I wanted to talk to you about this decoration trend which is also, and above all, a super positive way of living that Peter and I trying to abide by, both in terms of decoration and our way of living and consumption (cf. decoration article Living room tour & Kitchen room tour).. The Scandinavian art of living involves making the most of the present moment, appreciating what life offers us and sharing warm moments with those we love. It’s all about focusing on the important things – the famous Scandinavian recipe for happiness!
>> What is Hygge??
- In a global sense, Hygge = a feeling of warmth, security, comfort and protection. This translates as knowing how to be present and how to be together.
- In decoration, Hygge = simple lines, a crisp style, in neutral tones with organic elements, from vintage to cosy touches… basically a nest in which we feel good, and which often goes hand-in-hand with the philosophies of slow life and less is more.
The Danish took on these philosophies to confront the long winters, with few daylight hours. They look for feelings of comfort, warmth and friendship by eating with friends, spending time playing with their children at home, taking care of them and taking care of the decoration at home, where they spend lots of time nesting, alone, as a couple, as a family or with friends.
>> Here’s how to adopt the Hygge lifestyle to bring a cozy feel to your home.
1/ Chunky knits, faux fur & nesting…
Blankets, poufs, cushions and thick rugs are staples of Scandinavian décor. They bring a certain cosiness to an interior, as well as helping you be comfy. The advantage is that they can be changed and tidied away if they are no longer needed or if you want to switch things up. The ideal thing is to mix fabrics like linen, wool, cotton and knits of different sizes. If you want to go all out hygge, spend an afternoon in pyjamas, curled up in a blanket with a book and a hot chocolate J ..)
>> Keeping with the cosy, nesting mood, faux fur brings a nice, Scandi touch which you can change according to your mood. At first, I put faux fur table sets (which I found at Casa shops ) on our lounge chairs to protect the velvet from the cats scratching them and I liked the effect so I ended up adding more elsewhere, like on a tree trunk to make it into a stool or on our recycled wooden chair – it looks pretty cool.
Shopping info //
- I found a totally artisanal store where they make crochet cushions by hand and they are gorgeous. That’s where we got the white floor cushion for example. (They also sell on Etsy, and you can order pieces if they are out of stock) . ·
- There are also pretty crochet cushions at La redoute intérieur or even at Maisons du monde, in another style which is a bit less expensive but quite industrial.
- As for knitted blankets, you can find them for every budget but I really like the ones at KSL Living which are beautiful .. There are also some nice ones, which are less expensive (and not as good quality ) at Maisons du Monde ..
- As for square knitted cushions, I got mine at Maisons du monde but you can find them pretty much everywhere…. it depends on what are looking for.·
- For the super thick rug we got ours from un amour de tapis .
2/ Monochrome & nude colors ..
Choose soft colors, pastels, nudes and neutrals for a harmonious and soft interior White is obviously the main colour of the Hygge trend, that you can mix with beige tones, gray and pastel.
3/ By the fireside or by candlelight ..
The lucky ones will have a fireplace, a staple accessory in the Scandinavian home. For the others there’s always candles which warm up an interior and create a peaceful mood.
I love layering up beautiful candles on a table or on the ground, or just using one big one which can be its own design statement. There are so many beautiful candles, handmade, with soy wax or recycled versions for putting in bottles. I wrote an article on the subject (here) but as I discover new ones every week, it’s hard to cover them all. Among my favorites of the last few years are the famous candles from the Château de Versailles. The glass is artistanally blown and it’s just such a beautiful thing (la chapelle du roi with incense scent is just to die for.. we also have the diffuser with the same scent) .. Diptyque .. a must have .. but also Aqua di Parma.. with gorgeous candles and diffusers. or even the trendy candles with a Cap Ferret feel by Maison Sarah Lavoine…
>> As for natural and recycled versions, we love By the sea & Muno Candela. We also have a fleur de bach diffuser from them .. You can diffuse relaxing scents, sage, palo santo, or even incense ( do this at least once a week.. it smells good and purifies the space ..) Here we’re fans of the Palo santo scent.
As for lamps, forget chandeliers, it’s all about soft & mood lighting like lamp shades & table lamps… We ordered ours from Bs Living, a nice lamp brand with chic designs. Above all, air the space, open the wides wide and let the light in, it’s good for the mood
4/ Raw & organic materials
Driftwood, pine cones, crystals and plants will bring some nature into your apartment and help you reconnect with the earth. Of course, these are just light touches, so the house isn’t overwhelmed, but pretty pieces in wood, some pine nuts here and there (in a basket for example) stones and crystals which are real good vibe diffusers, (clean and recharge them regularly), driftwood brought back from the beach or the forest, whether it’s in the form of big branches which become design statements in themselves, or as planks placed on radiators or pieces of furniture a bit like shelves… You can also make frames from them or construct a piece of furniture, a coffee table, a bed…
>> As for material, waxed concrete & tadelakt are also nice, whether it’s for the floors, on the walls or on a kitchen worktop… We just applied some waxed concrete, so those who want to do the same should check out our tips here.
5 / Recycling, vintage, retro & reeditions…
This means mixing old and new, bringing new life to a piece of furniture thanks to a coat of paint, or new handles for example, upcycling cheap objects and pieces to make them trendy, hunting for vintage plates, or adopting reeditions of objects which we loved the design of. (In my case, the Smeg fridge and accessories from the same range like kettle, toaster & a retro coffee machine which I’m crazy about)…
Basically, personalizing, being creative, making something new from old things & vice versa, recycling while remaining chic and fresh is also a big part of the Hygge philosophy…
6 / Prints, yes but…
A few artworks and prints on the wall, just not too many. You can gather together a few prints and/or mirrors on one wall and leave all of the other walls blank .. It’s all about less is more…
We ordered ours online at Poster Lounge. Once you’ve chosen the image you just need to choose the size and materials… They have a big choice of pictures and materials (paper, wood, plexi, acrylic, pvc .. and they are quite competitive in terms of quality / price.. And there are so many prints that it’s really hard to choose! The best thing to do is just go to their inspiration section and look at the different themes like Scandinavian design, zen, kitchen, vintage, children’s rooms etc.
>> For those of you who want to do some shopping on Poster lounge, you can get 15% avec off with the code MAGIC15 (valid from 08 to 22 September 2020 on all of the online Posterlounge store (excluding gift vouchers).
7/ A cosy bed for a good night’s sleep…
We prioritized recycling for our bed, which is made of wooden pallets, on which we added a super mattress. It’s 100 % naturel, comfortable and sustainable, from Kippli. It’s made of natural latex and organic cotton… You really sleep well on it! Choosing the right materials is super important as it directly influences the quality of our sleep (so our mood too! ^^) as well as thinking of our backs. It’s important to be thorough and selective when you buy a mattress.. Kippli is a made in France brand which offers mattresses which are thick, healthy, eco-friendly and Oeko-tex certified, with a washable cover. What is great about them, is that they are reversible with one more supple side and a firmer one – so you can choose according to your preferences. The delivery is quite quick, you just need to order online and somebody brings the package within a few days, then you just need to set it up.
>> They also have mattresses and beds for children, which are great, as well as bed linins in lit organic cotton percale.. You can buy everything online or, for those who want to discover the brand, head to the pretty Kipli store which just opened at 56 rue du Temple in Paris.
crédits // photos @peter soubbotnik / Translation @Hannah Ikin
