In Denmark they’ve hygge, in Germany it is gemütlichkeit and in Sweden you might get mysig. Loosely interpreted, all these words imply “cozy,” but it is really much greater than that. Hygge is all about relaxing, slowing down and enjoying time together with friends and nearest and dearest. It is all about bringing warmth and light to a dark night, sipping hot drinks around the fire and making a cheerful, peaceful, welcoming mood in the home. And the gorgeous thing about a hygge house is the fact that it depends much more about the care you require than the cash you put in to it.
Here are eight strategies to take coziness to the next level.
Holly Marder
1. Welcome visitors. The instant you step to a hygge house, you are aware of it. Imagine walking through the door and being greeted by a warm hug, the odor of something yummy baking in the kitchen and a comfortable location where you could sit and take your boots off.
Chris A Dorsey Photography
2. Make places to collect. It may be nice to have a place for sitting and having tea and a conversation beyond the usual living room sofa or dining table. A low dining table with chairs feels more intimate — perfect for catching up with a close friend or flipping through decorating photos.
Praktyczne i Piękne
3. Boost. Just because you’ve got the day to yourself does not mean you can’t also enjoy getting mysig. Put on music you love, drape your favourite seat with a fluffy sheepskin or extra cushion, and be sure you like a cup of something hot to drink as you go about your day.
Alex Amend Photography
4. Give a welcoming touch to each room. So often it is the tiny things which make the biggest difference. Don’t you agree? More than having the “right” sofa or a perfectly coordinated rug and toss pillows, coziness comes in the sense that someone is caring for you. Think a little vase of fresh flowers, a well-cared-for green plant from the window, candles lit and coffee brewing.
Jeanette Lunde
5. Minimize media on your living area. One thing that does not mesh nicely with gemütlichkeit, hygge or even mysig is a blaring cell phone or TV. Preserve a little time and area in your house for unplugged pursuits — if a friend drops, choose not to answer texts until he or she’s gone, giving the visitor the luxury of your undivided attention.
Julie Smith
6. Bring light to midwinter days. A strand of white twinkle lights, extra candles and soft lamplight have a massive impact in winter. So if it is a gray day, why don’t you light a couple candles and plug from the twinkle lights as you relax in your home? It is so much lovelier that way.
Julie Smith
7. Create hideaways. Retreating to bed whenever you’ve got a cold or are simply tired is a superb way to recharge. Make your favorite resting place even more attractive by making sure that it has a good lamp, soft palate plus a little, special touch. Drape a piece of fabric overhead for a canopy or craft a mobile from home made decorations and pretty decoration.
Chris A Dorsey Photography
8. Always be prepared for fika with friends. The Swedish tradition of fika involves taking a little break with friends for coffee and cake or cinnamon rolls; it appears to be a superb custom to adopt at this time of year. With packed schedules, it may not be possible to see everyone we want to view, but that does not have time to get a tiny fika?
Inform us What is your preferred way to find cozy in winter?