TIME FOR HYGGE
How can we create a cosy space to retreat from the cold outside?
I started thinking about how nations to the north adapt to winter and I thought about the word used by the people in Denmark and Norway: hygge (pronounced hyoo-geh) which is loosely translated to mean "cosy". For more insight, I contacted a family friend who hails from Norway: Monica. She began describing Hygge by saying that, "We have long, dark and cold winters in Norway, so people try to create an atmosphere of warmth and light and coziness inside. People visit each other a lot during this time, so they want to create a welcoming environment, both with the home, and with food and drink and a well-laid table. Lines of furniture are often simple and modern, the rooms are uncluttered, there are often light woods, everything done to draw in the natural light."
This helped me understand that hygge is a very simple concept and that we can all create a cosy retreat in the home - adding candles or lighting the fireplace, and embrace the time spent there!