One of our favourite additions to our 2017 kitchen trend report was from the lovely Hannah of HannahInTheHouse.com explaining ‘hygge’. If you haven’t read her blog yet, get over there now for Scandinavian design and simple living – it’s a treat!
We were hearing a lot about the term ‘hygge’ (pronounced hue-gah) in the latter part of last year and we have to admit that we were a little confused by some of the varying articles going around. That’s where Hannah stepped in and told us all about how to create this Danish feeling.
We were surprised to hear that it matches up wonderfully with our own ethos and how we approach all of our design work – we’ve been implementing hygge for years without even knowing the term. Ironically that’s essentially what it’s all about – it’s not a trend, it’s a way of life and as long as we keep on determining our own customers’ personalities and needs, our kitchens will forever evoke a sense of comfort and cosiness. Keep on reading for Hannah’s own top tips for incorporating some hygge into your home.
“To create the sense of hygge in a kitchen there must consider function, clutter free aesthetics and clean design, softened up with warm lighting, textiles and ambience. We’ve all heard the rough english translation of hygge meaning ‘cosiness’ and yes this is one part of a larger concept.
How to create hygge
Having a cosy and welcoming kitchen helps towards the feeling of hygge but to fully appreciate it you can try the following:
- The smell of baked bread, or freshly brewed coffee
- Create mood lighting, this softens up a harsh kitchen environment. Table lamps, pendents, under cupboard lighting etc.
- Light some candles (cliche I know but candles are very important)
- Keep the kitchen clutter free. It’s much more relaxing to cook and entertain when there’s space
- Music. I love soft ambient music in the background
- Nature is important when thinking of hygge. A small herb garden is a beautiful and functional addition to have
- Cooking and entertaining are key parts to having a hyggelig kitchen. Invite friends over for dinner, a working kitchen is a happy kitchen. If you are designing a kitchen with hygge in mind, create a calm tonal colour palette, soft greys, whites, and natural wood. Kitchen islands area a great way to bridge a kitchen to a living space, they are great social features too.
Hygge is subjective and so can be someone’s personal design style. If you create a functional kitchen with good lighting, great smells, any space for social activities and a level of ambience, then you are well on your way.”
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Images courtesy Hannah in the House
