Hygge Home - Thomas Nielson

Note: While reading a book whenever I come across something interesting, I highlight it on my Kindle. Later I turn those highlights into a blogpost. It is not a complete summary of the book. These are my notes which I intend to go back to later. Let’s start!

Hygge is mostly about comfort, a mindful approach to anything and everything, a certain coziness, an earnest simplicity that warms the hearts of friends and family alike.
You may think that your home is already all laid out with different ideas for the rooms, but are you actually happy with them? Does it lend to the overall flow of your home? You also need to think about each room on a smaller scale and as an individual. Take the living room as an example; you may even be sitting in your own living room as you read this e-book. Look around you and what do you see? How do you see the function of the room? Does it serve every purpose that you think you will need in this room? How does it feel to you? Is it comforting or does it have no real character? Is it lacking soul? Look at each corner or the space by the fireplace. Are they being used or are they just left abandoned and vacant? If this is the case, then you aren’t doing it right, and something needs to be addressed.
This is not to say that each part of a room needs to have its use, but what use is the living room if you have things that are potentially noisy and yet you want some peace and quiet? You have your comfortable chairs in the living room. You can have the warm, snug fire on in the winter keeping you cozy so why would you then have to go elsewhere if you wanted that peaceful setting?
Hygge teaches you that there is no point in having that dining table and chairs if it’s crushed into a corner never to be used. It gets even worse if the table top is covered in objects and just taking up space. There’s no point in having a room that feels as if it is almost going to suffocate you because of the multitude of objects that are contained within it.
With hygge, there is a real sense of you putting some thought into each action and decision that you make in your home. Doing things in a rushed manner without thinking about it is just a sign of the chaotic world that we tend to live in—a world that we are so desperately trying to extract ourselves from.
It’s fair to assume that if our home life is chaotic and without function, then the rest of our life is probably the same. There is a need for you to feel connected to the space. That you, and anybody else, is able to identify what the space is for and are free to use it for that purpose.
Functionality means you know what the room is being used for. Consider breaking down the room into smaller areas and their function. Remember, a room can have more than one function. Have a clear idea of where things will go in a room. Once you understand the functionality, you can then start to work on the space. Objects are related to the functionality.
Work through the items in each room and be prepared to have a clear out. As before, check if you have more than one and, if so, do you need it? Consider if an object can be used elsewhere in the home. Accept if something has had its time with you. Allow it to go elsewhere so it can be enjoyed and bring pleasure.
Often, one can have an item that has sentimental value, but where do those sentiments come from, and what is their role in your life? Does the item bring you happiness, or does it weigh you down with the expectation that you should keep it?
Often, we can have items in our possession that have little personal meaning to us. However, we feel obliged to hold onto them for fear of upsetting others. This will tend to lead to our homes being filled with objects that we don’t want, and that alone is going to give us some stress. To deal with this situation, you need to be prepared to spend time thinking carefully about each item and the role that it plays.
When looking at your objects in a room, please do consider the following points just to make life that bit easier: When did I last use it? Is it serving a purpose? What difference does it make to my life? Does it fit in with the idea I have surrounding the function of the room? Ascertaining what should be kept, what should be moved or re-purposed, and what should be disposed of is important.
Let’s say that in your living room you have a stereo system, a television, chairs, and a fireplace. The aim of hygge is that you can use anything and everything in a room without too much effort. This means you should be able to see the television from each chair without having to move it or change your angle to sit comfortably. Nobody should be sitting in direct line of the fire, so they are far too hot while everyone else is comfortable. Everybody should be capable of switching any devices on without having to lean over other objects. People should be able to get to their seats and feel relaxed. Lights should be able to be switched on and off without too much difficulty. As you can see, the idea of looking at the layout of a room is that the function is fulfilled without things having to constantly be adjusted. That in itself is stressful and frustrating, and you can start to see how that is against hygge. Also, it makes perfect sense that the more cramped a room is because of clutter, then the harder it is to do all of these tasks without running the risk of knocking things over, having to move things, and just generally being annoyed. So, when thinking about the ease of access concept, think about these points. Can you access each piece of furniture without any difficulty? Which objects obstruct you? Can you use everything without having to alter the position of something? Do you need to remove any object to improve access? How comfortable is the room with what is in it at this point? Can the function of the room be achieved with the items in that room? This is all about making life as easy as possible. It’s all about lowering your stress and getting rid of those objects that just get in the way. You want to use everything in your home without any difficulty.
Light is very, very important in hygge. In fact, its role cannot be stressed enough since light can have such an impact on the overall mood of your entire home while also relaxing you and allowing you to unwind.
Light is capable of bringing a sense of magic to the home. It can illuminate. It can bring comfort. It can completely change the mood and atmosphere of a room or even just a corner. It can also be used to differentiate between spaces that are for different purposes.
With the living room, you may have a favorite spot where you sit and read, so for this, hygge would essentially demand that you have a light near that spot that is not too bright, but also not too dim to allow you to do this. You should be able to reach the light in order to switch it on and off when required since the ease of access concept is also very important. There is also the sense of the correct placement of lights elsewhere. Candles on the fireplace can add a certain sense of warmth and delicacy to the room, as well as providing that cozy feeling that you should be seeking. In addition, adding candles to the top of a table rather than a lamp, or having the ability to switch between the two, can also make a difference. You may also find that placing candles by the window for those dark evenings adds a healthy glow to the room that is both warm and inviting. It is also an option for you to look at furniture and how it can be softly lit to brighten up those dark corners. Once again, you don’t want to just have a lamp as an option as versatility and the ability to change the atmosphere is an important part, so you may wish to consider using lights that are battery powered and draping them over objects in order to bring light to those dark spaces. Doing that in various areas of the room can just add some life without it being overpowering, resulting in the perfect atmosphere.
Danes believe in the power of light to do more than just allowing you to see in a room when it’s dark outside. They believe that it has the ability to really change a room and set the scene,whether the goal is relaxing or entertaining. What you must do is assess your lighting situation. Throw out the majority of those bright bulbs and lights that dominate, and replace them with light sources that are softer and more pleasant to sit around.
If you look at the typical Danish home, you will notice a lot of space in the various rooms. This often brings with it a sense of calm as no objects appear to be on top of one another, which is always difficult to deal with.
The Danes are content with what the room is laid out for, and they make sure that nothing gets in the way of that function.
You see, hygge is about being able to breathe and breathing becomes harder in a confined space. If you are in a room and there’s no space, with objects dominating the walls and every surface, then it’s not hygge.
It’s important that you create a sense of ease in the room. Ease to move around. An ease to use the room in the way you intended it. An ease to come and go as you please. Your home should never be stressful to you in any way, and hygge allows you to work through each room and create the kind of space you want.
Are you sure you understand the function of the space? Have you mastered the art of ease of access for those functions? Have you worked through the different objects and identified what should be kept? How does the atmosphere in the room feel compared to earlier?
The Danes love the idea of freshness in their lives. However, they also enjoy the cozy feeling, and hygge is a balance of both. Space plays a big role in this, and the Danes thoroughly enjoy the freedom that it gives in their home. Identify the space, work with the function you have in mind, and you will see that there is a new lease on life for each room in your home.
Hygge is anti-clutter. Hygge hates clutter. In actual fact, clutter is the complete opposite of hygge, and that’s why there is so much of an emphasis on de-cluttering not only your home, but also your life. Because of this, you will feel refreshed and as if you have more space to breathe, which can never be a bad thing at all.
The flow is important. The best organization is where items are kept in a logical manner so you can get to them and are not crossing a room or reaching up for one thing and then down low for another. Doing this is stressful and, as you know, stress is something that is frowned upon in hygge. This is why it’s so important that you de-clutter first and immediately prior to trying to organize things. It lets you know the items you have and from that, you can begin to work out the order with the flow in mind.
In Danish homes, there is often a sense of a general flow between the outdoors and indoors. The two seem to work together seamlessly and this in itself creates a certain sense of calm and order in each room.
One thing that you will often find in Danish homes is that they use natural textures and wood in their interiors. It seems to bring a certain sense of peace and calm that you have included nature in your home and the beauty that it can offer. Also, there’s never any need for them to overdo these natural materials. The very idea of having a room swathed in wood would be seen as horrific as it can often be rather impersonal if you rely too heavily on it. What we are talking about here are things that include the following: Window blinds can be in natural material. Chair coverings can be in a natural material. The same can be applied to cushions. Other soft furnishings can also be included.
It makes sense to look at growing some herbs indoors in the kitchen. Not only is it useful, but the act of growing the herbs and then using them in your own cooking is hygge encapsulated. Have a corner or a spot next to a window with a lot of natural light and effectively turn it into a small, indoor garden.
Potted plants can be used in more places than you expect. However, one tip is to have something fresh and alive in the hallway, if possible, as it gives a pleasant feeling when you walk into the home. As we said, the bathroom can often be spruced up by some kind of plant in the corner, but it shouldn’t be the dominant feature.
Something that is broken or damaged in some way is not following hygge. So, if flowers or plants are past their best, replace them immediately. Something that is alive and pleasant to look at lifts the spirits at different times, so it makes sense that the opposite would also apply at most times. Do yourself a favor and look at helping to bring the outside into your home. It is known that being in touch with nature has a calming effect on the mind and soul, so it’s perhaps no surprise that it is seen as being a useful tool when it comes to hygge. Also, look at some images of Danish homes and see how they incorporate it into their own particular style as inspiration. However, just add your very own touch rather than doing a carbon copy.
Never rush into decorating; take your time with your decisions. Choose colors or materials that you like, no matter what they are. Become immersed in the decorating process at all times. Create your own style, although do look for inspiration elsewhere. Remember the reason for the space and how the décor can reflect that reason.
A great touch, which is really Danish, is to have a basket with gloves for you going out, or warm and thick socks for when you come home. It’s a little, comforting item that can have such a positive effect on your mind and soul. Make sure the lighting in the hallway is warm and welcoming, as well. It makes your home look more inviting.
The living room will tend to be one of the most widely used rooms in the home, so it’s important that you understand how to dress it correctly when trying to incorporate hygge into your life. Begin by throwing out those powerful lights and swap them for a lower wattage bulb. Add some warmth with throws, thick rugs, comfortable cushions, and various candle holders dotted around the room. Identify dark areas and use small lights or even fairy lights to add some warmth to them. Make sure each item in the lounge has some kind of purpose. Have chairs as comfortable as possible. Allow light to enter the room via the window. Allow air to circulate to create a freshness in the room. Consider using white furniture or throw blankets to allow the light to bounce off the surfaces and make everything seem even brighter than before.
With hygge, there is no doubt that the kitchen is indeed the heart of the home.If you have a dining space included here, then you are onto a real winner. Once again, you need to allow as much light into the room as possible. Also, keep fresh fruit and vegetables on view since this is effectively bringing some form of life to the kitchen. Include wooden chopping boards and wooden worktops with light cupboards. Have a number of cupboards with glass fronts allowing you to add lights to the inside since this adds a different atmosphere to the room. Use small lights underneath cupboards to light the worktop rather than have the room dominated by one single large ceiling light. If you do have a dining table here, then make sure it is always ready to welcome any guests that may pop in for a chat. It needs to be accessible, take minutes to set, and it should not be crammed into a corner. There should be a sense of freedom surrounding it so that individuals would want to sit there for what would feel like hours chatting, eating, and generally having fun together.
The bathroom is clearly a functional space, but that doesn’t mean you need to forget the décor and taking advantage of hygge. It’s certainly a case of you being able to adapt the room for whatever kind of atmosphere you are seeking at the time. After all, a bathroom should be capable of becoming a space where you are able to pamper yourself, so there’s a need for your décor to allow you to switch lights. With this, we aren’t just talking about candlelight, either. Try lights surrounding the main bathroom mirror that will illuminate the room without taking over. Consider plants in the room, if possible, and to have fresh towels. Make sure that there is a towel heating radiator so that you can enjoy that feeling of the warm towel after a shower. If you are a lover of various pampering products, then always check you have adequate storage and can access everything easily. The one thing that you simply cannot do is to have all of those bottles scattered around in a haphazard way. It’s messy,it’s chaotic, and it’s certainly not hygge.
This applies no matter if we are talking about the master bedroom or a guest bedroom, as the same principles apply at all times. The bedroom is a place for rest and reflection, and that is something that hygge and the Danes are experts at doing in their own home. Too often, people will have television sets, their smartphones, laptops, and various other electrical gadgets that effectively take you away from the main idea behind the room even existing in the first place. It’s no surprise to find out that we are talking about the need for mood lighting here, but also perhaps a chair in the corner of the room by the window where you can read or sit back and listen to music in order to relax. You see, even though we are talking about removing electronic gadgets from the room, we aren’t talking about the bedroom becoming solely a place for sleep—far from it. You should be able to turn it into a kind of haven. Once again, natural light should flood in as much as possible and bedding should be of the best quality that you can afford. Your bedroom should feel luxurious and comfortable at all times. You should be able to feel snug and cozy whenever you go in there. Most importantly, it should clearly be a place to rest and effectively close the door to all of the stresses in the world. Oh, and using mirrors to bounce the natural light around the room is also a very good idea.