In Denmark, “hygge” means creating a cozy atmosphere that brings happiness. According to the philosophy of Hügge, the smallest everyday joys can make a person happy: a nicely served dinner, good coffee, or a fluffy carpet in the living room. No wonder the Danes consistently top the ratings of the happiest people in the world, despite the harsh climate and lack of sunshine.
Danish hygge has become one of the trends in interior design. Its basis is a traditional Scandinavian style that combines simplicity, naturalness, and functionality. Here is how to organize a comfortable and stylish space, following the principles of the fashionable Danish concept of cozy living.
1. Light shades
Nordic interiors are very warm and light. Therefore, it is important to stick to a neutral color palette when creating it. White and its shades are the basis of the Scandinavian style. They are used for finishing walls, ceilings, floors, and furniture. In addition, the white color allows you to increase the room’s space visually and reflects the greatest amount of daylight. This is especially valuable when there is a shortage of sunlight.
In order to avoid boring “hospital” associations, white is usually diluted with warm light colors and a couple of color accents in the furniture. These can be bright crocheted cushions with original upholstery. In addition to white, different shades of beige, gray, ash, pearl, powder pink, light green, sky blue, and light brown can serve as a background.
2. Eco-friendly materials
The Scandinavian style is loved for its eco-friendliness. Its main requirement for materials is naturalness. Natural colors and textures make a hygge interior home-like and bring it closer to nature. It is preferable to use leather, metal, ceramics, bricks, natural stones, and glass for decoration. Another key element of the Danish interior is the wood.
Most often, it is light woods: poplar, ash, maple, beech, and birch. Instead of natural wood, quality imitations with the pronounced natural wood grain can be used. Adding a rich, rough texture to the interior is a simple way to make the minimalist Scandinavian design more attractive. The central element of a hygge interior is a wood-burning stove or natural stone fireplace. In a city apartment, instead of it, you can use an electric fireplace with a live flame effect or a false fireplace decorated with candles.
3. Restrained decor
When choosing jewelry for the house, Danes are guided not by trends but by their own feelings. Simplicity and restraint are the main features of the Danish style. There is no need to overload the hygge interior to make it cozy. The decor should be discreet and stylish at the same time. It will be in harmony with the surroundings and still be noticeable.
Danes pay special attention to the kitchen and living room design, where family members gather together. Books, records, minimalistic round mirrors on suspension, old photographs in frames, vintage ceramics, and teapots decorated with knitted warmers are suitable for decorating these areas. You can put natural handmade soaps and wicker baskets in the bathroom for laundry. You can also refresh and complement the interior of any room with live plants in pots.
4. An abundance of lamps and candles
Now remote work has become increasingly popular since the 2020-2021 COVID pandemic, and numerous IT corporations, essay writer free services, consulting, and other companies are increasingly encouraging employees to work from home; the topic of lighting has become even more practical.
Many people began to embrace the “hygge” way because due to the lack of sun in the Scandinavian interior is welcomed rich artificial lighting. Pay attention to lamps with vintage or frosted lamps and chandeliers with upward-directed light. In a Danish interior will be pertinent sconces, spotlights, floor lamps, lanterns, and flickering lights that disperse soft, muted light. The latter can be used to decorate window openings.
In this case, it is essential to carefully consider the location of light sources to avoid aggressive lighting. Candles are trendy among the Danes, especially simple white ones – cylindrical and odorless. According to the European Candle Association, each resident of Denmark burns an average of 6 kg of candle wax annually. Today this figure is the highest in the world.
5. Simple wooden furniture
The main idea of Danish hygge in the interior is to create a clean, uncluttered space that helps to relax. When choosing furniture, first of all, pay attention to its practicality, functionality, and aesthetics. It is better to have handmade furniture without flashy decor and bright details. The absolute must-have of the interior is a spacious upholstered sofa and a wooden dining table with a minimalist design.
Small wooden nightstands, light coffee tables, and open shelves for storing small things will be appropriate in a small living room. Built-in niches and shelving units are another common Nordic-style trend. They facilitate space organization and help hide items that do not fit into the interior—for example, appliances.
6. Panoramic windows and airy tulle
Danish homes that value hygge have large panoramic windows made of wood. They help to extract the maximum amount of daylight, which is so lacking in the cold climate of the Scandinavian countries. Most often, the windows are painted in the tone of the floor and decorated with light cotton curtains. Instead of them, you can use bamboo or paper blinds, airy tulle, fine organza curtains, or Roman blinds.
Choose a print that echoes the cushions or carpet. This way, the interior will look more cohesive and harmonious. The Danes emphasize natural light; therefore, heavy and thick curtains are not suitable for apartments in the Scandinavian style. Many supporters of the philosophy of Hugge and even leave the window “naked” to the sun better penetrate the dwelling. And on broad window-sills, they arrange “hygge krog,” cozy nooks for reading and resting.
7. Pleasant-to-the-touch fabrics
In Danish interiors, everything is subordinate to creating home warmth and comfort. Therefore the hygge style is characterized by an abundance of decorative pillows, fluffy rugs, tablecloths made of cotton and linen, and textured woolen plaids. The textile must be natural, pleasant to the touch, and not too bright. For decorating, mostly are used geometric abstract prints: are different zigzags, triangles, rhombuses, stripes, broken lines, and traditional Scandinavian ornaments on a neutral background.
Layering is another feature of the hygge style. Feel free to layer bedding: combine linen sheets and wool blankets with a collection of different sizes and shapes of pillows. Choosing the right textiles is the final touch to create coziness according to the Danish recipe.
