Candles are the number one ingredient for hygge, and it is said that over 50% of Danes light candles almost every day of the year. The flickering glow of candlelight can create such a calming environment whilst you sit back and relax just watching shadows they cast. This sitting and relaxing are all part of the slowing down you must do to truly engage with hygge. We often have such busy lives, it can be difficult to switch off or slow down, but it is amazing how quickly you can relax by turning your back on technology just for a few hours and enjoying the simple pleasure of the golden glow of candles.
Togetherness is one of the parts of hygge which may be harder to achieve in these trying times as it’s harder to get together with friends and family, but we can make more time to be together with those we live with. Just taking some time out as a family to play board games, cook a meal or hunker down under a warm blanket with a film can really bring a sense of togetherness.
One of the simplest ways to get that hygge feeling is to settle down with a good book or a magazine, a warming mug of something special and a cosy blanket. I personally love a delicious cup of freshly ground coffee, but cocoa, hot chocolate or even mulled wine are great in the winter months.
I find that journaling and planning are such therapeutic exercises, especially when you go back to good old-fashioned pen and paper. Put your phone to one side for a bit, escape the constant barrage of notifications and news alerts and spend a couple of hours with a notebook and your own thoughts.
Well-made natural clothing and fabrics are a hallmark of hygge. A chunky knit jumper or a luxurious tactile or faux fur throw are superb ways of making yourself feel cosy and warm
Wood is one of the natural products that can help you achieve a Scandinavian hygge feel to your home. We have the pleasure of managing a patch of woodland and as a by-product have ready access to branches and logs to bring some of that nature into the home. You can find natural wood-based products to suit every home online and from local craftspeople who will have sourced the materials sustainably and put real effort into creating something of beauty.
Aside from candles, hygge is all about ambience and lighting need to be dim and golden. You can’t create a hygge atmosphere under a strip light, so investing in some warm glow light bulbs or lamps will go a long way to making a space feel warm and homely. Typical light bulbs have a colour temperature of 3,000k, so you should be looking for light bulbs with a golden glow at around 1,800k.
Further reading on hygge can be found in the following books which we would recommend considering if you want further ideas or inspiration to bring a little more hygge into your life.
