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Designers Jo Lyle and Bethany Adams say clients are asking for snugs: compact, intimate spaces for reading, listening to music, resting or spending time with a guest. The design advice centers on using an existing nook, fitting furniture to the small footprint and layering light and texture; the report does not provide data showing how widespread the trend is.
Interior designers Jo Lyle and Bethany Adams are sharing practical advice for creating snug rooms, small, cocoon-like spaces intended for reading, resting or listening to music. In a report for Veranda, they describe client interest in these intimate rooms and recommend adapting existing nooks rather than trying to make a large, open area feel enclosed.
Lyle says one client request followed a European getaway: the clients wanted a cozy space just off their primary bedroom. They imagined using it to read and listen to their record collection, so Lyle incorporated a bookshelf with a built-in record player. The example shows how a snug can be planned around a household’s habits, rather than treated only as a decorative corner.
Adams advises looking for attic alcoves, eaves, closets or other unusually shaped areas. A snug, she says, works best when the room itself is small; furniture should occupy much of the floor plan while leaving enough room to move around. Existing features such as a bay window or window seat can provide a starting point for built-ins that wrap around the seating area.
Both designers emphasize layered materials and controlled lighting. Lyle suggests combining window coverings, using small-scale or textured wallpaper, and deciding how much light the room needs before adding fixtures. Adams describes fabric valances and curtains as a way to soften a bedroom snug. The palette need not be dark: she says children’s attic spaces can be bright and colorful.
Making Small Rooms Work Harder
The advice addresses a practical design problem: how to turn a leftover or awkward area into a useful part of the home. A snug can serve as a reading spot, a quiet retreat, a children’s playroom or a compact guest sleeping area, depending on its layout and furnishings. Built-ins and storage can help the space do more without requiring a larger footprint.
The report also frames the room as a personalized alternative to a generic lounge area. Lyle’s clients planned theirs around books and records, while Adams describes a bedroom snug with concealed luggage cubbies. Those examples suggest that the feature’s appeal, as presented by the designers, is its combination of privacy, comfort and tailored use. The article offers design guidance, not evidence that snugs are being adopted widely across the housing market.
A Historical Idea Recast at Home
Adams traces the snug’s history to small, private rooms in 19th-century Irish pubs. She also recalls encountering the idea of an enclosed, heat-conserving nook as a child at Colonial Williamsburg, connecting it to older American domestic design. These references help explain why the snug is defined by enclosure and scale, rather than by a particular style or color scheme.
The contemporary examples in the report range from a client’s bedroom-adjacent retreat to a playroom in Adams’s 1876 home and a built-in banquette in a bedroom shown at the 2024 Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York. The report does not establish a timeline for the trend or quantify how many designers or homeowners are adopting it.
“The goal is to feel totally cocooned in a mood.”
— Jo Lyle, interior designer
How Broad Is the Snug Trend?
The report describes requests and projects shared by two designers, but gives no survey, sales figures or other data measuring the trend’s reach. It is not clear how many homeowners are asking for snugs, whether interest is increasing over time, or how the feature compares in popularity with other types of home retreats. The material supports the designers’ observations and recommendations, not a quantified claim about the market.
There is also no single required layout or decoration scheme. The examples include bedroom nooks, a children’s playroom and a banquette, while the designers say a snug can be light or dark and can serve several purposes. How well a specific nook works will depend on its dimensions, access to light and the household’s intended use.
Start With the Space You Have
For readers considering the idea, the designers’ next step is to identify a small, usable nook before choosing finishes. An attic eave, closet, bay window or underused corner may offer a better starting point than trying to carve a snug out of a large room. The furniture plan should fit the space while leaving a clear path to move through it.
From there, the design can follow the intended activity: storage and a mattress for a bedroom nook, books and focused lighting for reading, or shelving and audio equipment for music. Layered curtains, textured wallcoverings and carefully selected lamps can shape the atmosphere. The source provides no announcement of a formal design program or upcoming milestone; its reported development is client interest and designers’ advice, with broader adoption still unmeasured.
Key Questions
What is a snug room?
A snug is a small, enclosed-feeling space designed for activities such as reading, resting, listening to music or having a quiet conversation. The report describes it as a design approach rather than a room with one fixed layout.
Where can a snug be created?
Designers Bethany Adams and Jo Lyle suggest looking at attic alcoves, eaves, closets, bay windows and other underused corners. They advise starting with a compact area instead of placing the snug in a large, open room.
Does a snug have to be dark?
No. The designers describe both moody, dimly lit rooms and bright, colorful spaces. Adams says light colors can work well, particularly in children’s attic rooms.
What makes a snug feel cozy?
The report points to built-ins, layered fabrics, textured wallcoverings and purposeful lighting. The designers also stress fitting the furniture to the room so the space feels enclosed without blocking movement.
Is there evidence that snugs are becoming more popular?
The report says designers are receiving requests and sharing projects, but provides no market data or survey measuring how widespread the interest is or how it has changed over time.
Source: rss
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