now separates the W/D from the hallway for a cleaner more finished look.

Larger closet in Bedroom #2, for holding more stuff!!! Because stuff is not a four letter word here at Cozy HP.

Adding the one car garage now makes this an ideal paired home choice too.

Including the 6 essentials is quite a bit easier when we have this much square footage to play with. Of course, most people think under 600 sq. ft. make’s a good sized Kitchen & Gathering room but not us! You could fit 3 Cozy Cubes, 2 Thimble Peeks or a Crested Butte and a half in this foot print.

Now my “6 Must Haves”; decent Kitchen, room for a larger Bed, Bath that will fit two in a pinch, Storage, Washer & Dryer & Space to move around a bit.

#1 The half Galley & “U” Kitchen has 9 cabinets, plus a pantry with extra room for a built in buffet adding additional counter top space & appliance storage.

#2 Room for a Queen mattress in both bedroom #1 and #2.

#3 The full Bath includes room a standard 5’ tub or 60” shower pan, whichever is preferred.

#4 Lots of big closets for Storage.

#5 The stackable Washer/Dryer centrally located in the hall.

#6 The open Kitchen, Dinning & Gathering room creates a more Spacious feel and a great first impression.

Cozy Home Plans now has 20 different two bedroom small house plans in Flickr to choose from.

I was shocked by this number too! Had no idea that we had so many to choose from now and we will be adding a 20^th one next week.

Our #1 goal is to make living the tiny lifestyle a reality for everyone. Offering realistic downsizing choices for singles & couples wanting a Cozy home, plus small families needing 3 or even 4 bedrooms.

It really is all about Living Large, in a Cozy Home.

Cozy,  Kevin B Harrington

A two-camera wireless system will cost around $250.

What type of system you buy will depend on how much you will want to spend and also how much coverage you want. It will also depend on how often you will be away from your home. You could go simple with a home security camera that sends the feed directly to your computer or TV, or a motion detector alarm system from an online store like the Home Security Store. Their one to two camera systems cost around $200 for wireless DVR security system and their hard-wired alarm kits are around $150. They also offer other burglary deterrents like warning window stickers, simulated cameras and small door alarms for around $30. Another inexpensive way to add your own security is to install outdoor motion lights that turn on when movement is detected around your home. You can also get a reliable watchdog from the local shelter. Also, remember to have good locks on all your doors and windows.

If you want a full security system, the Protection 1 company offers a full system with a 24-hour UL listed monitor, touchscreen keypad and a pet-friendly motion detector. This system also includes a remote arm/disarm option and a remote lock/unlock doors option. You can also get text alert and email notifications if your system is compromised. The cost of this system will depend on the size of your home and other options you may want.

Photo by Home Security Store

432 sq ft Small House “Firefly” 3D outside View

432 sq ft Small House “Firefly” 3D Top View

The Firefly’s 8’-6” x 9’ seating area comfortably seats 3 or 4 and has room for a built-in entertainment center too. The large Kitchen and Bathroom makes cooking and getting ready for more than one person really easy. The Bedrooms are a little snug, but with the utilization of built-in storage options and room for a private TV, their perfect for sleeping & relaxing in. We also added an extra door in Bedroom #1 for easy access to your backyard oasis or garden.

The “6 Must Haves” are included in 98% of our small house designs; it’s what sets us apart from other micro & tiny house designers. This one is no exception…

#1 The half Galley & “U” Kitchen has 9 cabinets, plus a pantry with extra room for a built in buffet adding additional counter top space & appliance storage.

#2 The custom storage beds have enough room for a Queen mattress in bedroom #1 and a Twin in #2.

#3 The full Bath includes room a standard 5’ tub or 60” shower pan, whichever is preferred.

#4 Storage areas include the custom beds; linen closet, cabinets, coat closet and bedroom chifferobe’.s

#5 We added room for the optional stackable Washer/Dryer centrally located in the hall or it becomes over 4’ of additional storage without it.

#6 The open Kitchen & Gathering room creates a more Spacious feel and a good first impression.

Cozy HP is all about making unique Micro, Tiny & Small houses completely full-time livable. Even the ones we would consider more of a guest house, weekend retreat or getaway cabin like the Firefly.

We now have 121 sets divided into 14 collections or ascending square footage starting at 64 sq ft. and going up. Flickr has almost 2000 3D renderings of what Living large in a Cozy Home would look like. Proudly offering 1 to 5 bedrooms and 1 to 3 bathrooms, all under 1000 sq. ft. with 76 of them under 500 sq. ft.

Cozy,  Kevin B Harrington

Some are in more than one collection but this is still your best bet to narrow down the search.

#1 Cozy’s Most Unique currently has 20 sets in it. I wouldn’t necessarily call them my favorites or Greatest Hits! But they certainly won’t disappoint you with their uniqueness.

384 sq ft “Tree House” 3D outside View

#2 Cozy 1 Bed 1 Bath Plans have a separated bedroom behind a wall with 25 to choose from in that one.

#3 Cozy also has 20 different 1 Bedroom Open Plan Designs that are more of a loft type design to keep barriers to a minimum.

#4 Has 19 sets of Cozy 2 Bedroom Plans ranging from 432-980 sq. ft.

#5 Cozy’s 3 Bedroom Plans include 8 choices in that set.

#6 Believe it or not, Cozy also has 6 designs that are 4+ Bedrooms.

800 sq ft “Big 5″ Shipping Container Floor Plan View

#7 Has 13 sets of two story plans ranging from 240 -781 sq. ft. Oh by the way, one of those is a three story small house called the Beacon Hill. Three guesses why I chose that name?

We also break them down by square footage. This is just in case you have a budget or are working with a minimum or maximum size restriction.

#8 Our micro section of 200 sq. ft. & Under has 16 sets like the Cozy Cube.

#9 Between 201-300 sq. ft. has 18 sets to peruse.

#10 Homes from 301-400 sq. ft. has 19 sets.

#11 Small Cozy homes between 401-500 sq. ft. has a plethora of 22 to choose from like the Sawtooth Mountain.

#12 “Bigger” small Homes from 501-600 sq. ft. currently has 11 sets like the Glen Ivy.

#13 If 601- 700 sq. ft. is your target, we have 16 in that one.

We save the biggest for Last…

#14 Cozy Home Plans over 701 sq. ft. has 17 different sets as of now and all under 1000 sq. ft.

781 sq ft Small House “High Point” 3D Outside View

These numbers are constantly changing due to adding new plans, deleting ones that show minimal interest and my constant desire to modify them as new ideas spark changes in the layout. I don’t mind changing them; it’s all about making them Cozier while becoming even more functional.

Cozy,  Kevin B Harrington

Comfort

The cardinal rule to a soothing bedroom? Comfortable bedding. You don’t have to be basking in the lap of luxury with rich and extravagant sheets, pillows and comforters. Do what makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Begin with a mattress that fits your needs then layer away. Cover that with a fluffy feather bed. Continue layering with a nice pair of sheets, jersey or flannel in the cold winter and light cotton or sateen in the warmer months. Top the sheets with a quilt, blanket or down comforter. Toss pillows, again fit to your liking and you have just created the best bedroom sandwich ever.

Trend alert! Throw a chunky cable-knit blanket across the end of your bed to add that cozy feeling.

Color Palette

Limit the number of colors you bring into your bedroom to three, buffered by a neutral hue. For example, pair a coral duvet over your new Macy’s mattress with a navy headboard; or consider painting an accent wall navy, with a cream comforter and Kelly green rug. Don’t know where to begin? Thenest.com recommends you start with a neutral base and then add color, texture and pattern from there.

Textures

Play with texture in your bedroom by adding a classic white sheepskin rug next to your bed so it’s the last thing your toes feel as you climb into your comfortable grotto of joy. Also, although a mirror might not the be the first thing that comes to mind when you consider adding texture to a room, the depth found in a mirror or group of mirrors is actually quite organic. Images of texture reflected back out in the room. Unique!

Add Personal Touches

Whether a piece of antique furniture, family photos or monogrammed pillowcases, keep your bedroom personalized with your charm. It helps with the cozy feeling you are attempting to perfect. Keep the balance by not cluttering the room with too many trinkets or anything too large. If you have a character-filled piece like a massive, dramatic headboard made of stone, or a piece of art, tone down the rest of the room so the piece shines bright and isn’t overpowered by anything.

Shut the Door to Technology

Anything that diverts your attention away from rest needs to be removed from your bedroom. While some people enjoy television in their room, leave it in the living room, den or even on the patio (protected, of course). Also, try to leave work exactly where the word itself indicates – at work. At least keep it out of the bedroom. Same goes for social media like Facebook, which can keep you up all night thinking. Stick with a good book, gentle music or simply pet your cat in order to calm your soul as you drift off into the night.

Go Au Naturale

Add elements of nature to your room to soften the feel. Bring in a few plants in creative ways, create a wooden headboard or hang tree-themed wallpaper on an accent wall. Might as well go big and cover all of walls with nature-themed art.

Guest post for Cozy Home Plans by…

Victoria James

Daughter of a designer and home ec teacher, Victoria learned everything she would ever need to know about being a successful designer from her mother. Victoria loves passing her mother’s secrets on to readers.

The open and spacious main area includes the Gathering with fireplace, Dining and Kitchen with breakfast bar. If you enjoy cooking, this Kitchen has room for 4 burner cooktop and a double oven set-up with plenty of room for two. The main Bedroom is still separated, but this time we add an additional sink area next to Bathroom #2 so everyone can get ready at the same time. This is a Cozy version of the Jack & Jill bath. Bedroom #2 & #3 are both configured to accommodate a desk are and provide plenty of storage nooks. Bedroom #1 is all about luxury with its own desk area too. It includes a private bath with over-sized shower, hers and ours closets; “any married man will understand that one”… plus separate access to the backyard. We’ve rendered it with a semi-private hot-tub area to show one possibility for this space.

1000 sq ft Small House “Grand Three-ton” 3D Front View

1000 sq ft “Grand Three-ton” Floor Plan View

Our “6 Must Haves” make this home perfect for any small family.

#1 This gourmet Galley Kitchen would make the “inner chef” in all of us thrilled. It includes 13 cabinets; large pantry, space for an over-sized fridge, four burners and two ovens, not to mention being an eat-in one too.

#2 Enough room for a King Size mattress in Bedroom #1 and a Twins in Bedroom #2 & 3.

#3 The home includes one full Bath, large 3/4 and an additional sink.

#4 Storage areas include the coat; Bedroom closets, linen, washer/dryer area, plus a double garage too!

#5 Space for a Washer/Dryer in the hall can accommodate a full sized set.

#6 This Cozy home has some great Spaces…

Gathering room with vaulted ceiling and FP.

Corner nook just perfect for a china hutch.

Rear and Side patios for BBQing and entertaining.

Regardless of what you’re looking for in a small house, we may have it here at Cozy Home Plans. Offering 121 choices for vacation getaways; country retreats, hunting lodges, rustic log cabins to full time cottage homes for single, couples and small families. This is just one of 8 sets in Flickr that have three bedrooms to choose from.

It’s all about Living Large in a Cozy Home! Even if there is more than one of you.

Cozy,  Kevin B Harrington