What is Hygge?
Pronounced “hoo-gah,” hygge is a Danish expression and attitude towards life that emphasizes finding joy in everyday moments. It’s all about celebrating coziness, warmth and family, as well as practicing mindfulness and enjoying the simple things in life. If you’ve ever enjoyed reading a book indoors on a rainy Sunday or a cup of hot cocoa on a snow day, you’ve experienced hygge without even knowing it!
The Danes have incorporated this idea of hygge into almost every aspect of their lives, including their home decor, using neutral colors and cozy accessories to create peaceful and calming spaces! And because Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world—even when they experience up to 17 hours of darkness a day for months on end—we think they might be onto something.
That’s why today we’re taking a look at a few ways you can incorporate this cozy, happy feeling into your home with just a few simple changes. Enjoy!
Less is More
At its core, hygge is about only surrounding yourself with essential things that you need and items that make you happy. It isn’t about extravagance, but rather about focusing all your energy on things that bring you joy! To really get into the hygge spirit, take an afternoon to get rid of everything in your home that no longer makes you happy. Get rid of clutter and things you don’t use anymore. We promise the end result will be a clean, distraction-free home that will allow you to focus on the finer things in life, like family and friends.
Stick With a Neutral Color Scheme
As much as we love them, bright colors can be very distracting. And since a lot of hygge is about simplifying your life, a neutral color scheme is the way to go when it comes to incorporating hygge into your home. Natural tones like beige, gray, brown and white can help create a streamlined feel throughout your entire space. Plus, those colors will help you feel closer to nature, another integral part of the hygge lifestyle.
Incorporate Plenty of Soft Cushions and Cozy Blankets
Because cozy, warm feelings are such a big part of hygge, the more blankets and pillows, the better! Add a few more blankets and pillows to your couch, your bed, and any chairs, and include a few extras in a basket on the floor. Just seeing cozy accents around your home is scientifically proven to make you feel safe, more relaxed and at ease. And we promise you’ll feel even more so when you settle in for the evening after a long day.
Take a look at these cozy products from Fort Collins businesses to help cozy-ify your home!
Don’t Forget the Candles
While the true definition of hygge is hard to put into English words, we picture it like the warm, comforting glow of a flickering candle. That’s why candles are so important to hygge decor! The specific color and ambiance that a candle provides just can’t be replicated by artificial light. So when hygge-ifying your home, don’t forget the candles. Just be sure you’re decorating with unscented or mildly scented candles. Overwhelming fragrances can put a damper on your soothing, relaxing space.
Create a Spa-Like Bathroom
The bathroom in any Danish home isn’t just a functional space; it’s more like a sanctuary that you can retreat to. So make your bathroom an oasis. Try adding a plush rug for your bare feet to cozy up on, or a plush robe hung up on the wall, just an arms reach away. While you definitely don’t have to redesign your entire bathroom to make it more hygge, adding some extra hidden storage space to avoid clutter and introducing some fluffy towels are a few easy ways you can incorporate hygge in the space.
Focus on the Fireplace
The fireplace is the ultimate hygge sanctuary. Not only does it have those flickering flames that we find so cozy in candles, but it can spread warmth throughout your entire home, incorporating a little hygge into every nook and cranny without you having to do a thing. So instead of featuring the TV in your living room—like many of us so often do—try making your fireplace the focal point. This will help you incorporate hygge into your life by helping to turn the focus away from media and onto intimate moments with loved ones.
Fill Up Your Bookshelf
If you’re planning on incorporating hygge into your home and your life, you’ll definitely want to invest in a few more books for your shelves! Filling your bookshelf (no matter how small) with books doesn’t just encourage you to read more, but it’s also a simple and functional decor piece! Organizing a bookshelf creates a sense of a more lived-in space, which is always welcome when it comes to creating a hygge home.
Display What Makes You Happy
Danes believe that furniture and decor should be more than just objects. They should be items that mean something and that make you happy. So, if you can, be sure to incorporate items into your home that have sentimental value, like a quilt from your grandmother or your father’s favorite painting. If you don’t have any hand-me-downs, head to a local flea market and pick out a few items that make you smile! That warm, happy feeling you’ll get every time you see it in your home is what hygge is all about.
Create a Nook
When redesigning your home to be a bit more hygge, the most important thing to add is a “hyggekrog” or a cozy nook wherever you can. It’s the perfect place to curl up with a good book and a mug of tea or to relax with your thoughts on a cold afternoon. The best nooks are built near a window, so that you can look outside while keeping cozy, and include plenty of blankets and pillows for maximum comfort. Add a few candles and you’ll have the perfect hyggekrog in no time!
How will you hygge?
While hygge can definitely be incorporated into your home decor, hygge is, at the end of the day, a whole way of life! It can be accomplished in many other ways besides just decorating, like staying an extra hour in bed, recycling, enjoying a warm beverage, surrounding yourself with loved ones (even on Zoom or FaceTime!) and by simply being mindful.
Do you plan to incorporate hygge into your home or lifestyle? Let us know in the comments below. And, if you liked this post, be sure to spread the world on social media!
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