Surely you have heard that the inhabitants of Denmark are at the top of the "happiness rating" from the United Nations, and there is an Institute for the Study of Happiness in Copenhagen. The inhabitants of the country assure that the secret of their prosperous life is called "hygge". In fact, hygge is a complicated notion, which is used in all Scandinavian countries and has many meanings. It means social cohesion, comfort, security, and many other different meanings. Also, the concept of "Hugge" functions in the world of design, denoting a cozy Danish interior. But although this style is quite difficult to implement, today we will look at several elements of decor that are the main components of happiness in the Danish way.
A humge place is the coziest, most atmospheric and arranged corner in the house, it is a place of special comfort. It can either be yours alone or a place for the whole family to relax. In Denmark, most often such places are organized on the wide windowsills, but you can also arrange it in the attic, veranda, terrace, and even give it a separate small room.
Fireplace or stove. Many families in Denmark still prefer stove heating. And not just because it is the southernmost part of Scandinavia, and wood is much cheaper than gas and electricity. Live fire brings a special magical atmosphere to the house. The sight of the flames and sparks immerses people in a state of serenity and relaxation. If you can not install a real fireplace, you can use an artificial.
Candles are a prerequisite of the Hugge style. Just imagine, on the windowsills of half of the houses in Denmark every night are lit candles. Hundreds of lights in the windows of homes is one of the most famous and colorful Danish traditions. It is best to use candles as components of decorative compositions — combine them with statuettes, stones, candlesticks and aroma lamps.
Scandinavian interior is a style of natural wood. Danes prefer homes with an abundance of wood products: floor, walls, accessories. In Scandinavian homes you can often find wooden pallets as bed frames, stumps that act as stools and tables, as well as decorative elements made of wood. Such a choice of materials will provide you with a durable home (wood is a strong and practical material) and a special atmosphere of forest coziness.
Be sure to take care of the presence of plants in the house. This can be both bouquets and greenery in pots, and all kinds of branches, ears, dried flowers, cones as part of the decor. In this case, the Danes do not tend to bring into the house notes of the exotic, so in the Scandinavian house you are more likely to meet a northern fern, rather than an orchid or avocado.
Particular attention should be paid to textiles. The most important criterion is the naturalness of materials. It is better to give preference to linen, woolen and baize fabrics than to synthetics. Also Danes like knitted blankets, quilts and pillowcases. And they arrange the pillows not only on beds, sofas and chairs, but also on the floor and windowsills.
Another important element of the hygge is paper books. On the shelves of Danish homes you can find a variety of publications — new, old, black and white, color, classics, modern, fairy tales, kept since childhood. It is not necessary to line up books in the library by color and size, because the motley row of books is just another element of the decor.
To add an atmosphere of hygge in the kitchen, it is worth using ceramic tableware: earthenware teapots, coffee pots, milk bowls, small dishes for muffins, they will create the atmosphere of a Danish home. After all, agree that cocoa with marshmallow, a symbol of coziness and comfort, is much more pleasant to drink from a ceramic cup than from a porcelain and, especially, plastic dishes.
Also, the Danish interior is perfectly complemented by things in the style of "retro". As in every Scandinavian country in Denmark appreciate and respect the traditions of their ancestors, so their fireplaces are decorated with old photographs, grandmother's sewing machine is used as a dressing table, and the living room is decorated grandfather's rocking chair.
And let's talk about the last element of Danish coziness, which does not have the slightest relation to the decor, but is able to create a unique home atmosphere. We are now talking about home baking. Just imagine: a house full of the aroma of cinnamon, vanilla and freshly baked scones that the whole family has made. It even sounds beautiful in words, and bringing it to life will add to your home's family peace and happiness.
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