Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home

by Liz Marie Galvan

Whether you live in a country farmhouse or an urban apartment, find inspiration for every room in your home. Come cozy up with your creativity and Liz's welcoming voice so you can love the feeling of being at home.

In this beautiful book of house and garden photography and DIY inspiration, popular blogger Liz Marie Galvan shares:


100 tips and tricks to make your home feel cozy
Budget-friendly hints to make decorating affordable
Simple DIY projects for every room in the house
In Cozy White Cottage, Liz offers her best home décor and design tips to help you create a space you'll love coming home to. You'll love Liz's real-life, easy, and affordable ideas to get the most out of your home and discover things like:


The passion and productivity that can pour out of an inspiring, functional workspace or office
The conversation and connection that flow out of a warm, well-arranged living room
The thoughtful hospitality that can welcome guests, be it for a cup of coffee or an overnight stay
The rejuvenation that can happen when we have quiet spaces for reading, prayer, and rest
The calming routines and rituals that we can implement into our spaces and our lives
The laughter, joy, and learning that can occur in adorable, functional playrooms
The life-giving power that beats in the heart of our homes, the kitchen
Each month hundreds of thousands of readers find design inspiration and DIY ideas on Liz's blog, where Liz shares stories of life with her veteran husband, Jose, their 1800s Michigan farmhouse, and the home décor boutique she co-owns. Cozy White Cottage offers inspiration for every style and makes the perfect self-purchase, housewarming gift, birthday treat, Mother's Day read, or holiday gift.

Genres: Nonfiction, Design, Interior Design, Adult, Lifestyle, How To, Coffee Table Books

240 pages, Hardcover

Published September 24, 2019

Reviews

[Leah Gritter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure if home decor books are "appropriate" books to include on goodreads, but for all the anticipation that I had to get my hands on this book, it seems fair to review the long-awaited book. Being a Local First type of gal, and having been to Liz's storefront on Chicago Drive several times, I was cheering her on to have written a book. And, while she does indeed capitalize on the use of the word "cozy", somehow the text and the photos left me wanting more. More perhaps of a large room, overall glimpse whereas the photographs, while beautiful, are more vignette in style. Which, to be fair, I understand that perhaps her approach in this book is that the little stylistic things are what evoke "cozy". Alright. But the biggest disappointment for me came at the very end of her book. The "Sources" page left me truly looking for more. The majority of stores listed are higher-end and nation-wide storefronts or websites. Why did Liz fail to include some of our wonderful local stores? Sorry to say, this diluted my overall enjoyment of the book.

[Beth Bricker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful photos, but more importantly great ideas and tips. Loved this book, and will refer back to it time and time again.

[Abby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Inane advice, dreadful writing, and little actionable inspiration, as every room looks exactly the same and is jam-packed with useless tchotchkes meant to conjure a faux-“vintage” atmosphere. Her sole advice on books is to collect antique ones for decor and for “styling” shelves. Her writing alone is evidence that she does not read, compounding the fact that she sees books as mere decorative objects (as she commits the unpardonable sin of flipping them around so that only the outer pages show on a shabby-chic shelf). Is this what home design has devolved to? Are these our interior design role models? I blame Instagram entirely.

[Mindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

It looked like the props were reused in many photos. Several photos of small dogs sitting on white sofas, but not a speck of dirt. No practical decorating ideas, but lovely staged and impractical photos. I took the book out of my local library.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much white, too much clutter. I’m more of a minimalist and too much clutter makes me anxious. Trying to get ideas to strike a balance between the two. Some good ideas, but not much for a minimalist like me.

[Juli Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bland as mashed potatoes, and not nearly as cozy.

[Briana Grider · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were things in this book that I liked and things that I didn’t. I would have like it to be more practical, for example show me how to decorate my book case with REAL books for reading, not antique books that all have a certain “look.”

[Tissie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liz Marie Galvan, blogger extraordinaire, opens up her farmhouse and lets the readers in. Season after season, we get to witness the transformations she makes in order to better suit the mood and the festivities both, adapting her house until it looks like a new, different place. From the bigger tasks to strategically placed plants and pillows, there’s something for everyone.

[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]

[Amanda Knox · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is cute. The pictures are ok. I like white just as much as the next gal, but this is a little too monochromatic and cool to actually apply it to my life.

[Maryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apparently, it is super easy to keep a house decorated exclusively in white spotlessly clean at all times. The photos were pretty to look at, but also very redundant. Glad I got this from the library!

[Amie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I was hoping to see an interesting and fresh interior design book but it was just another farmhouse style book. Sadly, there was nothing unique to inspire me.

[Celebrilomiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me personally, this was 2 stars, because this wasn't what I was looking for (it had lots of DIY recipes and shabby-chic decor tips, but little about actually making things cozy and homey) and what it did have to say about coziness I found pretty basic, but I've rounded up based on a more objective assessment of the book, because there's no reason to hold my unmet expectations against it. Can't blame an orange for being an orange when you were looking for an apple. At least I learned I really don't want an all-white-and-neutral palette and I hate chippy paint?

[Camille Maio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book with useful tips. I'll be referring to this often as I decorate!

[Dominique · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love her for inspiration but this could have been 3-4 YouTube videos…

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted advice on making a white room feel less hospital-chic, but turns out the title refers to the author's blog. If you're a fan of hers, do check this out. The book feels like a curated extension of the blog.

Although the staged photos are nice, they wouldn't last two seconds with kids or pets. I'd be terrified to be there. Nothing cozy about visiting a house that white and being handed drinks or snacks that might stain, IMO.

Ridiculous peeve: overuse of the words 'yummy' and 'cozy'.

[Pamela Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

The total opposite of the yip vacation home book I just read, except they both like white. You could play a drinking game with this book. Every time you read the word "chippy" take a drink. I liked the format of 100 little articles and each had a picture or several.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I already love Liz’s social media and blog before this so I knew this book was going to be a particular type of style a.k.a. all white everything, rustic and farmhouse.

While this isn’t my particular style, I do love the cozy nature of Liz‘s little white cottage. She goes through little things you can do to make your house more cozy and I love that she shows how she renovated her home. It gives me hope for my little fixer-upper.

Her words of advice really spoke to me because I’ve been stressing out about our own renovations. Her particular piece of advice said “don’t wait” which really stuck with me. Instead of living in a house you don’t love…but you don’t have money to fix up right now….she encourages readers to do what they can with what they have to make their house cozier.

I love that she doesn’t make you feel like you have to renovate your entire house or have a lot of money in order to have a home that you love. It’s a refreshing break from seeing everyone’s picture perfect homes on social media.

I personally think the photos are beautiful and I think if you’re in the middle of renovations, you’ll find a lot of comfort in this book.

[Sue.the.very.busy.reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’m welcoming joy into every season of our home and making it an enjoyable experience for everyone. “
L. M. Galvan

Cozy White Cottage by Liz Marie Gaven has 100 ideas to make your home cozy. The book is filled with beautiful photos from Liz’s farm style home. She has so many great ideas that are simple and easy to add more coziness to each room in your home. I came away with ten ideas I want to do before Christmas.

Add a small towel rack or simple 3M hooks to the side of my kitchen cabinet for towels.
Take the old landline phone down and hang a picture/sign on the wall.
Get a Bluetooth wireless speaker for the kitchen and hide it in a basket so it is part of the decorations.
New Cozy blanket for my bed.
Simple 3m hook to hang up towels in bathroom for grandkids.
Add a plant to downstairs bathroom
Dried lavender / Epsom Salt for baths
Use an old table for a potting table in the garage.
Try some stove top potpourri
Set up area for coffee and tea.

I really enjoyed this book. I’ll let you know about my new cozy areas as I get them up and going.

[False · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again, it is from a person wishing to build a marketable lifestyle persona, with the popularity and money to come. Too much sameness: white and wood and peeling paint (which the author calls "chippy," and ferns and cottage and white, white, white.) Every room is done in the same style. How can you live like that?

On the plus side, like others in her field, she is not, oh say, moving into a 2.5 million dollar house and immediately gutting it and redecorating everything, even after she posts she is taking it slow. This author seems to understand wait and do as you can. Here's what you can do in the meantime, while you wait. All doable. I can't see evidence of a team of women scanning shopping sites so she can post a list of her favorite facial treatments, starting at $250 a jar...and up. In other words, if you live (or want to live) a cottagey lifestyle, this is a good starting point.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was initially drawn to this author’s instagram and her book because she is a former military spouse. She started off the book by mentioning living in rentals through her military life, and expressed the importance of creating comfort in an unfamiliar place, which I can relate to. It can be disheartening to want to decorate fully but to be living in a rental home, but she emphasized not using that as an obstacle.

This book focuses on creating a cozy home not just with decor, but also with your lifestyle. It is well written with calming, descriptive word choice and has good pictures, but it offers even more through the text. It is organized well and focuses on one small tip at a time, which kept it from being overwhelming.
While her style isn’t 100% my style, there are definitely similar and overlapping themes.

[Rachel Miller Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not much on social media, but I imagine this book is what scrolling through home design social media feels like. The pictures are small vignettes and very repetitive (which is fine, I knew that going in by flipping the pages) but I thought there might be more useful info in the 100 tips. Not so- pretty light fare and inane writing. But here are some inspirations I am taking away: plants in the bathroom (with a list of what thrives- most practical thing in the book if it turns out true!), adding legs to antique pieces to elevate, white stoneware (again) for a usable plate and mug collection, a working vintage clock in the bathroom (my favorite tip), an antique button collection for kid play, a perfect reading corner (doing this in my next house), and the “go big in bed pillows” suggestion for a cozier feeling bedroom.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous pictures of a farmhouse in Michigan...however some ideas don’t seem entirely attainable for a real, lived in, home. However I know the author has a family, pets and children so maybe it just isn’t quite my personal style or a good fit for my life (no way in hell am I cleaning up a living room of white furniture). I found some tips very helpful and unique (using a tote bag and fresh florals as an alternative to wreaths, white/wood mixtures which was inspiring, displaying unique collections, adding legs to furniture for a vintage feel, being creative with re-using furniture in different rooms rather than buying new) *Moving wooden dresser into dining room as a buffet table immediately* Overall I thought this home decor book was beautiful.

[Kerie Lynn Jelks (nee McAfee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

our home is so sweet anyway but wanted to bring more of the whole cottagecore thing in because it seems to be the decor that makes you feel at home, safe, relaxed.

Plants, soft lighting, cozy areas to sit, accent pillows, candles, and throws. Done and it's coming along still.

The suggestion of vintage or antique furniture is great - found some great pieces.

Rugs - no. We chose, like in our last house, to have all hardwood, not owning a vacuum cleaner & just using a swiffer - our dog also can't be trusted on rugs. The hardwood mixed with tile is a good combo.

I'd like to see how to get more of a dark mixed with light in the new kitchen.

[Susan]

As the title suggests, this book shared "ways to love the feeling of being home" rather than practical decorating tips. So there were tips about candles, music, gratitude, etc. Definitely not what I was looking for, but maybe that's my fault so I'm not rating it. I also wouldn't recommend this unless you are REALLY into farmhouse chic (think: chipped paint, shelves cluttered with antique signs and clocks) because all the photos basically look the same.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical and simple ideas for making your spaces feel cozy is what this book gives the reader. Many of the items will seem unremarkable for seasoned decorators, but the contents will provide something to spark the creative and imaginative in all. Serene pictures with fluffy animals and beautifully staged vignettes are sprinkled throughout. Just reading through the book is relaxing and inspiring.

[Brenda Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tips on everything in regards to decorating!
Tips on arranging vignettes! Bookshelves! Counters! Etc.
Tips on making your home cozy in any stage of home improvement, style, or even your age!
Ideas for individual rooms!
There are beautiful pictures with corresponding narrative!
I read the whole book and know I will return to it often for reference when creating a cozy home!

[Haylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

VERY WHITE all throughout the house with a Joanna Gaines farmhouse vibe. That being said, the design and layout of the book, the photos and the information presented, are beautiful and in an easy-to-digest format. While most of the 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home are decor/styling recommendations and tips to try, some are ideas like Finding Joy In It All, Stay In Your Season, Letting Loose.

[Putu Sita Witari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love her cosy ideas for a homey comfortable place, whether small or big, cottage or apartment.. The ideas are also practical, but generally, it is the concept or fundamental thoughts that resonate the most for achieving that balance of relaxation and contentment with surroundings of the place we dwell.

[Bobbiann Markle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this on audiobook and was surprised by how much I liked it. Some of the ideas weren’t useful to me, but others are great suggestions that I can alter to suit my home even though my decorating style is quite different from the author’s. I didn’t think it was a Christian book, but there were several references to God, the Bible, and prayer.

[Alonnah Thomson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It really just depends on what you’re looking for. This book has a cute idea on every page but many of the suggestions are ones I’ve read in other books or could think of myself. It’s not a revolutionary read on decorating/loving your home, but more of a coffee table book. I would suggest borrowing it from the library, but probably not buying.