Incorporating Hygge Style into your home this fall is so fun and simple! Here are my top tips and thoughts on incorporating simple living and hygge style in your home and life.
Hygge Style Defined
Often defined in many ways, my definition of this Scandinavian word is a quality of coziness that gives you a feeling of contentment, and conviviality. It means spending time with people you love, the warmth of a mug of hot coffee in your hands on a crisp morning, an awareness, and an appreciation for the small, cozy moments of life.
Remember, Hygge is a feeling; it’s not something you can buy. Hygge is a concept, a lifestyle that prompts you to enjoy every moment spent with friends, family, and nature. While it can certainly be enhanced with cozy materials, its origins are not material.
Creating Cozy Indoor Spaces in the Fall
I love creating cozy spaces conducive to a hygge atmosphere and moments of connection with those around us.
- Simplicity-Try to keep it simple! I have a smaller home, and I endeavor to keep it cozy, without being crowded, to have seats for everyone without filling my living room with furniture, simple color schemes that are soothing to the eyes, and general simplicity.
- Textures-Add and appreciate textures such as knitted items, furs, twine, soft blankets, and fluffy pillows. The sharp corners of a stack of books, the smooth leaves of a plant, wood worn soft by age, and woven textiles.
- Candlelight-Add candles, twinkle lights, and sheer curtains that let the natural light flow through the windows. Nothing is more cheery after the sunlight has faded than lighting some beeswax candles and turning the darkness to light.
- Nature-Bring nature inside! Pumpkins on a shelve or over the mantle or sunflowers in a pitcher. Branches in a jar with twinkle lights strung throughout. Dried bouquets of eucalyptus hanging on the wall or arranged in canning jars, or plants like succulents, and cactuses.
- Reading-Nothing beats curling up in a cozy corner seat with a good book and a hot beverage during these cool months. What’s your style? A cozy mystery, an adventure, a sweet story, or an informative non-fiction? Personally, I love them all! Make the time this weekend and enjoy the journey of reading. Or, listen to an audio book! Our family LOVES audio books, it’s an awesome way to share the story experience with someone else.
Hygge Style in the Kitchen
Hygge in the kitchen is a warm pie cooling on the counter, hot beverages served in beautiful cups, a space for creating and sharing food, moments and memories with loved ones. The kitchen is where this begins. I tend to decorate with the food I’m cooking, jars of preserved food on the shelf, a freshly baked cake, pretty dishes filled with food, hamper baskets being prepared for gifts, simple but cozy things like these make my kitchen a hub for hygge style.
- Warm Beverages-Nothing cheers the heart quite like a mug of something hot and delicious. Give these video tutorials for hot drinks a look if you’re in the mood to try something new!
- Canning/Preserving Food-Try your hand at homemade jam! My recipe for Sugar-Free Cinnamon Pear Jam will make your home smell amazing and be oh so delicious all season long. If you can, save some jars for some Christmas Hamper Baskets, your favorite people are going to love a jar of homemade jam! Pickled Smoked Garlic is amazing, perfect for your snack spreads and charcuterie boards this holiday season.
- Cooking/Baking-Fill the home with delicious aroma by baking a homemade pumpkin cream pie, or making a yummy and filling casserole like homemade Enchiladas for dinner. It doesn’t have to be complicated; something as simple as baking and frosting homemade sugar cookies can be a relaxing way to spend the afternoon.
Coziness Outdoors
- Morning Walks-Bundle up with sweaters and scarves, and take a walk. Enjoy the colors of the leaves changing, the bracing fresh air, and the simple change of the seasons. Bring a cup of coffee in a travel mug to keep your hands warm. Engage your senses, pick up a leaf, study nature, bring home a handful of foraged rose hips and brew a cup of vitamin C packed tea, kick a pebble and watch it skitter down the road, look up and notice the patterns of the branches and leaves.
- Gardening-Prepare the garden for next year, plant the garlic bulbs, the tulips, plant the asparagus crowns, sharpen and oil your garden tools and put them away for the season, and mulch (cover with straw or wood chips) your tender perennials.
- Bonfires-Light a fire, start one in your fireplace or outdoors, and watch as everyone gathers around, warming their hands and talking about everything. There’s just something cozy and comforting about the warmth and light that a fire emits. (Build your own DIY Fire Pit!)
Fall is one of my favorite seasons. No other season lends itself to incorporating Hygge so easily as the Fall and Winter months. I hope this gives you some ideas and inspiration for creating cozy moments this year!
Check out some of my other posts on Hygge and cozy living.
So very lovely! There’s a special need for Hygge-speak these days. Thank you for the beauty and inspiration. I’m going to have to try that pear jam recipe and light a candle for tea sipping. ❤️
Hi Abbyjo
I’m originally from NY now living in NM, I’ve lived the Hygge lifestyle for many years, I feel so blessed and so comfy in my home. Thank you for spreading the word, we need this more than ever. I’m definitely trying your recipes they look amazing.
A great read, very inspiring for the fall months! Thank you!