The Art of Hygge for Your Home

A woman reading a book in a cozy room with candles and blankets.

Hygge is the newest craze sweeping through interior design. It's a Danish concept that incorporates elements of coziness and comfort throughout the home. From simple candles to warm colors and texturizing, here are a few ways you can implement Hygge into your home this winter and in the months beyond.

Defining Hygge

Hygge is a little tricky to define because it's considered a way of life as well as a design style. In its basic sense, Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) contains elements of coziness, sustainability, and comfort. It's all about slowing things down, living in the present, and enjoying the simple things in life. When it comes to interior design, Hygge can really add a sense of warmth and simplicity to your home.

Hygge at Home

Implementing Hygge in a home depends largely on personal taste. What brings you Hygge might not work for another person. With that in mind, it's important to discover what brings you comfort and peace of mind and try to incorporate that into your designs. Fortunately, Hygge is flexible enough that you should be able to find your perfect comfort zone with little trouble.

Candles

Lit candles next to a fuzzy blanket.

One of the easiest ways to implement Hygge concepts in your home is through candles. The soft glow of candles cannot be matched by artificial light. Incorporating more candles in your home adds a comforting source of light, but try to only use unscented lights for the best Hygge experience. That said, you can use scented candles just as long as it doesn't become too distracting.

Texturize

Another important but often overlooked part of Hygge is texture. To get the best Hygge experience, incorporate a variety of texturized yet comfortable blankets, pillows, rugs, and furniture. The key to texture is finding pieces that are soft, such as knitted or fleece items, and avoid materials that are too hard and uncomfortable. You should also consider finding the right color schemes that make you feel the most at ease.

Wood Burning Fireplace

Feet in warm socks warming up by a fire.

When the weather turns cold, there are few things more comforting than a cozy fire. Instead of getting a gas or electric fireplace, consider adding a traditional wood burner to your home. You can also go with a traditional fireplace, but a good and efficient wood burner will do the trick just fine.

Colors

There are certain color tones more suitable than others for the Hygge experience. This includes a relaxing gray or even a soft wheat tone. What’s nice about Hygge is that you do not need to repaint your entire home to achieve the look or feel. A better method is to pick a room where you enjoy relaxing and repaint it a color that makes you feel the most at ease.

Plants

A trio of houseplants in front of a sunny window.

Another element of Hygge is bringing more of the outdoors inside your home. You can easily accomplish this by adding a little greenery throughout the house. This can come in the form of plants or by simply allowing more natural light into rooms. If you aren't a plant person, then try incorporating more wood, stone, or leather to areas of the home. These natural materials will help bring an extra layer of natural comfort to various surfaces.

Customizing Furniture

Reupholstering old furniture is another great way to bring more Hygge into a space. You can replace old cushions with softer types of materials and incorporate some texture into the covering. If you do not want to reupholster, consider adding soft throw pillows or comfortable blankets to old pieces of furniture.

Hot Drinks

A cup of tea in front of a sunny window surrounded by a cozy blanket and yellow flowers.

Whether it's tea, coffee, or hot buttered rum, hot drinks can help you bring another layer of Hygge to your life. You can even make nice cozies for your mugs that make the experience of drinking a hot cup of liquid all the more comfortable. If you have a fireplace or wood burner, try enjoying these drinks while warming up by the fire.