Put a little Hygge in your home

Hygge is a Scandinavian concept which defies an easy translation to English. Hygge is usually used to describe a mood or feeling of coziness, contentment, comfort, peace, security, and even optimism. But perhaps the easiest way to think about Hygge is to use a word which sounds similar, without being a literal translation: our English word hug. Like Hygge, hugs can be simple and straightforward, or complex and layered, but nearly always feel effortless and personal.

To create an atmosphere of Hygge in your home, begin by cutting down on clutter, visual noise, and the stuff which drains your energy. As you tidy and organize, quiet your mind so that you can start to sense a simpler approach to design and the changes you might want to make so your home better supports inner calm. However, do not suppress your personal decorating style and preferences. Hygge is not an aesthetic, a style, a trend, or a measure of how many things we own or love, but a feeling. The core of the contentment Hygge delivers is an effortless and personal approach to design, but not necessarily a minimalist one. You can have a Hygge home with a plethora of pattern and color, or the complete lack of it, as long as your home brings you comfort and contentment. Hygge can mean to not have too much, but it can also mean not having too little.

It seems especially appropriate to think about how we can use Hygge concepts to inform our interior decorating as one year ends and another begins. When our Northern Hemisphere days are brief and chilly and our nights are long and dark, we crave security and warmth, core elements of Hygge.

Coziness often begins with thick blankets and a lavish use of throw pillows, and many of us will up our game at this time of year, adding table skirts and scarves to the mix. Plaids, embroidery, tapestry fabric, and fancy trims add color, texture, and the comfort of tradition.

Soft textiles like velvet, cashmere, alpaca, and wool will boost warmth and dampen noise, while unified color schemes (whether muted neutrals or vibrant jewel tones) increase the sense of comfort. Bring in candles, mirrors, and accent lights, and light a fire if you can, for the subtle dance of glowing light.

With all the festivals of light observed at the winter solstice, introducing Hygge into the home can be as easy as decking the halls. One synonym of warmth is kindness, another is hospitality. Many of us entertain and exchange presents at this time of year. Ribbons and garlands can wrap both gifts and architecture, almost a metaphor for the hugs we’ll share when we greet our guests. Lovingly chosen holiday decorations effortlessly personalize our homes, while heirlooms and ornaments handcrafted by children and friends rekindle happy memories. As the scents of holiday baking and mulling wine waft through the home, they envelop us in another sensory experience unique to the season. Sharing stories with friends and family helps us recollect special moments and fosters kinship with collected memories. And don’t forget the joy and wonder of holiday candle-lighting, which places us within a broad community of celebrants, in homes around the world, and provides connections to the past and to the future. Hygge celebrates the warm embrace of family and friends while offering belonging and hope.

As the holidays come to an end, and winter continues, you get to decide what to keep up and what to store away. It is your house, and it should bring you joy, comfort, and security all year round. If your home does that for you, you live in a Hygge home.

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