Creating hygge

You've probably seen or heard of the word 'hygge' before. It was all the craze a few years ago and become massively overused, but it actually has a great meaning. The word, pronounced hoo-gah, basically means cosiness, but it is so much more than that. It's about creating a warm and comforting atmosphere. Winter is the key time for hygge.

For many the change in the weather and descending darkness can lead to us feeling rather down and depressed, this year more than ever, where Summer has been anything but normal and the world (and us as individuals) try to navigate the COVID world.

Rather than letting this time of year get us down, Autumn and Winter can be all about cosy film nights, hearty meals and other things which are good for the soul, this is hygge. A huge part of hygge is the environment and atmosphere around you. When I lived in flats or modern houses in Bristol in the Winter I missed the crisp Exmoor morning, the mist over the fields in the distance and the log burner, this is because for me these were comforting and homely and in Bristol I was missing something, missing hygge. 

Wherever you are spending this Autumn and Winter you can create your own hygge by surrounding yourself with items which create comfort and a homely feel for you. Below are some of the items which I find always make a space feel more homely. 

Candles

Candles come in a range of scents and are £8 each.

The warm glow from a candle or multiple candles can instantly change the lighting of a room and make it feel cosy and inviting. I love to light a candle in the evening as I read or watch TV as I really feel it makes me feel more relaxed. Our range of candles come in beautiful glass bell jars which means they also make beautiful ornaments when they are not lit.

Plants - real or fake

Greenery adds colour and interest to a room. If, like me, you struggle to keep real plants alive then our range of real looking trees and plants are perfect. Fill your home with things you love and which make you feel happy and it really does make a huge difference to the soul. Just the idea of having nature around you is suggested to reduce fatigue and stress.

Focusing on scents 

Parkminster room sprays come in eight glorious scents and are £13 each. 

Reed diffusers are £25 each and come in a range of scents.

Certain scents are good for calming, some for fatigue and others for all sorts of other things. Whether you want a certain scent which is known for helping something you suffer with, or just want to create a fragrance which you like, home fragrance is perfect for giving your home a scent which will always feel like home to you. Open the door on a cold winter evening and be greeted by a scent which means home, and immediately feel the worries and stresses of the day fade away. 

Lighting

A bright, white clinical light does not hygge make. When I was in rented accommodation I struggled with lighting, the options either made it too dark or too bright and clinical. Creating the perfect cosy lighting can help you relax in your warm home on a chilly night. I found that lamps and candles really helped transform my living room into a calming and inviting place where I wanted to be. Whether you own your home and want to consider new lampshades, lighting arrangements and combinations, or you just want to add some lamps to your existing set up, creating the glow that you want and that feels like home to you. 

What create a feeling of hygge for you? Let us know.