In the last couple of years, we’re sure you’ve come across a certain word that seems too daunting to pronounce: Hygge. But what is hygge and what does it mean? First, let’s start with how you pronounce hygge.
Pronounced “hoo • ga” (WHAT?!), this Danish term encompasses a myriad of concepts: coziness, contentment, friendliness and well-being through life’s simple pleasures. It’s become a fundamental concept in Danish culture and now it has become a global phenomenon. So how has hygge become such a global trend? To answer this question, perhaps it’s easier to describe what hygge does not involve — greed, envy, pride, or better yet, the seven deadly sins. Having a big house, driving the most expensive car on the block or flaunting the latest designer clothing and accessories aren’t hygge. It isn’t about putting yourself on a higher pedestal than those around you – it’s about personal fulfillment, social interaction, and being grateful to the joys that life brings about. In the end, we all just want to be happy.
So you know what hygge is now, but how do you know that you’re experiencing it? If you’ve ever enjoyed a nice home-cooked meal on a snowy Sunday or indulged in a good read on a rainy afternoon, then you’ve experienced hygge without even knowing it.
Here are some ways that you can incorporate hygge into your lifestyle:
- • Surround yourself with those who make you happy
- • Enjoy the simple pleasures that life brings
- • Stay humble and thankful
- • Sleep in on the weekend
- • Take up a new hobby
- • Appreciate yourself and those around you
- • Enjoy a good book and warm coffee on a cold winter day
• And the list goes on
If you’ve ever felt content, happy or just enjoying the moment that life brought to you, then you’ve experienced hygge. The great thing about hygge is that it is embraced in so many situations in our lives, and now homebuilders are integrating it into homes.
With the announcement of the 2020 CHBA Awards of Excellence in Housing finalists, one particular entry stood out from the other finalists. Habitat Studio, a custom home builder in Edmonton specializing in environmentally friendly homes, particularly stood out with their entry, the Hygge, in the category of Best Infill Over 4,000 Square Feet. What intrigued me wasn’t the design – rather, it was the name of the project that had me Googling what the heck hygge meant.
As I began to scroll through the photos of the Hygge, its coinciding term started to make more sense to me: The warm yet neutral colour scheme of the home brought out its simplicity and wasn’t too overbearing, the living room showcased a comfortable atmosphere for relaxing and the large windows throughout the home lets in an abundant amount of natural light. It’s as if Habitat Studio took the concepts of hygge and successfully integrated them into building a home for those who seek coziness, contentment, and well-being.
With that being said, do you think we’ll see more home builders designing their homes around the hygge movement? Do you think 2020 will be the year of hygge or just another fad?
