“Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down.”
Meik Wiking
| Happy New Year! I hope you have had a peaceful, healthy start to 2023.I’ve certainly been making an effort to put wellness as my number one priority. That isn’t necessarily just thinking about the food that I’m eating, but it’s overall self-care. 🧡 It’s spending a little longer on my morning yoga. 🧡 It’s making room in my life for books and music and things that bring me joy. 🧡 It’s enforcing a better work-life balance. 🧡 And creating spaces in our home that feel comforting and encourage me to switch off and relax. |
| Towards the end of last year, I read My Hygge Home, the follow-up to the original book Hygge by Meik Weiking and I loved it. Especially during the colder months, when many of us feel less sociable and less inclined to be outside, we can find joy in a simpler, cosier way of life in our homes. Designing a hygge home consists of interior ideas, lighting tips, the importance of our senses and hacks for guaranteeing you and your guests feel instantly relaxed when in your home. |
What is hygge?
Originating from Danish culture, hygge is the word to describe a sense of cosiness and comfort. It could describe an afternoon on the sofa with a loved one, a scented candle, a hot water bottle, the smell of freshly-baked cinnamon buns or the way in which a room has been designed to create a cosy feeling for the people within it.
Data has shown that after good mental health, the next factor that has the biggest impact on our happiness is our satisfaction with our homes.
But for many people, our home is also our workplace, even if only for part of the week. So, how can we instantly create a space away from our laptops and phones and let our bodies relax?
It doesn’t need to be an entire room, it can be a corner in your lounge or bedroom…
| Here are five simple ways to create a hygge space in your home: Textiles: Find snuggly blankets, fluffy socks and big, soft cushions. A variety of textures and materials works well to create that cosy feeling. Lighting: Turn off “the big light” and move lampshades with low-lit bulbs into the space. Lighting: Light a candle: Scented or not, the effects of candles are instantly soothing, taking us back to simpler times. Music: Play music that relaxes you. It’s a personal choice – classical, soft rock, piano ballads… the slower, soothing tunes slow our pulse and heart rate, instantly decreasing stress levels. Smell or taste: A mug of hot peppermint tea in my hands is my way of telling my body that it’s time for self-care. Perhaps you like the smell of cakes baking in the oven, a seasonal candle or an indulgent sweet treat. Let your senses know that it’s your time. |
Are you already on the hygge train? How do you create a sense of cosiness and comfort in your home?
I’m still perfecting the skill of switching off after a long day, so send your tips my way!
Much love,
Sandrina
