Hygge (pronounced Hoo-gah) is about mindfulness and enjoy being in the moment. Apart from embracing hygge in your lifestyle, one of the biggest facets is in the home. Whether it is to brighten the mood, or invite a sense of calm and pleasure in your surroundings, here are 5 essential tips to embrace hygge in your home.
1. Add (natural) light
There is never a time where light is ever enough, especially when it comes to natural lights. Not only does it make a place look bigger, it soothes the soul. Glass, lamps or candles come to mind. Put up some glass panels on the windows, and make the most of what you have. If you’d prefer not to have a lamp, then go for candles. This is especially so for an extra-special touch to set the mood. And go ahead and clear the fireplace and put away the logs too. There’s no need for a roaring fire to give a sense of calm. If natural lights are not your thing or it is challenging to do so, go for simple, low-voltage LED lights instead.
2. Do away with clutter
Too much clutter will invite your subconscious mind to get blocked up. The home environment can be a parallel of your lifestyle. Invoke more hyggelic vibes in your home by organizing, replacing, repurposing or clearing what you don’t need. Use what you already have. Instead of buying a TV rack (who watched TV??) or computer table, simply place an old table or cupboard in its place or re-purpose an old chair or skateboard. Space too tight? Time to let go off some stuff – Cue Marie Kondo.
3. Connect earthen
Go for handcrafted items or items incorporating organic or earthly materials such as clay, stone, mud, sand, plants. This brings in a connection to nature and a sense of calm and warmth. Have a green thumb, start a garden wall! And if you are feeling your inner hippie, go for organic or ethically sourced products.
4. Keep it warm
There are many ways to do this across seasons. And this applies to both furnishings and appliances. A large carpet in the living room, rugs in the bedroom or bathroom, a large fluffy throw over or pillow on the sofa, even keeping the containers filled with water, and a small kettle over the stove. Not only do these touches bring a sense of warm into the space, it invokes a sense of purposeful comfort. By utilizing our spaces and what is around us, it remind us to be content and grateful with what we have.
5. Have a few treasures
One of the secrets to a hygge home is having a few treasures lying around strategically to trigger off positive vibes and indulge in the moment. There should be two or three things which are personal or symbolic to you, and perhaps one of which could be a fine decorative object. These things will not only be an aesthetic pleasure to look at, but of an inner comfort as well.