As the seasons change, the weather is getting colder, and the need to feel cosy kicks in, you might’ve been hearing a lot of talk about Hygge (it’s pronounced “hoo-guh”). Hygge stands for a quality of cosiness and comfortability that induces a feeling of contentment and well-being, whilst considered one of the main characteristics of Danish culture.
In this blog, we’ll give you our top tips and recommendations on how to create a hygge home that you, your family, and your friends will cherish for a lifetime.
What Is Hygge?
Practicality and simplicity are two of the greatest principles of Scandinavian design, which can be associated with the 1950s and ‘60s when many Scandinavian homes were traditionally small. Due to the lack of space in homes, they didn’t allow space for extravagant amounts of decorative items, so they had a stripped-back style where all the furniture had a purpose in the home.
A joyful, hygge home design is all in the details. You want to create an environment that speaks to your soul and exhibits warmth for all that enter your front door. A great tip we have for you if you’re looking for authentic ways how to be happier at home, instead of trying to keep your home style up to date with the latest trends, how about decorating your hygge style? The key is to find ways to make your home beautiful through cosy elements that – trends come and go, but cosy is forever!
The Icons That Inspired The Furniture Design Industry
Now that you understand what is a hygge home, it’s time for you to dive into the history and story of Scandinavian interior design, one of our all-time favourites.
Regarding influential Scandinavian interior design, some of the most renowned furniture pieces for their curvaceous and sleek designs are the Statement Chairs and Swan Chairs, along with the fluid and futuristic shapes of the S-Chair. Another unique piece that mastered the Danish modernism of the period is the Shell Chair. Together, all these iconic designs started a trend that led to globally inspiring the whole interior design industry.
Scandinavian homes offer an understated elegance that is centred around warmth, clean lines, and flawless craftsmanship, which creates a pure style. It can be characterised by earthy, soft tones, minimal ornamentation, and honest materials.
A Substantial Impact On Interior And Furniture Design
When thinking about how to create a hygge home, focus on finding a blend of textures, contrasts, and soft hues which can be applied to create a sleek, modern feel to any interior, as this is what makes this style so renowned for its beauty. We can honestly say that it is understandable why Scandinavian décor has made an undeniable impact on interior designers’ approach to space.
Their mantra complements the art of living well, as it promotes a simple home environment that enhances an uplifting lifestyle, which embodies the main desire of Scandinavian design, which is to improve daily life.
What We Love About Scandinavian Design
There seems to be nothing about Scandinavian Design that isn’t to be loved.
This is simply because it has a natural ability to create a cosy, content home that is found to help your well-being, nature, and the greater environment. This is why possessions are made to last rather than easily be replaced, along with sophisticated and modern designs that seem to be constantly in style.
The important balance that the design follows seems to take the most valuable parts of interior design to provide the perfect compromise. It delivers functionality yet comfort into spaces, and ultimately, we love how it embraces various principles and characteristics to achieve this.
How To Create Hygge In Your Home
If you look at your home, cosy elements such as blankets, pillows, and candles can add to the calmness and warm feeling that Hygge is all about. So if you want to discover how to create hygge in your home, keep reading our expertly crafted tips below.
1. Create A Functional Yet Inviting Living Space
You should focus on bringing to life spaces that are clean and functional but still inviting and warm. To accomplish this, use straight lines and minimal, modern furniture combined with cosy elements such as blankets, cushions, plush area rugs, candles, and natural materials.
2. Find The Perfect Sofa
Try looking for a sofa that has a mid-century modern aesthetic that incorporates wooden angled legs and consists of muted colours, such as the Poet Sofa. As it’s the heart of any living area, it is important to find a sofa that you will find comfortable and easy to relax.
3. Dine Comfortably
The key to a Scandinavian-inspired dining area is to strike a balance when creating a sophisticated yet casual enough space where you will dine comfortably. You can create a space that feels open with light colours and wood, and a great way to do so is with our Iconic Dining Chairs.
4. Use A Neutral Colour Scheme
Winters are long and dark in Northern Europe, so the design utilises light and neutral colours to make the space feel bright and consistent. With a considerably large neutral colour palette, bold colours are often loosely incorporated throughout their home to bring some colour. For more inspiration, check out our Pinterest Board on Interior Colour Palettes and our blog on How To Create A Complementary Colour Scheme In Interior Design.
5. May There Be Light
The use of light is regarded to be extremely important, and that is typically why Scandinavian interiors have white walls to attract light. In the world of interior design, it is very well known that natural lighting can be used to make your home feel brighter and bigger, so try to incorporate this concept as much as possible, no matter the occasion.
Even though it is preferred to have a lot of natural light, there is still a need for artificial light, and in this case, it’s best to use pendant lighting, as it complements the aesthetic of the Scandinavian design whilst being a great modern alternative to a chandelier. For example, the Artichoke Pendant Lamp aims to enhance a room’s interior design style whilst creating a striking look compared to another pendant lighting. It also helps to spread the light over a room, which is achieved by layering reflective materials to complete its designer’s vision of a perfectly lit room.
6. Declutter Your Home
We recommend you start following a “less is more” interior design mantra by scaling back on accessories and instead make your décor visually lightweight with small amounts of decoration.
Indoor plants, flowers, and other botanicals are vital decorations for any home, as they incorporate nature which can always brighten up any living space. If you want to add artwork, try to find monochrome pieces such as ink drawings, black and white photography, or charcoal sketches to complement the principles of Scandinavian design.
7. Hard Flooring
Carpets have never been popular in Sweden, as instead, you’ll commonly find the use of light wood flooring throughout homes, apart from the bathroom. The use of wooden flooring helps to provide a connection with nature that Swedes love, so why not incorporate it into your well-thought plan of how to create a hygge home!
8. Make The Most Of Your Outdoor Space
In Sweden, entertaining guests outdoors during the late summer nights are so popular that even the smallest apartments have a balcony and a terrace so homeowners can host outside. This relationship with nature is in line with the idea of your home bringing you a feeling of contentment, as spending time outside has been closely linked to a better and healthier mind, body, and soul.
In case you missed it, we have an excellent article on Biophilic Interior Design: Bringing The Outdoors In, filled with valuable information and tips on how you can invite nature into your home.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, even if you don’t want to recreate the Scandinavian look in your home, there are many principles that you can apply to your interior, especially creating a home that makes you feel at peace and in comfort while being more sustainable to help the environment and the planet.
And always remember that the hygge life is about ease, contentment, and comfort. Only fill your home with the things that make you happy, and donate whatever doesn’t to create more simplicity. Hygge is not about extravagance but about taking pleasure in the sheer simplicity of your immediate surroundings. In other words, try to use your space for living rather than as storage for your stuff when thinking about how to create a hygge home.
If you’re looking for more inspiration, read our following blogs:
