The Dappered Space is a series designed to help guys apply the sense of personal style they’ve developed to the space they inhabit. Watch for articles on furniture and decor sales & picks, advice on how to style a room or work space, and tackling creating a space that reflects your own (and perhaps a significant other’s) personal tastes. We’ll suggest items that can be sourced online, but always keep in mind that deals can be found at consignment and thrift stores, local stores with floor models, discount stores, and even yard sales.
“Cozy” can easily be associated with fluffy blankets and fluffy socks and fluffy pillows and fuzzy things. Cozy perhaps, but all these fluffy things easily stray into grandmother or diva territory. But I have to assume that guys appreciate being cozy just as much as we women do. I know society puts pressure on men to be tough and rugged, but you’re still human, and getting cozy is one of the best things about this time of year. And seeing as “home” will be the indoor gathering space of winter 20/21, we all might as well get cozy doing it. And yes, there are a few clothing items thrown in, since they can amplify the cozy.
Overhead lighting is terrible for setting any sort of atmosphere or mood. Having lamps, especially those that you can dim, are ideal. And this one is simple, relatively inexpensive, and nails the “cozy” vibe. Now, the lamp is just the lamp. No bulbs. So you’ll want to pick up a few warm, but not excruciatingly bright, LED Edison Bulbs too.
You gotta love a cozy chair, and this modern take on a wingback from Article is well reviewed, and not a bad price at retail. Couches are great for stretching out, or sharing a seat with a loved one, but there’s just something about cozying up in a chair on your own. It allows you to create your own little cozy island of sorts. “The Mod” armchair is, well, pretty “mod.” If you’re more of a classic guy yourself and wanting to splash the cash on your own cozy island, Amazon’s Stone and Beam leather Chesterfield chair really is something to behold. Or… besit.
You don’t need a fancy glass to sip your whiskey or bourbon out of, but glassware designed specifically for a certain libation (like these) can elevate the experience. Need something to put in the glass?
If you do need something to put in those glasses, here’s one of the suggestions from contributor Jason P’s Holiday bourbon roundup. Check out all his suggestions here.
A stunningly good price for an 80% wool throw. If past is prologue, that means these should be a bit on the lighter side. But still, wool blanket + classic patterns + a night in with a pour or two of that Old Forester? That’s all the cozy one could ask for.
An easy and comfortable (read cozy) way to portion out a favorite snack or meal. Ergonomically designed to keep your wrist in a comfortable, neutral position as you nosh.
So here’s what you do. You fill one side of that Ooma bowl with hot tomato soup. You use the other side to hold your grilled cheese you just handily made in your toaster. You don’t worry about cleaning a pan or spatula or anything like that. You head to the couch, turn on the game, dip your sandwich in your soup, and get your cozy on.
Coziest Garment of 2020? It ain’t cheap, but it measures up. Man, these things sold like hotcakes. Cozy, delicious, hotcakes. Full review here if you want it.
Inspired by trips to upstate New York, this quad of candles will impart delightful yet masculine smells while providing cozy ambience. As long as it doesn’t pose a danger, fire can be pretty darn cozy, and mini fires around your place enhances that cozy factor.
Of course one of these things has found its way into the “cozy” guide. Another option for fire, other than candles. This mini fireplace emits no carbon monoxide, and utilizes rubbing alcohol for a clean burn. Burn time runs for 45 minutes.
If you go into the ladies accessory section of any department store you will find TONS of fuzzy socks with grip on the bottom. And I gotta tell ya’, they’re pretty cozy. So it’s good to see that Bombas has made a high quality version for guys. If you’re someone who prefers to go barefoot but still wants to keep his feet warm, give these a shot.
Making a mug of something creamy, hot and delicious? Add some texture to that beverage with a milk frother. This would work great for the cocoa mix mentioned later in the post.
I’m sure there are varying levels of quality in sweatshirts. $60 seems steep for one, but at a discounted price I’m assuming the quality of this offering from BR is very much worth it. The ubiquitous sweatshirt is once again creeping onto the “stylish” side of the scale with the trend that is athleisure, and they make for a cozy option on a cool day.
If your mattress is less than optional a good memory foam mattress topper can be a game changer. I discovered this while living between places and sleeping on an air mattress for a bit. After a few nights of not so comfortable sleep I decided to give this mattress topper a go, and it completely changed things. It’s also perfect to have on hand for a sofa sleeper to make your guests extra cozy.
For those quick trips outside of your cozy abode. Cool looking structured leather gloves are nice but sometimes the comfort of a knit glove can’t be beat. Deerskin palms here help you keep ahold of whatever it is you’ve got a hold on.
Baking can be a cozy activity. Baking can also lead to consuming too much crappy food. What to do? Give baking with cleaner ingredients a shot. In my experience, baked goods that are paleo based seem to sit and digest better. They’re definitely more nutrient dense. In her cookbook, blogger Rachel Conners tackles “100+ No-Fuss Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Refined Sugar-Free Recipes for the Modern Baker.” Do be aware that the recipes are nut heavy.
Because sometimes you just have to take the garbage out, and it’s snowing. The perfect house shoe, that can also pull duty for quick out of the house jaunts. Wool blend uppers keep your feet at just the right temperature, grippy rubber sole keeps you from sliding all over the place, and the reinforced leather tab helps for easy on/off. Ditch the crappy, sweaty, water soaks through, faux-suede & faux-shearling department store slippers. Looks like the grey/black colorway shown above is sold out, for now, but the charcoal and black looks pretty great too?
Keep your mind cozy and free of worry about turtles ending up with straws stuck up their noses. Plus, these look a lot better than plastic cocktail straws.
Part of staying cozy is staying comfortable. A lot of us are working from home now, and we’ve all experienced the sore necks and eyestrain that come along with laptop work. Get yourself back in the right position with a laptop stand.
The classic beanie with a modern look, that’s also reversible.
From the fine people at Bonobos, this knit ponte jogger is going to look more refined than the typical jogger, but will still deliver on comfort. Ponte is a thicker weave, so these are better for colder months. Joggers that you can lounge in, but also head out into public in without a second thought.
And these were just on sale, darn it. Well, from what I can tell, investing in a good set of flannel sheets is money well spent. Seems like they last much longer than typical sheets. Maybe part of that comes from their only seeing use in the cold months, but if you want to make your bed extra cozy this winter, spend the cash on some good flannel sheets. This option from LL Bean looks pretty good too.
Curling up with a hot beverage in your hands is the epitome of cozy. This cocoa mix has a few things going for it. It has immunity boosting herbs and spices, and it has no sugar, so you can control the sweetness by adding it on your own (or not). Sold by Tippecanoe Herbs out of Wisconsin.
About the Author: Sarah is a long time member of the Dappered team, typically working behind the scenes editing posts, taking some photos, and keeping the books in good standing. Occasionally she’ll come out from behind the curtain to offer her two cents.
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