Hygge (fittingly sounds like “hug” but is pronounced “hoo-gah”) is a Danish phrase defined as “a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or wellbeing” – so says the Oxford Dictionary). In a nutshell, it means taking great pleasure in small pleasures. Think popping into a country pub on a cold winter’s night with your mates and cosying up to a roaring fire.
Hygge can be applicable all year round but really comes into its own during the autumn and winter months (and early spring too) when it’s cold outside and all you want to do is snuggle up. Beds are great for doing that – but you knew that already. It can also be used to improve your health and wellbeing too. Just like your bed – complete with a great mattress – and a good night’s sleep. Here are some tips on bringing hygge into your bedroom.
GET THE LIGHT RIGHT
Lighting is an important aspect of hygge as it helps to create a warm and cosy atmosphere. Floor lamps, wall lamps, table lamps, candles – it doesn’t matter, the Danes are big on all types and you should be too. If you’ve got the space, get a selection of them all and bring warmth into your bedroom. Use them to create different moods in your room. Feeling romantic or got someone special to impress? Opt for the candles. Keeping out of the cold on a wet winter’s day? Get all of your lamps on and allow yourself to invoke memories of sunshine. Experiment with your light combination and go with what suits your mood.
GO BACK TO NATURE
What better way to bring nature into your room than with wood. House your Nordic noir in a good quality oak bookcase and spend those cold evenings snuggled under the bed covers as you work your way through yet another crime novel. And for the quintessential hygge look and feel, make sure you’re wearing a pair of hand-knitted socks while you’re perusing your favourite tomes.
EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY
Got your mates round for a catch up but your other half or housemates are hogging the lounge? Opt for your bedroom instead. Serve up some chewy, gooey, chocolate chip cookies, get the lamps and candles going and share your anecdotes as you sip mugs of tea and hot chocolate. Feeling generous? Treat your mates to a batch of Danish pastries, fresh out of the oven. If you’re doing it like the Danes, you may as well follow in their footsteps, right?
SNUGGLE UP IN YOUR COSY BED
You can’t go all hygge in the bedroom without a cosy bed – after all, it’s the room’s main focus, and yours too for a good night’s sleep. Invest in fresh cotton sheets, plump pillows and a warm, snuggly duvet. And don’t forget, your bed is the perfect place to catch up with The Killing – watching while wearing one of the show’s iconic knitted jumpers is an optional extra.
So add a dose of hygge to your life and give your bedroom the comfort it deserves. And don’t forget what is possibly the most vital piece of the Nordic-shaped puzzle. You might not have realised the importance of a great mattress in your bedroom but there is a brand creating one that will offer you perfect comfort. Give your cosy bed a hug and thank Scandinavia before you drift into a deliciously deep hygge-style slumber.
To discover more about the five comfy layers which can be found in each of Simba’s mattresses, please visit www.simbasleep.com. They are scientifically designed to help you drift into a deliciously soft slumber.
March 2017