Hygge Kitchens

Pronounced ‘hoo-ga’, the word is fast becoming trendy and was originally a Norwegian term for wellbeing and the Scandinavian art of creating intimacy and cosiness in our everyday lives. It’s the special ingredient that gives us a warm, cosy and fuzzy feeling.

Hygge covers both the winter and summer seasons, but the idea works well in the harsh winters Scandinavia is renowned. Denmark’s inhabitants are amongst the world’s happiest people so they must be doing something right!

How to Bring Hygge into your Kitchen

Bringing Hygge into your kitchen can create a soft friendly atmosphere where you, your family and your friends will be able to cook, laugh and relax the Scandinavian way. Follow some of our tips below:

Add Lots of Candles 

Scandinavian countries seem to embrace the power and the warming glow of candlelight. Their Interiors become flickering landscapes of candles escaping the winter chill. Add scented candles with notes of tea, baked strawberry cake and soft rose petals for the ultimate Hygge experience. If you have children around, add fairy lights instead for the same effect. 

Choose Soft Neutral Colours

The Scandinavians love white, white and more white! Add some natural colours like soft beiges, greys and greige to the space to create a comforting aura just like our ‘Home at the Farmhouse’ project. These neutral colours will ensure that the space feels open and not cramped. Lime-wash driftwood looks great with these colours too.

Add Texture

Think of cosy and warm interiors and create the perfect relaxing moment.

Add lusciously soft textures such as cosy furs, chunky knits and cashmere to your scatter cushions, throws and blankets in your kitchen’s seating area. When combined with a roaring fire and soft candlelight, there is no setting more Hygge. Not everyone has a roaring fire in the kitchen so I added one on my TV screen (courtesy of YouTube). 

Update The Small Things That Make You Happy

Tiny additions to the home can transform any moment for the better. Treat yourself to a bean-to-cup coffee machine to make your favourite cappuccino or frothy hot chocolate. Indulging in new scented oils for your incense burner or finally putting your favourite photographs on the wall are all daily instant mood lifters, take the time and enjoy them.

Hygge With Friends 

Hygge is best enjoyed with friends. The long Scandinavian winter nights are interspersed with hygge-lit gatherings of friends and family by the fireside drinking gløgg (mulled wine) and eating wholesome food, so the best way to experience this idea for yourself is to invite your nearest and dearest round and get cooking.

Don’t Rush

We are always rushing, aren’t we? Whether it’s working, taking care of the children, seeing our friends- we are all so busy. We need to slow down and take time to take care of ourselves. Even if it is just a short moment to enjoy the mug of coffee you have made or stay an extra ten minutes in the bath to ensure daily stresses have melted away and savour that slice of cake or that fresh satsuma. 

Be Laid Back 

Hygge is never about extravagance; indulgence yes, but extravagance no. Hygge settings are not about wowing or impressing guests, they are about creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that friends and family never want to leave. Dinners don’t need to be styled to perfection with a 10-course tasting menu, take gatherings back to basics for a more natural, laidback feel. Instead, soak in the atmosphere with your friends and appreciate the environment you are in. 

Enjoy The Space Around You

The key idea behind Hygge is to enjoy your environment and your home. The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in your home; it gets used every day whether that’s for cooking, eating or working from home. Therefore, you must make your kitchen a relaxing sanctuary to sink into at any given moment despite the fact it has the potential to be a stressful area. Fill your kitchen with key items to allow you to turn it into this relaxing space you have always dreamed of. Hygge demonstrates that overall well-being can be enhanced by making small changes to everyday environments. So whatever you are doing, take the time to revel in the tiny moments that make you smile and uplift the soul.

“Hot chocolate, frosty mornings, walks in the woods, crumble and custard, furry boots, a real fire, red wine, fairy lights, old films, candles, the sound of the rain, cinnamon, falling leaves, blankets and cushions, gingerbread, snuggly socks, Sunday roast, cosy jumpers.”

Give it a try, We all need a Hygge now and then!