Hygge: 6 tips to make your home feel cosy this winter

It's easy to see why man got fed up with living in wattle and daub huts, and made wood burning stoves a deity. The cold winter months are enough to drive even the most unbearably keen outdoor enthusiasts indoors, seeking home comforts and the whistle of a boiled kettle.

To help you create your perfect winter refuge, we've taken inspiration from the Danish (masters of ‘Hygge’, which roughly translates to 'the art of cosiness').

1. Lighting

The Danes maintain warm light is essential to create positive ambience, or hygge. Confusingly, the lower the temperature of light, the warmer it is. So a camera flash (5,500K) is considered cool light, whereas a sunset (1,800K) is warm. 

2. Art and photography

You can hygge up your home with your favourite art, sculptures and ornaments. Or cringeworthy old family photos. Our grandparents have unearthed the worst possible, goofiest pictures of us as children and hold them in high regard on their mantelpieces. Inexplicably, they make them happy, so the shame galleries live on.

3. Homemade furniture

Be it a seat, a table, or even something as simple as a candle holder, homemade furniture imbues narrative and a sense of nostalgia. DIY furniture – like our customised armchair pictured above, or our homemade stool – can add personal comfort to your home. For more hygge-friendly homemade furniture inspiration, follow us on Instagram.

4. Fire and candles

There’s no better way to create hygge than with chunky logs crackling on the fire. Watching flames dance and curl is so relaxing, and way more entertaining than anything on television (except Grand Designs and Gold Rush).

5. Blankets and cushions

Since the caveman days – when Neanderthals adorned their hideaways with mammoth hides – blankets and other soft surfaces have been key to a comfortable home. Nowadays, Dunelm do the job just fine. Or if you want to add a personal, more hygge touch, we love this guide to making your own homemade pillows. 

6. Nature

We shut out the cold, wind and rain, but other aspects of the natural world are welcome in our homes. Plants, wood, shells and stone add life and texture. Check out this piece of burr oak, transformed into a functional side table – full of warmth, character and, most importantly, the hygge factor.

Failing all that, just turn up your thermostat.

 – Adam and Tom the Tiny Lion