Home Design: The

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HOME DESIGN

The Four Essential Elements of Hygge

…FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF WINTER

By Lisa J. Gotto

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While we still have a month or two of colder temperatures and indoor living yet to navigate, we thought you just might need a little more motivation to push through this “homestretch” of being housebound. After all, even the most clever and creative homeowners have their limits.

If you’re not familiar with the Danish décor concept of “hygge,” simply, it’s the idea of creating a convivial and cozy surrounding in your living spaces, so it becomes more about truly dwelling within them rather than just existing about them.

Several elements are essential to bringing more hygge into your home. They are: lighting, flame, fabric or texture, and wood. With the right mix of these essentials you’ll enhance the atmosphere of your home so it can conjure the relaxed feeling of sitting by a warming fire, book and coffee in-hand, anytime, and anywhere in your house.

1. WOOD, YOU PLEASE!

Even the most contemporary of rooms warms up when elements of wood are introduced. Again, you don’t have to go all-out cabin to experience the affect of hygge. You don’t even need for the wood to be deep in tone to convey a warm mood.

This room easily applies aspects of hygge style and blends them into one totally livable and loveable space; something you might even find in a Chesapeake area home. Proving, while it may be great to be a Dane, anyone, anywhere with the right essentials can bring the concept of hygge home!

Did we say “in” your house? Well yes, but, with our lives being what they are right now we can also explore bringing these concepts to our patios and seasonal rooms, as well.

Case in point, this wonderfully inviting outdoor space is ready for those most temperate days where there’s warming winter sun and only a mild chill in the air. This is the perfect space to say, “Let’s have lunch” or happy hour libations outside today, with its elements of fire, wood, lighting, and textures. Particularly, take notice of the lighting element in the space. It’s a rustic table lamp. Homes with hygge adhere to mood lighting, so no heavy or too fussy-looking overhead or pendant lighting here.

3. FIRED UP

In most instances you would never expect a room like this without window treatments and floor coverings to seem warm and welcoming and yet it is. Primarily, those dancing flames in its impressive fireplace do all the hard work of making it softer, and bringing the hygge.

This room’s vibe is further enhanced by the texture it gains in its use of warmer-toned metals and a variety of woods. So, it is still a place you will want to dwell on those colder days. With just a few tweaks, however, it can easily adapt to the warmer weather that will eventually arrive.

4. NO FIRE IN THE FURNACE?

Not all our spaces come equipped with fireplaces, but there are ways you can have that covered, too. By adding candles, cozy throws of various weights, and a collection of texture-enhancing pillows, you’ll create a mood that’s comforting and relaxing—what hygge is all about.

One other way the space takes on a warmer feel is with the introduction of life into the room by adding a houseplant. It’s true; sometimes it’s the smallest of touches that provide the most impact. Plus, adding an element of live greens also reminds us of the season we’re anticipating, spring!