Hygge is the Danish word for an intangible feeling of being in the moment, enjoying the moment (be it at home or outdoors, alone or with people), being comfortable and content. It's difficult to pin down the exact meaning of hygge - interior designers are confining it to pairing down your home decor, adding candles and scattering woolly throws on furniture - but the key to creating hygge vibes is to concentrate on the way a place makes you feel.
Living in Studio Flats and Tiny Houses
Living in tiny spaces requires organisation and discipline but the pay off is that you waste less time cleaning and worrying about your possessions. Minimalism becomes second nature and you think twice before buying new things.
However, the downside, especially if you are trying to sell your small flat or house, is that other people may not love your home as much as you do: the top complaint from viewers of small properties is that they are... too small.
You can still create a sensation of space and openness with colour, furniture and accessories.
Achieving a sense of hygge in your home is a combination of different elements: you know you have been successful if you immediately feel more relaxed as soon as you walk through your front door.
A Danish friend explained the concept of hygge to me as: "Hygge is that cosy feeling you get when you are warm and feel at home and in good company (even if your own)".
Colours
You don't have to paint your whole house magnolia to make it look calm and neutral. As long as you choose light colours, the only limit is your imagination.
For example, this room is painted with a colour called "frosted cream", which is a lighter and less yellow shade compared to magnolia.
Grey works really well too and so does sage green.
Furniture
There are different schools of thought about furnishing a small space: the general rule is to choose smaller furniture, but in some cases one larger signature piece can make the place look bigger.
If you decide to choose a bigger piece of furniture, make sure it is multi-purpose: for example, this is a chaise-longue, a sofa and a double bed.
Storage
Having plenty of storage is probably the most important aspect of studio flat living or tiny house living. Hiding as much as possible from plain sight will immediately make the place look larger.
You can choose built-in wardrobe and standalone storage solutions. If a piece of furniture is not particularly appealing to the eye you can conceal it with a roller blind, either in the same colour as the rest of the room walls or a contrasting colour to add interest.
Plants
Plants add colour and help purify the air. Some indoor plants, in particular, can decrease levels of harmful chemicals in the air: choose from peace lily, English ivy, spider plant, bamboo palm, weeping fig and more. According to studies, in particular the NASA Clean Air Study, indoor plants can significantly reduce levels of benzene and trichloroethylene in the air.
As an added bonus, if you are showing potential buyers around your property when your are selling, having plants will make the space more welcoming, inviting and vibrant (that intangible feeling of hygge).
All pictures credits: Paola Bassanese
This article was originally posted on the Energya website.