What makes a cosy kitchen?

[MadamMooch]

If you’ve ever felt really comfortable in someone’s kitchen, what made it feel like that?
The kitchen in our new house is fairly big, but modern and cold. I want to make a comfy space where friends and family can feel at ease (post-Covid).
For me, the nearest thing was at an old friend’s who had a fairly shabby farmhouse kitchen, but her table was massive, chairs didn’t match, but all had a squishy cushion. Stone floor, cluttered shelves but not dusty. Everything felt well-scrubbed. Fresh flowers and plants on the sill. Big range, so was warm.
Can’t remember colour or tiling or anything.

My kitchen was absolutely shit before lockdown.
I now actually enjoy being in there!
We have a shaker style kitchen which was beech coloured but is now dark grey. Not to everyone's taste but I love it! For a bit of colour we have a duck egg-ish blue fridge and similar colour toaster and kettle, plus brightly patterned placemats on the dining table.
A few things which make it feel homely are the plants on the windowsill, silly magnets and kids drawings on the fridge, framed prints on the walls, and we have cookbooks, spices and teas on a habitat ladder shelf with a few ornaments.
I feel like there is just enough colour, personal and decorative stuff to make it homey, but it's tidy and there's enough clear worktop space that it doesn't feel cluttered.

A farmhouse style kitchen, warm colours,
stuff on surfaces, stuff on open shelves etc. I'm not a fan personally- I prefer cool colours and the minimalist look! My new kitchen is being installed right now - greys, ice blues and pure brilliant white .

“For me, the nearest thing was at an old friend’s who had a fairly shabby farmhouse kitchen, but her table was massive, chairs didn’t match, but all had a squishy cushion. Stone floor, cluttered shelves but not dusty. Everything felt well-scrubbed. Fresh flowers and plants on the sill. Big range, so was warm.”

That sounds perfect and a world away from the identikit big, grey, family room with the dreaded bi fold doors.