Simple ways to bring some ‘Hygge’ into your home this winter
This year, we have all spent more time at home than ever before.
But following six chaotic months, the changing seasons are the perfect excuse to switch things up and introduce a little calm and ‘hygge’ into your home.
What is hygge?
Hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) is a Danish term that used to describe a feeling of coziness, contentment, and well-being derived from simple pleasures and the warmth of shared moments. This can be seamlessly woven into your loft conversion designs and layout. Incorporating soft textures, warm lighting, and natural elements can transform your loft into a haven of comfort.
As you can imagine, no one does hygge better than the Scandinavians, so take a little inspiration from their minimalist approach to comfort and tranquillity this colder season. Here is how to incorporate the toasty colours, cosy textures and inviting scents the Scandis love into your home…
Bring some warmth into your living area
Nothing invokes the feeling of ‘hygge’ quite like a roaring fire on a cold, dark night. If you have a fireplace or log burner, draw focus to it by pulling furniture away from the walls and angling pieces toward the fire to create a cosy snug.
If you do not have a fireplace (or it is purely decorative), a creative candle arrangement can create a similar effect. Candles exude warmth, especially when grouped together. Stock up on cinnamon, nutmeg, pine, clove and clementine scents to help you transition into the colder months. Or how about a wood-fire scented candle to transport you to a secluded snow-covered cabin in the forest?
For added comfort, pile up blankets, cushions and rugs in tactile textures. Now is the time to switch out linen and cotton for welcoming materials like leather, wool, suede or even sheepskin — which embody all the natural elements autumn and winter have to offer.
Oranges, reds and yellows — the colours of the season — help to accentuate the amber glow of candlelight and warm up the living area. They pair equally as well with crisp white furniture as darker woods or even black. For a more minimalist feel, try using depths of colours, such as burnt orange, rust or burgundy instead of bright oranges and reds.
Seasonal flowers (such as hydrangeas and verbena) in muted hues are another great way to add subtle hints of colour throughout the room. For a more autumnal feel, try dried flowers instead of fresh — which feels much more apt for the season. However, if you want to use fresh, you could weave green plants such as ivy or berries and acorns throughout the bouquet. To tie it all together, the Scandis love a simple glass vase which lets the flowers do all the work.
Add cosy touches to your bedroom
To make your bedroom more inviting after a tiring day, remove the cool, crisp white bed linen and swap it out for cosy fabrics in warming colours. Muted bedding in a sumptuously soft jersey fabric will make you want to dive straight in and create the perfect base for layering chunky knitted throws and plump pillows.
Clean and minimalist doesn’t mean your bedroom has to lack colour, either. Scandi has had a colourful makeover for AW20, so try adding pops of deep yet bright shades such as teal, aubergine, forest green and mustard yellow throughout.
If you have wooden floors, rugs are a great way to add warmth to your bedroom. Interior lovers are obsessed with bouclé (also known as teddy bear fabric) at the moment, which adds an instant touch of cosiness to any space and would be perfect for a plush rug. A faux sheepskin is also wonderfully soft and will stop your feet from feeling chilly when you get out of bed in the morning.
Play around with these combinations of texture and colour to create contrast and achieve your desired level of hygge. The best way to layer is to use a mixture of materials and colours as this helps to differentiate between the layers.
For the finishing touch, mist the space with a room spray. More gourmand scents like caramel and vanilla can evoke memories of comforting wintery treats — while berry scents such as mulberry, cranberry and fig are fresh yet autumnal. If relaxation is what you crave, then lavender is said to help you sleep better.
Looking for some loft bedroom ideas or ways to transform your attic conversion into a cosy, winter hideaway? Take a look at our customer stories and video gallery for inspiration!
