Category: Autumn Hygge

7 WAYS TO ADD HYGGE TO YOUR HOME…

Published on by barmac51 Comment

I’m sure by now everyone knows what Hygge means but for someone novice to this beautiful word here are seven ways to make your home Hygge style.

Try to add natural elements like wood, wool, stone and plants to your rooms for warmth.

Create a cosy corner to add a cosy nook, where you can sit and enjoy a cup of tea and a good book.

Add candles, real or fake, but lots and lots of them.

Enjoy books, from the latest best seller to the Nordic diet.

https://imagesofahyggelifestyle.co.uk

Turn your bathroom into your own spa with candles, warm lights, heating up high and a bath caddy to hold your glass of wine and book.

Create a beautiful simple cosy bedroom without clutter, clean and white with an accent of colour of your choice.

Fill your house with treasured memories of times gone by as or add a Hygge statement piece of artwork.

ENJOYING A BIT OF ‘C SAGACH’ IN OUR LIVES, THE SCOTTISH WAY…

Published on by barmac51 Comment

Us Brits, are apparently ‘adopting wellbeing trends’ to boost our mood during winter and lockdown says Emma Robertson from The Mirror. She wrote that ‘a recent poll found 35 per cent of 2000 people were adopting the Scandinavian trend of ‘Hygge’ and 22 per cent will try out ‘C Sagach’.

I think we can all agree on the ‘Hygge’ way of life which I write about on this blog and love surrounding ourselves with items that give us comfort and joy but ‘C Sagach’ is not one I had heard of before.

‘C Sagach’ is nothing to do with Scandinavia but is a Scottish term meaning ‘snug and sheltered’. The Welsh name for this is ‘Cwtch’ which means a cubby hole and a trend for crafting and home spaces which embrace people like a hug. Scotland is a country where ‘C Sagach’ can be achieved in all seasons but it’s winter when it comes into its own. Pronounced ‘coze-sag-och’, with the last syllable similar in pronunciation to ‘loch’, it is thought the term may rival hygge, the Danish way of cosy living.

‘Cwtch’ in the home can mean a number of things. It is about embracing the simple things. It’s about natural and cosy materials. It is about togetherness- about cwtching up to someone. It is about how you feel – huddling somewhere warm on a cold day, and another name to rival hygge.

As the nights are drawing in fast and furiously and with us all in lockdown at the moment I think we could all do with a hug but as this is not allowed I am happy to create a ‘C Sagach’ a ‘Cwtch’ or a ‘Hygge’ in my home as they all sound cosy and could easily create a bubble around me.

FROM HYGGE TO ‘NIKSEN’, ANOTHER NORDIC WORD WITH A GREAT MEANING…

Published on by barmac51 Comment

I have written in the past about the Swedish word ‘lagom’ which means moderation and was ‘Lagom’ going to be the new ‘Hygge’?

I wrote that according to the magazine Country & Town House, “since Vogue touted lagom as ‘the new hygge’ last year, (the Danish concept of ‘cosiness’), the word has been popping up everywhere, from lifestyle blogs to new season interiors collections. But has ‘lagom’ really overtaken hygge as the biggest lifestyle trend for this time of year? “.

So, the meaning of ‘lagom‘ is ‘Not too much, not too little. Lagom’ but the Swedish translation of lagom is “enough, sufficient, adequate, just right.” In other words, being content with what you have which might be quite apt during these trying times.

Another word ‘Niksen’ means doing nothing but not in the absolute sense of ‘nothing’, it means enjoying the moment whether your playing Lego, painting, colouring in a book, listening to music or podcast or just simply sitting quietly reading.

To completely understand this concept then you should buy the book ‘ ‘Niksen : Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing’, by Olga Mecking,

A concise and witty book, Olga Mecking will provide tips on how to niksen in the most important areas of your life: work, home and leisure. Talking to experts from around the world, she reveals how doing nothing can make you happier, more productive and creative. In addition, we are given a fun glimpse of Dutch culture to show us why the Dutch are one of the happiest people in the world and why they are so good at doing nothing every once in a while.

We all have a concept of what doing nothing means to us, but do our ideas actually correspond with the truth behind niksen? A common hurdle towards embracing idleness, for example, is that we feel the need to be productive, contributing members of society. In fact, even the Dutch tend to say, niksen is niks or, in English, doing nothing is good for nothing. That constant need to work can lead to more stress, decreased mental wellbeing and paradoxically, being less productive.

Stress and burnout are on the rise. The antidote: Niksen.

Of course, to enjoy ‘Niksen‘, it helps if you have the right atmosphere with all our homes nowadays open plan but you still create your own corner of hygge so that you can embrace ‘Niksen’. I have recently purchased this light bulb that changes colour via remote control to create my own peaceful area. It is an LED Bulb Mood Light with a 21 key remote control, which has a duel memory function and 12 colour choices for your home. I got mine from Amazon for £8.49

It is perfect for me in my kitchen, diner as I have a couple of armchairs in there but needed to do something about the light to make it feel cosy and enticing. It means I can sit in my chair with my hand knitted wrap around my shoulders and ready quietly while my other half can enjoy his sports on the tv in another room and enjoy a bit of Niksen time.