Hygge: The Art of Cozy

updated November 2022

The short of it: hygge (pronounced hyugah) is the Danish word for the feeling of being cozy. But hygge has a lot more to it than the English word "cozy" can begin to describe: it’s a lifestyle. Although it's been in pop culture for a few years now, I thought I'd write about my personal experience with the hygge movement. Once you start embracing hygge, it's pretty easy to see how your life was missing it all along.

Let’s get some language details out of the way: hygge is a noun AND a verb. You can say ‘I have hygge’ or ‘I am going to hygge with my friends.’ Hyggelig (pronounced hyug-e-lig) is the adjective: ‘that is a hyggelig blanket’ or ‘that cat looks so hyggelig.’ I have yet to attempt to learn Danish, so I’m not sure about the conjugation of the verb hygge, but maybe one day (perhaps in the next next update of this blog post?)

I believe the biggest mistake people make when first seeking hygge is thinking they need to go out and acquire stuff to make their life hyggelig. This idea is so anti-hygge. A key part of hygge is being content - being happy with what you have and making do.

For me, my favourite hyggelig moments are when gathered around a crackling fire, in a dimly lit room, with a few close friends or family, with jazz playing softly in the background. No screen time, just good company, laughing, reminiscing, chatting away…maybe about the fun, yet chilly day we just had, spent on the snowmobiles. Everyone is snacking away on some freshly baked treats with a drink in hand, preferably tea - or ooh, maybe some mulled wine? It’s almost the season.

The feeling of togetherness, warmth, comfort, thankfulness, and being present in the moment, all in a cozy atmosphere is hygge.

I get asked all the time about these bentwood chairs, and they’re vintage from Poland! I bought them off a sweet elderly lady when I first moved to Calgary. The table is also an antique.

making borscht, Ukrainian style.

tea is a nightly tradition at our place, and coffee is a mindful morning one.

While not every moment can be totally hyggelig, it is possible to create opportunities for hygge in your everyday life. I've spent a lot of time working towards this feeling in my own home. I do feel that it is an art, it's not something you can just buy straight off the shelf. It's a process and you get to design what your ideal hygge moment is.

Creating Hygge in Your Life

Lighting

Warm lighting has been key for creating the perfect atmosphere in my home. No matter where I’ve lived, I always make sure there are ample lamps spread around each room, with warm light bulbs in each of them. A few of my lamps even have dimmer switches, which is especially handy. It gives such a cozy, warm feeling in the evenings, and also prepares our bodies for vitally important sleep.

Tip: if you don't have the means to put in new lightbulbs or fixtures, just use candles! An open flame is even more hygge. If I could have anything in my future home, it would be a fireplace. That is 100% due to my love of hygge.

My fiancé and I live in a space with large windows; as photographers, having a space with a lot of natural light is important to us. I especially am a stickler for just utilizing daylight, and never switching on the overhead fixtures. Not only is it more eco-friendly (being kind to nature is also hyggelig), but natural lighting is more aesthetically pleasing.

Nature

The sunlight flooding through the windows also provides the means for another hyggelig element in our home to live…our plants! Home wouldn't have the feeling of cozy without natural elements surrounding it, and indoor plants serve as a good reminder of what awaits outside. Balance is always important.

Indulgence

Comfort food is synonymous to hyggelig food. Once again, though, balance is key: there would be no comfort in comfort food without a healthy salad every once in a while. Indulgences aren’t special if they are the norm, so save your best pastries or warm casserole dishes for those most hyggelig moments. Speaking from personal experience, a dark chocolate covered almond or three can fill any moment with a little hygge.

I find getting ready at a vanity to be a very indulgent experience - even though it’s not really

my favourite perfume is very hyggelig

these are a few of my favourite things…

Togetherness

Hygge is meant to be shared; whether with one friend or a few, a partner, or some family. The key is to be together in equality, harmony, and calmness. Hyggelig moments are not the time to discuss world issues or upsetting topics, to yell loudly at televised sports games, or to slam back alcoholic beverages. It’s a time for lifting each other up, inspiring one another, and sharing stories.

An excellent example of summertime hygge is telling ghost stories around the campfire while snacking on s'mores!

Presence

As if you didn't need another excuse to turn off your phone and set it aside for an evening. It's hyggelig to be present in the moment, and technology just doesn't allow for that. Technology really goes against a lot of what it means to be hygge. So shut it down, read a book, enjoy the conversation, or partake in old-fashioned entertainment.

Setting

I know I said that acquiring things is very anti-hygge, but if you're in the process of updating your space, why not keep the concept in mind? I certainly have in most homes I have lived.

Keeping things natural, with as little man-made textiles as possible, and reusing antiques is really your best bet. You know what's way more hygge than that brand-new microfibre sofa from Ikea? That worn-in, oversized leather chair from a thrift shop down the road. Better for the environment, your wallet, and the hygge.

The feeling you get when you sit down at a desk that was used by a great-grandparent is hygge. Family heirlooms and antiques are a great way to bring the concept into your home, without spending a lot of money.

Personally, I love finding decor items when I travel because every time I look at it, I'm transported back to that particular moment. That memory brings a feeling of comfort, warmth, and contentedness - all of which are hygge.

Thankfulness

The key to being content, I think, is to be thankful for what you have. Taking a moment for gratitude is extremely hyggelig. Besides, it’s an easy thing we could all do to improve our lives, hygge or not.

These are the key concepts of hygge, and the things I strive for when trying to make my everyday life a little more cozy, especially up here in Canada. Hope these ideas can help you on the coldest winter days, or the stormiest summer nights. If you'd like to read more hyggelig content from me, please let me know!

If you'd like to read more on hygge in general, check out my favourite books on the topic:

The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking

The Little Book of Lykke by Meik Wiking

How to Hygge by Signe Johansen

The Little Book of Fika by Lynda Balslev

American Cozy by Stephanie Pederson

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