Hygge Decor & Lifestyle: How to Make Your Apartment Cozy
Living Pretty Ep33 // Hygge Decor & Lifestyle: How to Make Your Apartment Cozy
Let’s get cozy! Hygge decor and creating a hygge lifestyle within your space will help you create a cozy apartment that makes you feel warm and comfy - like you’re living in a hug. So I’m here to talk about some cozy home decorating ideas and how you can create an overall hygge experience for your small apartment every day!
If you’re wondering how to make your apartment cozy and comforting, want some studio apartment inspiration, or you just love the hygge style, let’s get comfy and talk about all things hygge!
Watch the video now!
Video Transcript ↓
I’ve made some slight edits in the transcript below so that everything makes more sense in text form. But overall, this is almost a word-for-word dictation of what I say in the video. I’m a much better writer than this, I swear, haha.
Fall is in the air! And that means that I compulsively wrap myself in faux fur, light a scented candle or seven, and clutch my coffee mug like it’s my best friend all the live-long day.
In this video I’m going to share some really easy ways to incorporate hygge into your apartment life!
What is hygge, you ask? How do you pronounce hygge, even?
Well. Hygge basically the most wonderful thing ever. Some people say “hew-guh”, some people say “hoo-guh”... In my research, I’ve gathered that it is, indeed, “hoo-guh”. …I’m pretty sure. We’re gonna go with “hoo-guh”.
Hygge is defined as “A quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being. Regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture.” - Lexico.com
Hygge is basically a recipe for happiness, and it’s more than just a cozy aesthetic. Hygge is about experiences that fill you with contentment.
So let’s talk about how you can capture that hygge mentality in your apartment!
And if you’re new to my channel, my name is Steffi and I’m the creator of the style blog Moda Misfit, and you’re watching Living Pretty, the place for apartment styling tips and small space decor inspiration, so if you’re into that kind of thing, be sure to subscribe and hit the bell to be notified when a new episode goes up every week!
So I’m going to talk about hygge in two different categories: the aesthetics of hygge and the experiences of hygge.
A lot of us perceive hygge as simply a visual style - a girl in thigh high socks and a chunky sweater, curled up next to a fire, surrounded by candles, lovingly cradling her coffee mug as if it’s her oldest and dearest friend… But there’s a lot more to hygge than just that cozy look. It’s also about experiences.
And all in all, it’s about finding delight in the simple pleasures - both visual and experiential.
So, let’s first talk about the aesthetics of hygge and how to get the look!
When creating a hygge look in your space, it’s all about warmth, softness, and comfort. You’re basically aiming to make your apartment feel like one big hug.
And to create that feeling, it can all come down to 3 things: moody lighting, soft textures, and pieces of you.
1. Moody Lighting
So first, I want you to consider your lighting situation. Hygge is all about creating a calm ambience with moody lighting, and that basically means I never want you to touch the light switches on your apartment’s walls ever again.
Overhead lighting is the opposite of calming - it’s agitating, harsh, and frankly, depressing.
Instead of using your overhead lights, I recommend only using lamps that emit a soft glow and create a romantic mood. I’m particularly fond of Edison bulbs, which is made glaringly obvious after spending, like, 5 seconds in my apartment.
Fairy lights are also a lovely light source for creating that hygge ambience, and they add an immediate cozy romance to any space. Hygge really should make you feel like you’re starring in your own personal fairy tale.
And of course, candles are a key part of the hygge aesthetic. Not only do they create moody lighting, but they also appeal to your sense of smell, which we know is a very powerful sensory experience. Remember, it’s all about the simple pleasures.
2. Soft, Layered Textures
Now, onto soft textures. Layering blankets and a shameless amount of decorative pillows, all with varying textures, is quintessential to the hygge aesthetic.
It’s about creating that simple sense of comfort for yourself - smoothing away your anxiety with the touch of faux fur, smothering your stress away with the embrace of a cozy pillow, embracing the simple pleasure in feeling softness on your skin… and never taking any of these wonderful sensations for granted. Always practicing gratitude for being able to feel these comforts.
If you want to create the hygge look in your apartment this fall, I recommend not only creating several layers of soft texture, but appreciating every moment of them.
Because when it comes to hygge, it’s not so much about the material items themselves - it’s about the emotions they elicit and the experience that they give you.
3. Pieces of You
Finally, when it comes to the aesthetics of hygge, I want to talk about the importance of incorporating personal pieces that reflect you and your beautiful uniqueness.
The ultimate key to a cozy, comforting space that embraces the hygge mindset is to make it yours.
What do you love? Who do you love? What are your interests, your passions, the things you geek out about? Tapping into those things that are personal to you is the most effective way to use your space to evoke those hygge feelings of wellbeing.
It’s about making a space yours. No amount of throw pillows, blankets, or fairy lights will bring you hygge happiness if your space feels like it belongs to a stranger.
Now, onto hygge experiences! We’ve talked about how to create a hygge aesthetic in your apartment, now let’s talk about how to create hygge experiences for yourself in your space.
4. Curl up with a good book
Light a candle, grab your favorite blanket, cozy up with a cup of coffee, tea, or the adult beverage of your choice and travel to a far-off land through a good book.
I personally love a good sci-fi book, so if you’re looking for the ultimate escape from reality, sci-fi is the way to go.
And three awesome sci-fi book series I’d recommend are the Silo Series by Hugh Howie (book one is Wool), the Origin Mystery Series by AG Riddle (book one is The Atlantis Gene), and the Samaria Series by Sharon Shinn (book one is Archangel). <<< Those are affiliate links, btw!
I highly encourage you to cuddle up with any of these if you love a good mystery, enjoy falling in love with characters, and want to set your imagination on fire.
Anyway, curling up with a book is the perfect hygge activity. It’s calming, cozy, and a lovely way to travel through time and space without leaving your apartment.
5. Binge a show
Similar to reading, getting cozy and bingeing a TV show is another way to create a hygge experience for yourself that allows you to escape the world.
There are some shows that are perfect for a gloomy fall day and would be a perfect compliment to a hygge day indoors. There’s just something about watching certain shows like Dark, Penny Dreadful, or Outlander on a rainy day, and just setting the intention to not leave the couch... except to go get snacks.
6. Unplug for a Day
I also think that a good hygge experience in you could have in your apartment would be to unplug from social media for a full day.
Like, straight up uninstall Instagram, Facebook, Tik-Tok, whatever, just for one day so that you don’t have to deal with the temptation of wanting to open them.
Simply exist with yourself for the day. Put on some chill music and do some journalling... I personally recommend you listen to Danish singer/songwriter Agnes Obel - her haunting piano, moody lyrics, and pretty melodies are perfect for a rainy fall day of unplugged hygge.
7. Connect With Loved Ones
Finally, the hygge experience is all about relationships and coming together.
Since we really can’t do that the way we used to nowadays with Covid-19, just make sure that you’re reaching out to your loved ones through Zoom, Facetime, phone calls… Like, reach out to your friends and schedule a Zoom happy hour, and just simply connect.
That’s how we’ll all stay human through all of this. Because we’re social creatures who thrive on community. And thank goodness we have the technology to keep us connected during this crazy time.
So, there you have it! Those are a few ways that you can incorporate hygge into your apartment lifestyle.
Tell me in the comments below, are there any hygge experiences that you like to create in your apartment? If so, I would love to hear them. Tell me below!
And if you want daily glimpses into my cozy studio apartment life, then follow me on Instagram @moda.misfit.
And if you want regular doses of apartment lifestyle inspiration, then subscribe to this channel and hit the bell to be notified when a new episode goes up every week.