We normally explore Scandinavian interiors from the Swedish perspective. A heavy IKEA influence means most of us only know of the Swedish interior trends and ideas. However, there’s another Scandi concept that’s arguably even bigger than this: Hygge.
What is Hygge?
Pronounced hoo-ga, Hygge is a Danish idea that vaguely translates to English as “coziness”. It’s a feeling – a way of approaching and living life. The main premise is to enjoy simple pleasure and surround yourself in things that make you happy.
From an interior design point of view, Hygge has transcended the way many people style their homes. A Hygge home is one that’s made with balance in mind; things aren’t all over the place and you’re designing a house that fills you with joy.
As you can imagine, Hygge has many core concepts that will help you figure out the correct design beliefs to follow if you wish to adopt this trend. We’ve listed the most important factors in this guide, along with how to implement them in your humble abode.
An Emphasis On Groups Coming Together
The idea of togetherness is central to everything Hygge stands for. Your home should be a place that encourages gatherings and makes you spend time with family or friends. This means you’re designing rooms with this in mind, creating cosy spots for everyone to hang out.
Quaint dining spaces must be made, a cosy living room area should be styled, and you may also consider opening your interior spaces to the outside world. The idea of going from a living area to an outdoor gathering space is quintessential Hygge. The right landscape gardening services can help you implement decking or patio to make the perfect outdoor living space.
In an instant, your house becomes a home as you’ve made room for people to sit next to one another, talk and chill. You can do this indoors on a plush sofa or outside on a relaxing patio.
Soft & Comfortable Textiles
Denmark is very cold, and the locals are always looking for ways to stay warm during the peak winter season. That’s why warmth and comfort are core elements of Hygge interior design. It’s a reflection of the Danish way of life – so you need to bring this to your home interiors as well.
Hygge revolves around using soft and comfortable textiles around the home. Find comfy rugs that feel soft underfoot, ditch leather-style sofas for softer fabrics and make full use of throws and blankets.
You want to create rooms – particularly the living rooms and bedrooms – that look like comfort havens. There shouldn’t be many sharp edges to things or fine lines everywhere – and you don’t want to have really bare and cold floors. Imagine you live in Denmark and want to keep your house warm for the winter; that’s how you fulfill this part of Hygge.
Neutral Colors & Warm Lighting For Calmness
One of the main purposes of Hygge is to help you feel a sense of calm. People who live along these lines will take time to breathe and relax daily. As such, your interiors should reflect this! Neutral colors are a huge part of Scandinavian interior design in general as they’re minimalistic. Hygge homes embrace the neutral tones as well, but to create a feeling of calmness throughout the home.
You want your house to feel serene and peaceful – and neutral colors do a fine job of reflecting this. Combined with warm lighting they have the perfect effect. Use candles around your home, get warm lightbulbs with dimmer switches and utilize fairy lights.
This gives a warm glow to your interiors and the light bounces off the neutral colors to make everything feel cozy.
Make Space For Yourself
While Hygge is about coming together with others, it also emphasizes the need for alone time. That’s why the most essential concept of a Hygge home is to create spaces for yourself. They’re sometimes called Hygge nooks, but you basically want to make small areas of relaxation where you can go to chill out.
This could be a small comfy armchair in the corner of your living room, or you could convert a window sill into a reading nook. Many ideas will come to mind as you assess your home and see where you can make space for yourself.
Hygge embraces many traditional elements of Scandi design while adding a smattering of its own beliefs. We’ve used the word “cozy” a lot throughout, and that’s the key thing to remember. Your home should be a cozy, relaxing and welcoming place at all times.