Why Americans Want a ‘Snug,’ a Special Room That’s an ‘Instant Magic Pill’ of Comfort

“SMALL ROOMS set the mind on the right path. Large ones cause it to go astray,” wrote Leonardo da Vinci 500 years ago. And though open-concept floor plans have dominated home design for half a century, designers and their customers are recognizing the old polymath was on to something. A capacious living-dining-kitchen room can feel lonely and uninviting, even unmooring.

“My clients have started saying, ‘It doesn’t make sense to hang out in the great room when it’s just me or a few of us,’” said Cathy Purple Cherry, an architect and interior designer in Annapolis, Md. The design solution: a British-style “snug,” a small sitting room that’s akin to a den, cozily walled-off and made for reading, solitary relaxation or an intimate event.