Literally meaning ‘cosy,’ the Danish term Hygge (pronounciation ‘hoo-ga’), is the art of creating your own universe at home. Surrounding yourself with beautiful things that make your environment exactly how you want it to be. A place that conveys a comforting spirit of warmth and wellbeing – encouraging you and the people you love to enjoy life’s quieter pleasures. We hope you enjoy this guide on how to be more hygge in your home…
A NEW SEASON
As the nights draw in and our attentions turn back to the intimacy of home after the bright and busy bustle of summer, there couldn’t be more of a fitting time of year to embark upon such a worthy endeavour. As autumn arrives, it brings with it the time to slow down and take a breath, to treasure the simple pleasures of home.
It hardly seems a coincidence that Hygge has sprung from Denmark, a country with notoriously harsh winters. Nevertheless, Denmark regularly tops lists of the world’s happiest countries. This has been credited to its inhabitant’s preoccupation with converting their homes into uplifting sanctuaries with a strong connection to nature.
But welcoming the spirit of Hygge into your home needn’t mean mimicking pared-back Scandinavian minimalism. This can be a personal endeavour guided entirely by your own tastes, and what cultivating contentment and a tranquil way of living means to you and your family.
HYGGE AND COTSWOLD COMFORT
For us here at The Cotswold Company, it is beautifully compatible with the guiding aspiration at the very heart of our business – to help create happy, harmonious homes. Through homewares that are inspired by the rhythm of nature and made sustainably. With an emphasis on longevity, craftsmanship and textured materials. Pieces that bring a feeling of comfort and joy into the home, today and tomorrow.
Perhaps most importantly, Cotswold Comfort seeks to bring loved ones together. Encouraging those magical moments of closeness in wonderful surroundings, to savour and be present with. Because that, surely, is what makes life precious.
A RESTFUL RETREAT
As the nights begin to draw in, most of us crave a cosy haven of calm to retreat into. Our new Charlbury Mineral Grey four poster bed is crafted from tactile Ash wood. Engulfing in stature, it captures that Hygge-favourite feeling of safety and security, while the soft grey hue adds a soothing sensibility.
In a smaller room, over scaling the furniture makes the snug, enveloping statement even more effective.
Alternatively, our new handmade upholstered beds also deliver irresistible cosiness and comfort. With sumptuous padding accented by deep buttoning, textural tweed, traditional florals or jewel-toned velvet, they make a perfect spot from which to relish the Sunday papers.
WAKE UP HAPPY
Besides the bed, a quality mattress that promotes a good night’s sleep is one of the most powerful investments you can make in yourself to boost wellbeing. One from which you will reap the benefits for many years to come.
Exclusively handmade for us in the UK, our artisan-crafted Pure Natural Mattress Collection uses the finest sustainable natural materials. Exquisitely soft wool from Dartmoor, hand-teased British horsehair, luxurious Egyptian cotton and motion isolated pocket springs made from robust British steel.
IRRESISTIBLY SOFT
As the mercury dips the transition to winter bedding welcomes copious throws to cocoon under, warming coffee in hand.
Our breathable and irresistibly soft 100% cotton bedlinens – crafted by master weavers in the small Portuguese province of Guimarães – get softer with every laundering.
Our pillows and duvets too, are covered in pure cotton. They are filled with layers of silky soft down-like fibres made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. So you can feel good about treating both yourself, and the planet, with kindness and compassion.
A HOMELY HAVEN
As autumn’s twilight hours approach, there’s no other room that can bring families together with quite as much warmth as the living room. A place for congregation at the very heart of the home. What better space to savour a hot drink after rambling hand-in-hand through golden autumn glades. Or nestle into blanket-laden sofas by the fire for an afternoon movie, popcorn bowl in hand?
BERRY BEAUTIFUL
Sink into our deliciously comfortable sofas, which come in 50 nature-inspired colours and fabrics. Meaning you can choose which best conveys cosiness and closeness for you and your family.
This autumn sees the addition of our new rich and warming russet-toned shades of Rosehip, Berry and Plum. Their luxurious depth makes snuggling into your side of the sofa even more irresistible. Not only beautiful, our sofas are designed to stand up to real life in busy households.
Individually handcrafted in the UK using the highest quality materials, including sustainably sourced solid wood frames, our sofas also come with a 10-year guarantee for added peace of mind.
LAYER UP
Some of simplest but most delightful additions to a living room can be the accessories. Piles of throws, a scattering of cushions and ambient lighting work together to create an inviting space from which to while away the evenings.
Toning beautifully with our new berry-inspired upholstery colours, or existing neutrals, this season also sees the addition of a range of coordinating living room accessories.
Our new recycled glass table lamps and vases, piped velvet cushions, throws with cashmere and exclusive range of William Morris cushions all come in those reassuring earthy hues which are designed to infuse Cotswold comfort into both your sitting room and soul.
A SPACE FOR YOU
If you, like many of us, have a tendency to put everyone else first, remember you cannot pour from an empty cup. Don’t feel guilty about making time and space for yourself. Rest and relaxation are not only essential but honourable and sacred.
One of our favourite ways to carve out a little me time is to create dedicated zones in the home where you can retreat inwards and regain your sense of centeredness and balance.
COSY CORNERS
These cosy corners are ideal spots from which to enjoy leisure pursuits. Dress a window seat with the sole intention of watching the clouds pass. Or add a welcoming armchair in the corner of a room that invites curling up with your favourite book or listening to music.
Instill this value into your home working space too by prioritising your individual comfort in a holistic way. Thoughtfully selecting the right desk can inspire elegance as well as efficiency. While adding plants to purify the air, or a cosy lambswool throw might even make those working hours a pleasure.
CLEAN AND DECLUTTER
Remember, a tidy house means a tidy mind. Piles of papers or messy surfaces can contribute to anxiety and stress. So, look to clever storage options that can be multi-tasking solutions for every room in your home.
From tucking away children’s toys, shoes by the front door or unsightly bathroom cleaning products. There are a plethora of ways to introduce a clean and calming Hygge-inspired equilibrium into your life and home.
BATHROOM BLISS
Fall in love with your bathroom by creating a spa-like retreat. Layer on sights and scents that leave you feeling calm and restored. Scent is the most undervalued of all our five senses, but it can evoke powerful emotional reactions and vivid memories.
Utilise the aromas of our luxurious reed diffusers to make autumn at home heavenly. Created exclusively for The Cotswold Company in Cumbria, their scents are inspired by the natural world through the changing seasons.
A WARM GLOW
A bathroom that radiates a gentle glow is perfect for illuminating the darker months. Our scented candles, with a lengthy burn time of up to 40 hours, look beautiful while being a sensory olfactory treat at the same time. Light one as you draw a bath, sink in and soothe. Don’t forget to add in a cup of herbal tea or glass of champagne (as you see fit).
LET THERE BE LIGHT
Reflect glimmering candlelight back with our collection of mirrors, which help to open up a space, especially in smaller bathrooms without windows. Practical as well as brightening, the right bathroom mirror can be a focal point from which to practice stress-relieving self-care rituals, such as unwinding with a luxurious face mask once work is complete, or the children are tucked up in bed.
