How to Bring Hygge Into Your Home
Do you want to know how to hygge? No, that’s not a new dance move! It’s a not-so-new Scandinavian word meaning a feeling of “well being.” It describes a special feeling of joyful coziness that can’t be forced or bought. Though the Danish are credited for popularizing the lifestyle, Scandinavians have all honed the concept of hygge (pronounced hue-guh) over decades. It’s a way to combat the long, dark winters in that area of the world. At Pottery Barn, we love this philosophy, so we’ll give you tips on how to bring that snug and contented feeling into your daily life.
Embrace Companionship
Hygge celebrates a welcoming coziness that instills that feeling in yourself and others of never wanting to leave. You’ve felt hygge when your dinner guests stay into the wee hours of the night just basking in each other’s company and laughter. It’s a feeling of experiencing plenty without the stuff. Instead, it’s more about an abundance of compassion, understanding, fun and friendship.
Though hygge is associated with the cuddly aspects of keeping warm during cold winter months, it’s a way of life even in warmer seasons when there’s joy in the air then, too. Sitting outdoors solo or with others under the expanse of a bright, starlit sky can unleash a heart-centered feeling of well-being that transcends words. Regardless of the season, relaxed entertaining is one way to generate genuine feelings of hygge.
Embrace Imperfection
Hygge interior design isn’t something you can buy or precisely plan. It’s something you can cultivate as a state of mind over time. The notion of hygge foregoes perfection. Instead, it embraces a feeling of welcome-ness in your home that goes beyond the size of your floor plan or the flawlessness of your decor. You can feel hygge in a studio apartment as well as in a sprawling five-bedroom home. It’s in older homes as well as new construction . The ability to create hygge has more to do with the intangible, and sometimes messy, qualities of lovingness and thankfulness.
The concept of hygge, however, doesn’t usually embrace overwhelming clutter. To feel hygge, you have to banish clutter in your home by gently organizing your stuff and ridding your home of things you don’t want or use.
Embrace Simplicity
Surround yourself with simplicity. This leads to feelings of hygge. Simplicity means you have only the items you truly love around you. They give you joy when you use them or look at them. One of hygge’s unspoken principles is to avoid having too much plastic in your home and instead focus on natural materials. An edited, well-chosen assortment of beloved accessories helps create a calm atmosphere.
Embrace Sanctuary
Doesn’t everyone want to come home to their own sanctuary? If you feel that when you walk into your home, you’ve found hygge. Creating your sanctuary is personal. It may mean infusing your interiors with more of your memories, experiences, travels, beliefs, tastes and personality.
Embrace the Light
One of the concepts of hygge has to do with candles. They’re a way that Scandinavians find brightness in a perpetually dark environment. There’s no shortage of color, size, style and type of candles that can bring that hygge glow into your home, and in your outdoor rooms. For safety, choose flameless candles. They’re are designed to mimic the real thing and they do it quite well.
Beyond candles, lighting a space is often a balance of keeping it lit well enough to see what you’re doing or eating. You don’t want it overly lit – this can be less relaxing. Create a hygge home with indirect light diffused through lamps with pretty shades and twinkling string lights. Let natural light stream through breezy, sheer window treatments. Choose ambient overhead lighting that’s subtle and shimmering without casting shadows.
With a sense of hygge, even in darkness, you’ll know that everything will be just fine. Create the hygge atmosphere in your home by using these ideas, and you’ll always feel that cozy glow.