Author

Hi, I am Anna Manuilova, the curious mind and messy sketchbook behind Cozy Home Inspo. I am not an professional interior designer or a certified expert. I am a devoted homebody who treats rooms like living journals. I chase fashion trends, small style revolutions, and the kind of changes that make you stop in a doorway and feel something. I live on creativity and planning. Give me a blank wall and I will happily spend an evening building color stories, testing paint chips under different bulbs, and comparing three nearly identical sofa silhouettes until the right one clicks.

I started this blog because I wanted a place to collect what I love, what I want to try, and what I have already experimented with. I believe design is a playground, not a museum. If you are here for perfect credentials, I will disappoint you. If you are here for honest experiments, side by side comparisons, and the real rhythm of building a home over time, I think you will feel right at home.

How I see style

I get a spark from fashion just as much as furniture. A runway palette can inspire a dining room. A trench coat can become a curtain idea. I love shifts that feel a little daring but still livable. Think classic base with a twist you notice on the second look. Think a powder room that feels like a good perfume. Think a hallway as a tiny gallery for frames and textures. I am not precious about rules. I am patient about process.

Color is my favorite design tool. I can spend hours pairing paints like recipes. Warm white with a hint of linen for calm. Moody olive to make wood grain glow. A democratic blush that flatters almost every room. I double check colors in morning light, afternoon haze, and night shadows. Lighting is my second obsession. The right temperature bulb can change the mood faster than a shopping spree.

What you will find here

You will see mood boards, before and afters, product roundups I actually curate for my own spaces, small-space solutions, renter friendly ideas, seasonal refreshes, and style challenges where I push myself to try a look I have never done. I write from a first person view because I want you to see the whole arc, not just the tidy after photo. If I make a mistake, I will tell you. If a fabric pills, I will show you. If a layout looks better in my head than in my living room, I will rework it and explain why.

I like budget layers with one special piece. I like vintage edges on clean lines. I like rooms that evolve with you. I like small details that make daily life nicer, like a tray that finally tames keys and mail or a lamp that makes 9 pm feel like a book chapter instead of a screen scroll.

My process

I plan on paper first. Then I test in small ways. I tape mock shapes on the floor. I hang a sample frame before a full gallery. I put two pillow options on the sofa for a week and see which one I reach for without thinking. I keep a running list of materials and measurements in my phone. I take photos of every angle because a camera is honest about symmetry. I save sources and notes so you can repeat anything you like.

I am careful with sources. When I use images from others, I credit clearly and link to the original page. When I pin, I add descriptive text and keep creators visible. When I share products, I note if links are affiliate so you know what supports the blog. I want inspiration to feel respectful, not borrowed without care.

What I believe

A beautiful home is not a price tag. It is attention. It is the way color greets you when you wake up. It is how your favorite chair fits your shoulders. It is the ritual of lighting a candle on Tuesday, not just on holidays. Trends are fun, but personality lasts longer. Start with something you love, then let the rest orbit around it.

I believe you can learn design by doing. You do not need permission to paint, thrift, rearrange, and try again. I believe constraints are a gift. Small budgets teach resourcefulness. Rental walls teach finesse. Time teaches taste.

What I am working on now

Right now I am testing a tone on tone bedroom palette that shifts subtly from headboard to bedding to curtains. I am comparing slim console tables for narrow entryways. I am building a library of paint pairings that work across real light conditions, not just swatches. I am exploring how runway textures translate to upholstery without losing durability. You will see the wins and the revisions.

How to use this blog

Browse the mood boards when you need a spark. Check the step by step posts when you want a clear path. Save the checklists for shopping days and installation days. Mix and match. Ask me questions. Tell me if you tried something and it worked better your way. I want this to be a conversation, not a lecture.

A few personal notes

I collect ceramic mugs like souvenirs from seasons of life. My playlists shift with rooms. I keep a small toolbox next to my spice rack because both are daily essentials. I believe in a good floor plan and a good nap. If a room does not welcome bare feet, it is not finished.

Let us connect

I love hearing from readers. If you want to suggest a project, ask about a source, or collaborate, email me at hello@cozy-home-inspo.com. You can also join my newsletter for behind the scenes experiments, early product tests, and monthly color studies. I share pins and boards that match current projects so you can follow along with the exact references I use.

Thank you for being here. I hope Cozy Home Inspo helps you notice your home in a new way, one small change at a time.