A warm environment goes beyond stoking the fire; it’s about nurturing simplicity, cosiness and belonging the essence of Danish living.
South African autumn and winter months don’t always unfold as the romanticised scenes of films such as Little Women, When Harry Met Sally or The Notebook. But that doesn’t mean you can’t turn your home into a dreamscape, inviting the feelings of nostalgia and warmth you might get from watching your favourite movie. This is where the Danish concept of hygge (pronounced ‘hoo-ga’) has gained popularity over the years.
Yes, Denmark boasts white winters and rusty autumns in comparison to South Africa’s mild expression of the seasons, but hygge can still be achieved. After all, it’s all about achieving the feeling of hygge. Like many Scandinavian designs, hygge describes the contented mood evoked by conviviality and cosiness, which can be accomplished through focusing on savouring simple pleasures.
It’s the little things
Originating from the Norwegian word ‘hugga’, which means ‘comfort’ or ‘console’, the concept, or state of mind, of hygge contributes largely to the Danes being renowned as the happiest people in the world. (They were confirmed as the happiest country in the 2016 World Happiness Report and remain in the top 10 along with all five Nordic countries as the happiest countries in the annual report.)
According to Meik Wiking, author of The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living: “The true essence of hygge is the pursuit of everyday happiness and it’s basically like a hug, just without the physical touch,” he told SELF magazine. It’s that feeling of sipping a warm cup of tea and a good book. Gathering with your family for a meal. Stroking a cat purring on your lap.
Meik tells SELF that hygge is about the small efforts and often focuses on minimal to no extravagance. In winter, a pair of fluffy socks is inviting, though not the most attractive thing in the world. But that’s hygge – appreciating simple pleasures on a shoestring budget. Hygge centres on your lifestyle, preferences and home; it’s about establishing a unique space where you can find solace and comfort your way. Ultimately, you want to curate a space that can offer hygge throughout the seasons; one that is warm in the cold, yet light and comfortable in the heat of summer.
With this in consideration, elements such as good natural-light sources, sustainability and natural materials are key, with the addition of personal touches and inviting accents.
The human-nature relationship
Countless research has been conducted into the positive effect nature can have on your well-being; not only does nature bring tranquillity to your space, but it can also boost how the space feels. Particularly, ample natural light can enhance this sense of spaciousness. By installing large windows, skylights and clear stacker doors, you encourage the flooding of natural light while also framing views of the outdoors, seamlessly allowing the outside into your home. Indoor plants (yes, faux plants can still have a positive effect), water features and the use of natural materials, such as wood and stone finishes, all contribute to the biophilic design of a hygge-inspired home.
Include multiple layers of texture to your home but remember to minimise or eliminate any visual clutter. You don’t want your home to look like your four-year-old got to pick and choose what to put in the living room. Sustainability is the focal point, so being intentional with the materials you choose and how you use them is important to ensuring your home captures hygge optimally.
Choose your company
In Denmark, specifically Copenhagen, there is a large community around coffee. Yes, coffee. They gather at four o’clock daily for the traditional fika, where they share coffee, cakes and conversation. Does this mean you should get the latest Nespresso machine for your hygge-inspired decor? Maybe. But more importantly, you want to include good company in your home.
Share your home with those who bring you true happiness, understanding and warmth. You may decorate your home to be cosy and warm, but the company you allow in it adds to its atmosphere too.
Create a space that speaks to the personality of you and your family. While the Danes do emphasise community with good friends that evoke the feeling of warmth when gathering, hygge is centred around good family bonds. Include memorabilia from travels, trinkets you’ve gathered over the years or other sentimentalities of your family and friends, such as a photo wall or artworks that speak to the rest of your decor. You can also include bookshelves, candles and other decor items such as vases and statuettes to accentuate spaces.
Get cosy
Name a better feeling than curling up with a woolly blanket on the sofa, a steaming cup of your favourite beverage in hand as the cold winter winds whistle outside. Those fluffy socks we mentioned earlier, the cat purring on your lap…
To create an inviting living space, include throws, scatter cushions and a warm colour palette throughout. Not only do these add extra warmth, they also add texture and colour to imbue a sense of cosiness – something called ‘hyggeligt’, something that is done simply because it is cosy.
On bare wooden floors, comfortable fluffy rugs or those with a smattering of pattern can also provide much-needed anchoring to a space. Beyond its textural softness, these rugs can also soften harsh sounds and stark light to create a more pleasant display of light and atmosphere in a space.
Escape
Home is the place you want to go to at the end of a long workday, tiring social week or busy time of month. And hygge is about allowing yourself that much-needed break from the fast-paced energy of life. Create a space in your home that can be a small, tucked-away oasis, such as a reading nook or a space where you can enjoy simple living, such as movie marathons or small social gatherings.
Decorate this space with soft textures, and convenience to things that bring you joy. Light a few candles and play some ambient music or sounds as you unwind. Use incense, oil diffusers or scented candles to help create a calming and inviting space. Remember to live intentionally and embrace the little things as you explore hygge in your home.
By: Saadiqah Schroeder
Photography by: Bureeaux, Future
Text courtesy of Livingspace magazine
Also read: How to break these decor rules
