We all want to know how to live happier lives and lucky for us, the Danish have already figured out how to do it. Danish people are known for being the happiest people on Earth.
You may be wondering:
“How is that possible?”
Danish people live by the hygge principal, incorporating ways of adding comfort and joy into their lives.
Hygge (pronounced “h(y)oo-gah”), can be used in different aspects of your life to increase contentment and wellbeing.
One way to incorporate hygge into your life is by decorating your home with cozy hygge decor so that you feel your best when in your own comfortable spaces.
Check out this list of 7 different ways you can create your own personal cozy hygge decor:
1. Natural Light
Due to the geographical location of Denmark, the Danes have very little natural light in the Winter months. Because of this, they have figured out a way to adapt and increase the amount of light in their homes.
Having large open windows can be helpful and using soft colored curtains around your windows can help add to your cozy hygge decor. Natural light is an easy and affordable way to increase your mood and begin to include a hygge lifestyle into your decor.
2. Bring the Outdoors Inside
Surrounding yourself with nature is an important part of bringing hygge into your home. Nature allows many people to feel more relaxed, so bringing it inside can help give your home that extra cozy feeling.
Finding your favorite plants from a local garden center is a great start. Elements of wood, rocks, and water can also create a feeling of comfort and groundedness. Including a small water feature can be very relaxing and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
3. Imitate the Natural Cycles of the Sun
A large part of hygge decor is imitating the natural cycle of the Sun.
This includes two things: The intensity and position of your lighting.
Imitating the sun means having lower, less intense lighting in the morning to help wake yourself up slowly and easily. Placing candles on lower tables is a great way to imitate the sun as it rises in the morning.
As the day goes on, brighter overhead lighting during midday is important in order to increase productivity and focus. And in the evening, similar to the morning, have mild low lighting to help you wind down and relax before going to bed.
4. Choose a Warm Color Pallet
What colors do you picture when you think of a warm color pallet?
You may imagine sitting by a campfire on a warm Summer day or a sunset by the beach. Warm colors can significantly increase the cozy factor in your home.
Painting your walls a warmer color as opposed to a cooler tone can help increase hygge in your home. Or, use warm accents to incorporate this into your existing space. Color can have a huge impact on your mood, so this is an important aspect of creating the best cozy hygge decor in your home.
Here at Living Lighting Ottawa, we were inspired by the warm tones and implemented it into our logo because it represents, to us, the hygge principle.
5. Light a Candle
Did you Know? On average, Danish people burn about 13 pounds of candles per year.
Nothing says cozy like lighting up a candle and the Danes are well aware of this.
The dim light of candles provides a lovely hue for your home. It’s even better if you can find a candle that makes you feel calm or reminds you of your childhood.
However, having unscented candles work just as well because they provide great cozy lighting that doesn’t keep you awake at night. According to the Danes, you can never have too many candles in order to achieve the perfect hygge decor.
6. Remember Nostalgia
Nostalgia is closely associated with feeling cozy. Reading a good book, sipping an enjoyable childhood drink or cozying up in your favorite blanket are great and simple ways to implement a hygge lifestyle.
You can even go a step further by bringing in furniture that reminds you of happy memories and placing them in an area that you walk by frequently. Hanging photos of family and friends are great reminders of happy memories and can help you add a bit of cozier hygge decor to your home.
7. Choose the Right Kind of Lighting
Here’s the thing: Having harsh lights in your home can create feelings of unhappiness so it’s important to choose the correct type of lighting.
Picking out lights that have a lower temperature can help provide a cozier and more inviting environment. The placement of your lighting is also important in your home. Be sure to place lamps in darker corners of the house to brighten up the entire space. Placing light in a variety of spaces in your home is important as well.
Having candles for lower lighting and taller lamps for higher overhead lighting can actually influence your mood and productivity. In order to achieve a cozy hygge decor, it’s important to find lighting that looks appealing as well as serves the right purpose. Finding lamps that are artistic, rustic and vintage can help create a more cozy environment.