How to hygge
Winter is perhaps the sneakiest season, creeping in quietly before making its roaring announcement of arrival. For the unprepared, this time of year can seem to be nothing but a slog of early sunsets, below-freezing temperatures and an endless shuffle to and from the kettle for yet another piping cup of tea. However, to stave off the winter blues, one must make their surroundings as cosy and cheerful as possible. Indeed, winter is the season around which the concept of cosiness was built – warm blankets, soft lighting and calm surroundings are what is necessary to make it through these cold, hard months. The Danes, of course – being true Scandinavian winter warriors – have perfected exactly how to be (and stay!) cosy. Called hygge in Danish (pronounced ‘hoo-ga’, for those not fluent), the art of creating intimacy is a part of Denmark's cultural heritage. Hygge, too, has become quite the design buzzword in recent years, serving as the perfect descriptor for the calm, clean and, yes, cosy aesthetics of Scandinavian design. 'Nordic homes are minimalist, yet warm. Natural materials add a timeless element to our design,' writes Signe Johansen in How to Hygge: The Secrets of Nordic Living.
To make your house as hygge as possible, we've collected tips, shoppable pieces and inspiration from experts in all things hygge and the House & Garden archive. So, take the lead from the Danes: curl up under a blanket and start dreaming of the ultra-cosy, Scandinavian winter that awaits.
There is a robust coffee culture in Denmark – especially in its capital city, Copenhagen. Gathering each day at four o'clock – no matter how early the sun has set – for the traditional fika, Danes share cakes, conversation and, of course, warm coffee. "A sense of community is vital during the winter, when most remain in their houses for longer stretches of time," says Meik Wiking, author of The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Live Well and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, “so getting together for pastry and a coffee warms everyone up, physically and mentally.” Whether you're working from home by yourself or keen on inviting friends over, consider investing in a great coffee machine to brew fresh cups for your daily fika.
“You know hygge when you feel it. It is when you are cuddled up on a sofa with a loved one,” says Meik. Make your snuggle-time even more special by adding a beautiful cashmere throw or a large, fuzzy mohair and wool-blend blanket to the mix. After all, says Meik, “blankets and cushions are must-haves in any hygge household, especially during the cold months of winter”. Beyond adding that extra warmth to those much-needed embraces, blankets add texture and colour to a room, not to mention a welcoming, cosy element – a concept Meik calls “hyggeligt – the thing that sometimes one does even though one is not feeling cold, simply because it is cosy”… oh-so-hygge indeed.
.jpg)
Candles let off a glow to a room that is nearly impossible to replicate with lighting. Signe says that candles are “key design features” to any hygge-ified house. Decorate your dining table with an array of fun and sculptural candles; for the bed or living room, consider investing in deliciously-scented candles, which can release a sense of calm and happiness with just one whiff.
When it comes to hygge, “carpeted floors are banned, as is clutter,” says Signe. Instead, opt for clear floors decorated with comfortable, fluffy rugs or those with a smattering of pattern. Rugs – “especially those on bare wooden floors”, says Signe – centre a room and provide a much-needed anchor to a space. Choosing the right rug, too, can make a room extra cosy – beyond being soft underfoot, supple textures and textiles, rugs can quell harsh sounds and bounce light to create a softer overall glow in the room.
“Hygge is about giving your responsible, stressed-out achiever adult a break. Relax. Just for a little while,” says Meik, “It is about experiencing happiness in simple pleasures and knowing that everything is going to be OK.” What better way than to make a small, tucked-away oasis out of a corner in your house? Create a reading nook or the ideal set-up for a holiday movie marathon: set up a comfortable chair near a bookshelf and soft-lighted reading lamp. Add a cushion for extra comfort – "a hygge essential," says Meik, “what is better than leaning your head against a nice cushion while reading your favourite book?” – and make sure a coffee table is near, at the ready for you to rest on it a warm mug of tea or hot chocolate.
In How to Hygge: The Secrets of Nordic Living, Max Fraser of London Design Guide recommends iitala, glassware from Orrefors, furniture from Swedese, Poul Kjaerholm for Fritz Hansen, the legendary furniture designer Hans Wegner and Andreas Engesvik, amongst others, as designers to look to for shopping inspiration. We would add Skandium, Normann Copenhagen and Carl Hansen & Søn to that list.
Want to learn the art of hygge at the source? Plan a weekend getaway to Copenhagen, and get the scoop on the city's best hotels, restaurants and exploits from a local
Line Klein1/7A modern apartment in the new Vesterbro district of Carlsberg City was a blank page for the former musician to play with rhythm, colour and light. The south-facing apartment uses the File Under Pop shade ‘Under My Skin,’ with a subtle rosy tone which shifts and stays warm whatever the light source.
James McDonald2/7Gallerist Tobias Vernon’s cottage in Somerset is a study in juxtaposition, with white walls throughout providing a background for his creative arrangements of art and eclectic pieces. A Fifties oak and rope armchair attributed to Paolo Buffa and Vitra’s remake of Isamu Noguchi’s 1951 ‘Akari 10A’ f loor lamp stand below a black and white oil painting by Swedish artist Bo Beskow. Moroccan and vintage Swedish wool rugs add colour and texture.
Christopher Horwood3/7Digital creative and brand consultant Lucy Williams has tackled her first renovation with confidence and flair, filling the Victorian terrace with bold colour and considered pieces. Sourced via Instagram, both the chair and floor lamp are vintage and make the ideal nook full of comfort and, yes, hygge. Above, a print by Hormazd Narielvalla for King & McGaw hangs.
Simon Upton4/7Architect Craig Hamilton's Welsh farmhouse is a fine example of his trademark modern classic style, combining buildings of various periods with a new, but appropriate, extension, and espousing his belief in the Arts and Crafts philosophy of integration between architecture and art. Displayed in the 1650's parlour and the hall in the old house are pieces of Welsh furniture, many paintings and charcoal studies by artist Diana Hulton, Craig's wife, as well as textiles and terracotta pots and bowls the couple have collected on their many travels.
Simon Brown5/7By cleverly reconfiguring the space and adding in a harmonious blend of new and vintage furniture, Beata Heuman and her team offer a masterclass in enlivening a blank canvas in this expansive London apartment. The library leads into a studio, with the study door under the stairs that lead up to a large roof terrace.
Mark Fox6/7For illustrator and homeware designer Alfred Bramsen, home is much more than a place to relax and the decoration of his Hackney flat is an expression of his creative pursuits. In the living room, a sofa from IKEA mixes with a vintage coffee table and lots of colourful soft furnishings. The cushions are a mix of Hay and The Apartment DK, while the fish that hang above the sofa are Alfred's collaboration with Ohayo, a Danish brand that imports Japanese antiques, ceramics, vintage textiles and curiosities and celebrates the Japanese aesthetic in Scandinavia.
Line T Klein7/7Bauhaus influences and blocks of rich colour elevate Michael Dansk's classic Copenhagen flat in the Nørrebro neighbourhood well beyond the norm. In the dining area, the ‘Nyhavn' table is by architect, artist and designer Finn Juhl, produced by House of Finn Juhl. The column of handmade tiles features shades of yellow and white by File Under Pop. The dining chairs are by Swedish artist and architect Fredrik Paulsen and the yellow wall lamp artwork is by Anne Nowak. A Noguchi rice paper lamp hangs overhead, while candlesticks by HAY decorate the table. Various artworks by Malene Landgren, Frederik Næblerød, Bobbye Fermie and Jais Nielsen feature throughout. A bench with storage by Montana provides clever seating on the other side of the table.
