4 Hygge Decor Basics for your Modern Home

This post is sponsored by Wayfair Canada. As always, I only partner with companies I love. Check out my full polices here if you like.

Guys! Remember before Christmas, I partnered with 4 other amazing home decor & DIY bloggers for our Modern Holiday Home series? Well- you guys were so kind and encouraging about that series that we decided to turn it into a full year thang. Rad, right?! So every month this year, we’ll be sharing a DIY or decor post for your modern home. Since we’re super creative on the naming end of things… we called it, you guessed it, Modern Handmade Home. This is the first of those posts and for this one we’re partnering with Wayfair Canada! I’ve been wanting to share a cozy post like this- featuring decor that’s perfect for winter but not Christmas, so when we were chatting about topics to collaborate on, I was pretty darn happy about this one being chosen.

I’m sure you guys have heard about Hygge by now- it’s everywhere! But it’s for good reason- winters (especially here in Canada) can be LONG and it is so darn appealing to cozy up, be totally present and just enjoy. Life can be so busy and between technology and the million and one things that should be done- I know I find it hard to just slow down and really be present some times. I bought this book (that pretty one in the photos) about Hygge last winter and the concept is really wonderful- it’s what I remember about Christmas as a kid… and who doesn’t want more of that? 

Hygge isn’t so much a decor style… but a way of living and looking at things and enjoying  things. My friend Shawna writes about this often and I really love her way of focusing on the core meaning of Hygge. If you’re looking for some reading around simplicity… she’s your girl. BUT there are definitely some decor pieces that help create the atmosphere! I’m going to call it hygge decor.

I was chatting with my sister-in-law about Hygge recently and she suggested since our family (husbands) is dutch, I should be calling it Gezelligheid. And it might be crazy, but I totally connect with that word more… but it’s essentially the same thing ;)

So today I’m sharing the 4 things that I always love to have in my home (in excess… really) *especially in the winter* to help set the atmosphere for hygge or gezelligheid. I also rounded up some of my fave specific items for hygge decor from Wayfair Canada in a collection right here if you’d like to check them out!

1. CANDLES

I’ve always been a sucker for candles. I even included them in my tips to make a workspace you love. I just get a lot of joy from them. They make everything seem cozier, smell amazing, and the warm light just makes me want to sit forever.

Right now, I’m all about metallic candles. I just love how the light dances around in them.

Speaking of light… Fairy lights! My dad’s wife always has mini lights on at their place and I love how cozy that is. I picked up these battery operated fairy lights (tiny!) and love how they are so subtle but dreamy. My kids love to play with them too.

2. COZY THROWS & PILLOWS

If you asked my husband, he would say without hesitation that I have too many of these. But really, there is no such thing ;) I love having throw pillows and throws to cozy up with when I’m sitting on the couch. That fur blanket is one of my very fave throw blankets- it was a gift last Christmas and I even kept it out all summer long.

If you’re wondering what I’d consider ‘cozy’ pillows and throws compared to just decorative ones… I typically stay away from beaded pillows or super shiny pillows/blankets that are more slippery than soft (that’s probably the worst description ever). But you know what I mean, I’m sure of it ;) You know… some pillows you touch and they just feel cold… all the time? Ha! It’s a thing, now you’re going to notice it.

PS… my kids love to play that thing. It’s kind of obnoxious but almost every morning, I curl up with a blanket and listen to their performances while I sip my coffee.

3. TEXTURE!

You want to know what’s awesome about pillows and throws? TEXTURE! Hygge style decor is all about natural textures and warmth of textures. Furs and knits, of course, but also textural woods and layering of different materials.

4. MUGS, MUGS, MUGS

Good food and drink with company is Hygge at it’s core. Just make sure to enjoy it without checking your phone ;) To me that means coffee. So a staple of mine is mugs. So. Many. Mugs. Some mugs just make you happy. Even when I go to my Dad’s or sister-in-laws or wherever… I always have a mug that I like to grab if it’s available. And I love that my guests do the same! My favourite ones have a hand thrown clay look to them… but witty sayings are always welcome too.

*BONUS* BOOKS!

This is totally not decor related… but books! I love keeping my books out where they get looked at and read. And magazines. And photo books. They make those few minutes of silence so enjoyable (hurray for not having to hunt for that book) and they’re such great conversation starters.

Whether a friend flips through a magazine and you end up having a great discussion about blue kitchen islands (I’m a total fan, by the way) and if you’d ever dare to go bold in your home… or chatting about the latest business book you read… or flipping through your family photo books and talking about family resemblance. Don’t take my word for it… try it ;)

I actually took this photo the day after I took the rest of these. I was opening our front windows (I always stand on the couch to do that) and the kids were so darn cute looking at the photo books. Lately, we’ve been spending a ton of time sitting together and looking at them… it feels very hygge to me so I thought I should include this in here too… even though it’s totally  not decor. And yes… we still have our Christmas pillows out.

I hope you enjoyed my tips for bringing more hygge into your home with a few pieces of hygge decor! If you want to check out my picks for decor pieces- I’ve saved them all in an idea board over on Wayfair Canada (did you know you can do that?). You can check them out right here!

Make sure to check out the other four posts aaaall about Hygge in a modern home. These ladies are beyond amazing and I dig their style- so if you are anything like me, you will too!

Lemon Thistle | Love Create Celebrate | The Learner Observer | Harlow & Thistle | The Sweetest Digs