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The best way to be comfortable, cozy, and stylish this winter season? Incorporate hygge into your interior design. Slip into a Scandanavian state of mind and get comfortable to embrace this inspiration for interior design that is more than just a trend.
Hygge is a Danish word that was officially entered into the Oxford English Dictionary in 2017. Around this time the idea of incorporating hygge into interior designs was beginning to rise to fame. Hygge, pronounced hyoo-guh, isn’t a trend that will come and go. Its roots come from a similar Old Norse word meaning “protected from the outside world”. There isn’t an exact word for it in English. The closest would be “cozy” except it’s more than just being cozy. Hygge is a lifestyle, a state of mind, and one of the reasons Norway and Denmark are regarded as some of the happiest nations in the world.
The hygge is defined as “the quality of being warm and comfortable that gives a feeling of warmth and happiness”. This definition is incomplete as it leaves out one of the most important aspects of hygge- connection. The connections we form with other people, within ourselves, and with nature. It’s the feeling you get when you and your loved ones gather for dinner at someone’s home and are just happy to be together. It’s the feeling you get when you get comfortable in your overstuffed chair with a good book, a cup of hot cocoa, and a warm, fluffy blanket. It’s the ultimate feeling of contentment and living in the moment.
Not only is hygge a feeling or a state of mind, but it has turned into an informal decorating style for homes or other spaces. Why hygge itself cannot be bought or forced, interior designers have realized with their expertise they can inspire hygge and create a space conducive to achieving the feeling of hygge. Niche Design House, a luxury interior designer based in Loveland, Colorado, brings you expert tips for how you can achieve this coziness and warmth in your own home. When you have your loved ones over to your house for a simple dinner or a board game, and you feel the joy, simply from being together, you will understand the magic within hygge.
Hygge is all about connections. Not just connections to other people but connecting with nature. A wood floor is a great example of using sustainable materials to create a nature-inspired space. Wood floors not only look sleek and sophisticated, but wood floors are also a way for nature to inspire a design. The floor sets the initial mood or tone of a space. A wood floor instantly exudes the feeling of warmth. Nature is used as the base, the floor (literally), and the versatility it provides is immense. Wood looks stunning on its own, as well as with any texture of the rug. A wood floor is a great way to begin your hygge-inspired design.
Continuing the connections and inspiration with nature, houseplants do more than add some green to your space. Plants represent the continuation of nature. Nature is outside and has transcended the walls and come inside. Plants make you more comfortable, even subconsciously, because of the oxygen they release. Plants give the ambiance of a space a boost of nature and softness.
Both your plants and your mental health benefit from natural light. To achieve a feeling of hygge, natural light needs to be maximized. Sunlight not only warms a space, both literally and figuratively, but it boosts your mood. Seeing or feeling sunlight helps you feel content as well as feel a connection with nature. Large, picture windows that let in natural light should be utilized in your design. Windows let not only sunlight in, but invite in other elements of nature. Watching silently falling snow, while wrapped up in a comfy blanket, while sipping on a warm drink is what hygge is all about.
While natural light is best, it’s not available all the time. Warm, ambient light that can be adjusted is a great alternative for when the sun goes down. Light that is dispersed, from a wall sconce, or a sprawling floor lamp, or a chandelier overhead can all provide lighting that can give your space the cozy ambiance you desire. Adjustable lighting is necessary to set the mood, depending on the activity taking place- low lights for snuggling up and watching a movie. Brighter lights for conversating, playing board games with family and friends or reading a book. Warm, bright light inspires conversation and the feeling of togetherness that is such an integral part of hygge.
Other forms of light that exude coziness are things like candles and a roaring fire in the fireplace. Can you even picture a cozy winter night without some kind of flame? Even with artificial light, candles and fire add layers of warmth and light to your space. The layering effect of candles and the fireplace add a simplistic, homey contentment to a space.
The idea of gathering around the fire seems to be in our human DNA. For centuries the fireplace has been where friends and families gather. As everyone shares the warmth of the fire, stories are shared and conversations are had. You can encourage this kind of gathering by positioning your furniture around the fireplace. Hygge can be felt by simply staring into the fire and feeling the comforting warmth, as well as by conversating around the fire, something humans have done for centuries.
The positioning of furniture can inspire conversation as well as make a space comfortable for doing things like playing games. Small tables next to chairs and sofas that easily hold snacks or a drink add to the comfort level of a space. You want your furniture to be placed where they make sense and comfort is effortless. Functionality lends itself to comfort when the interior design of a space is sensical and doesn’t seem like a forced style or design.
One of the big design trends as of recent is curved and round furniture. This trend has its roots in hygge-inspired designs. Curved furniture is a departure from the straight, stark lines of minimalist furniture. Instead, think of overstuffed, and deep-seated couches. A couch you can sink into as you sit down. Accent pieces like comfy pillows and decorative, yet functional, blankets top off the feeling of hygge. Chunky cable knit blankets ready to be wrapped around your shoulders and plump, fuzzy pillows give the feeling of a happily lived-in living room.
How you decide to decorate your space when evoking hygge is all about decorating with accent pieces that bring you joy and happiness. Many times this means family heirlooms or antiques. These accent pieces are not about staying on trend, but they’re about your personal style and happiness. Your space bringing you joy and happiness is something that will never go out of trend. This will also bring a sense of uniqueness to your interior design. Get inspired to decorate with another Scandanavian word- lagom. Lagom is the perfect way to decorate. It means not too little, not too much, but just right. When your decorating style isn’t overwhelming and not too sparse, it embodies lagom.
Being happy in your space and the feelings of joy and contentment your space brings you is an important aspect of hygge. Hygge is very much about the feeling of home, and loving where you live. It’s not just about comfortable furniture and being warm, even when the outside elements are frigid. It’s about a comfortable feeling in your mind. There is a word for this nook, or space- hyggekrog. This is a place to snuggle into and get comfy and just relax. Create your own hyggekrog in your home as a space to experience hygge.
A reading nook is a great example of hyggekrog. When you think of a reading nook you think of candles and blankets and a space for you to curl up with a novel and enjoy being in the moment. Allowing yourself the time to do something you love is important for your mental health. Giving yourself a space in your home to do this allows you to take advantage of the space and regularly do something for yourself and take time for yourself. While hygge is about the connections with loved ones and nature, it’s also about connecting to your inner self and bringing yourself joy and contentment.
For the ultimate solo hygge experience, a spa-inspired bathroom will encourage the hygge mindset. Relaxing in a tub with soft music, lightly scented candles, and pillowy bubbles is the picture of comfort and relaxation. All the small touches spas include in their designs, such as fluffy towels and water features add to the ambiance. Your spa-inspired bathroom can be your escape, your release. It is the ultimate place to focus on, and live in the moment. Turning your bathroom into your hyggekrog is a great way to enjoy your time alone while you relax and unwind.
While it’s important to experience hygge alone, it’s about connecting on a deeper level with something bigger than yourself. Connect to your inner being, your happiness. Connect with your friends and family and feel the joy and warmth just from being around them Connect to nature and let nature inspire you and bring you a sense of comfort and balance in aesthetic, as well as ambiance, which is hygge. The interior design of your space should inspire these connections. Take on the mindset of some of the happiest people in the world and be inspired by not just their design style, but the lifestyles they live within these designs.
Adding a natural linen throw to your cozy spot by the window can enhance the sense of warmth and comfort, making your space even more inviting and snug.
