Let’s talk about an interesting concept from the Danes and the Norwegians, (pronounced as Hyooga) as we get busier in this modern supercollider of a rat race, we really miss out on how we should design our homes, how our homes should be arraigned to achieve a mood of coziness and comfortability, essentially we miss out on creating a home from a house.

The concept roughly translates to coziness but the idea that we are trying to get across is that your home should bring you comfort and joy and not just be a cluttered mess where you store your things, you might as well get a storage locker then !

Statistically speaking the Danes are the happiest people in the world along with Finland, Norway and Iceland. It helps that the Scandinavians have a high standard of living and are without the stress that defines the Indian ‘hurry-burry’. The Danes do deal with an incredibly harsh cold; imagine Siachen all over the country! Yeah, it does almost get that bad during the winter months. How do they deal with it? Hygge!

That’s all well and good but how does it affect my interiors? Or how does my pace of life have any bearing on my interiors? Well your home interior in a sense reflects your interior and the more they are in tune with each other, the more efficiency you will have in terms of how comfortable you can get and how you can live life to its best, this isn’t exactly how the Danes understand it, but then again we want to achieve a Hygge for the Indian household and efficiency might just help unclutter our lives. How you live, that is your pace of life can be easily augmented by how you arrange your life.

The design concept of Hyyge can’t tell you how to live your life but it can help you get a better feel for your house, so that you can make it into a home.  Hygge is that element which helps you understand the necessity of slowing down, enjoying a moment with our friends and family and finally teaching you how to respect your personal space. Your house becomes a showcase for neighbours to envy, and a space You enjoy while embracing life to its fullest.

How to achieve Hygge.

  1. Texture

Texture should be a personal mantra for every home. Cushions, rugs and textiles of a variety of forms add a depth and coziness that can immediately lift a drab and boring sofa into a very stylish one. Changing the cushions every season can save you the cost of having to refurbish your sofa, take note it’s the little things.

  1. Introduce natural wood

This we have already talked about in previous blogs and well let’s say it one more time, natural wood is not only eco-friendly it is sustainable and lasts incredibly long. Mixing different pieces of wood in furniture brings the outdoors in, and get’s your indoors out achieving a synthesis that brings in a naturalness and you never have to worry about looking for the right polish or matching your furniture. Nature does not match; neither do you.

  1. Display what makes you happy

Display what makes you happy seems like a no-brainer but it is true, your home reflects you and if someone tell you something looks tacky or cheap in your house, but your heart really wants it, then you should go for it because you know where you can integrate those pieces into your house and that makes all the difference. Add personal items you have collected or have been handed down, they really add not only a vintage feel, it adds that beautiful touch of homeliness, like a piece of you or a memory to your living space.

  1. Mood Lighting

Lighting is a crucial element in creating a hygge home. Studies have shown that harsh white light emits a blue light that suppresses Melatonin production and creates health problems, try opting candlelight, smaller bulbs around the house with different colours and so on, why do you think a candle light dinner is the epitome of romance, it’s the lighting !

  1. Spend time with family

This might seem unrelated to home decor and in many ways it is, but you have to understand Hygge is a concept that turns your house into a home and you can’t do that if there are no memories, watching TV and shovelling food isn’t really memorable not to mention unhealthy but sharing a meal with your family allows you to discuss the day’s events and sharing a meal while you talk and relax is what homeliness is all about. Position your table to block the TV or just eat in a separate room where you can enjoy the quiet so you cna really engage each other.

Lastly, enjoy the moment, enjoy the little things, and slow down  because your home should really speak like you do and no matter how quirky, it will atleast be from the heart and that is what a ‘home’ is in the end.