Because the Danes have such long periods of the year that are chilly, the cozy and warm part is extra important and it’s why we tend to become interested in hygge style across the pond in America during the Winter months. 

Without further ado, here’s how to hygge your home for the holidays (and beyond) in 5 simple steps: 

1 Warmth and Well-Scented

Hygge style emphasizes full immersion – it’s not just about styling a trendy room for a photoshoot, it is about how the experience of being in it. That’s why candles, fireplaces, and other home scents are essential in the hygge home. Prioritize and invest in your sel-fcare with sustainable, healthy, high-quality candles and detoxifying bath soaks.

2 Swaddled in Cozy Fabrics

Hygge means always keeping something soft underfoot, be it a sheepskin rug or fuzzy house slippers. 

And it means keeping your body cozy in blankets, robes, or these on-trend cashmere joggers, we can’t get enough of!

3 Organized and Uncluttered

Organization boxes, simply said. The hygge home is clear of clutter. Any little thing that contributes to the calm! We love these simple, monochromatic canvas organization boxes from Target to keep everything uncluttered and uniform.

4 Libations Made with Care

Warm up with tea in the morning or wind down with whiskey by the fire at night. Taking time and care in the process of procuring libations for guests and carefully selecting the serving ware is nearly as important as the beverage itself. Hygge lifestyle is all about quality of experience. 

5 Emphasis on the Tactile

Give yourself a break from intrusive technology we’ve all become dependent on. Skip the flat screen TV on the wall and put away the phones. Hygge-ing your home means emphasizing physical media and tactile experiences and community. We love to hygge a space with photo boxes, bookshelves full of literary adventures, and board games. 

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Shop All of Our Favorite Hygge Home Essentials Here:

Take cues from your favorite hotel rooms and think of your guest bedroom in five zones: Entryway, bed, closet, bathroom, and breakfast nook/snack & coffee bar.

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Thank you so much to @houzz and writer Rashmi Haralalka for featuring this bedroom from our Lake Sherwood project in your round up of the Dreamiest Bedrooms! 💙

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• Guest House Entryway:

Welcome to The Neighborhood

Give guests a warm welcome from the moment they walk in with guide books to your city or neighborhood. This is one of our favorites! It’s also a lot of fun to make your own from your unique local’s perspective. 

Home is where the wifi is…

We love the inclusion of a wifi password as wall art. Place it in a super visible, can’t-miss-it space like near the entry or over a desk. 

And extra phone chargers and a designated charging station always make for a comfortable stay.

Mini Mudroom

Since it’s the Winter, you might be faced with more inclement weather than usual which can mean snowy or muddy shoes – designate a mini mudroom in your guest house entryway near the door with a shoe and coat rack and an extra umbrella or two.

• The Bed Part of the Guest Bedroom

Mattress & Bedding

Of course, the bed is going to be the centerpiece and the most important aspect of the guest bedroom. We tend to keep a neutral palette in the guest bedroom, and like fabrics that are easy to clean. Though for Winter, perhaps something more festive and warm is in order! And extra blankets and pillows are always appreciated. Appreciating a good night’s sleep, we stan a good mattress. Keep your guests comfy in your guest bedroom by always doing your research and buying to last.  

• Guest Room Closet Organization

A Set of Hangers

Regardless of the size of the closet, or even if it’s just an armoire, it’s a great idea to include a set of empty hangers. These are our favorite space-saving sets:

Robes & Slippers

This is where taking cues from hospitality venues comes into play… One of our favorite parts of a luxury hotel stay are the plush, complimentary robes and slippers. 

Luggage Rack

Take the hotel-vibes one step further by including a luxe luggage rack. We love the chic, modern design of this one from Horchow:

• Guest Bathroom Essentials

Travel Toiletries

We like to keep apothecary jars full of travel-sized toiletries sorted by type (shampoo, conditioner, ets) that we accumulate through our travels and shopping in the guest bathroom cabinet.

Extra Towels

For guest bath towels, we like to keep it basic with sets of white linens. What can we say? We like a clean, classic aesthetic in the guest bath. 

• Breakfast Nook

Bar Cart, Snack Station, and Coffee Makers

Even if you don’t have a full kitchenette in a guest house, including a barcart with a coffee and tea station and some light breakfast snacks is a great way to give your guests the opportunity to ease into their day. 

Green Interior Design

Today on the blog, step inside our greenest interior design projects as we share with you the 5 major sustainability initiatives they all have in common:

Hardwood and Tile Flooring

As a rule, we steer clear of specifying any wall to wall carpeting in our projects. Tile and Wood floors are not only more beautiful but they’re easier to keep clean. When selecting area rugs for high-traffic areas, we select rugs that are made in environmentally and socially responsible ways, are created from renewable materials, or are antiques. 

Controllable, LED Lighting

Lighting schemes always feature LED bulbs and are on dimmers. Not only does a moody and customizable lighting scheme contribute to the design aesthetic of a home, it also reduces energy usage – win-win! LED’s are a great high-efficiency, sustainable choice to lower your energy bill and may even be required by your local build-codes.

Efficient Windows & Doors

The less AC you use, the better for your health, the environment, and your wallet! In Southern California, we have the luxury of wonderful weather nearly year round – so harness that to your advantage with energy-efficient windows and doors. Milgard Windows were just name the #1Best Vinyl Window by BUILDER Magazine. To celebrate, they’re passing savings and rebates along to YOU. Ranging from $10-$75 per window or door. You have through Nov. 4th to take advantage of this spectacular deal – If you’re in the area, give our friends at LionWindowsAndDoors.com a call to get started.

Healthy Furniture

Most conventional furniture and accessories on the market today is made overseas with little regard for the raw materials that are wastefully excavated, the pollution that is created during manufacturing, packaging and transport, or the unfair wages and working conditions many factory employees endure. Some ways to ensure against these conditions include: shopping local, repurposing old furniture by refinishing or recovering, and shopping antiques. 

Grey Water Plumbing and Dual-Flush or Composting Toilets

Composting toilets have been around since the 1930s in Scandinavian countries. They require no water, are cost effective, and require less maintenance than conventional septic tank or sewer line toilet systems. Using greywater has many benefits including reducing consumption of water, lessening the loads on municipal water systems and treatment plants, reducing energy usage, and allowing the water tables to recharge.

Luggage and Carry-On’s

You get one carry-on bag and a personal item and we think the Nautica Rolling Carry On Suitcase and the Berluti Lace Up Leather Backpack make the perfect pairing!

Things get lost in transport all the time, but a stylish Airpod Leather Traveling Case will keep dad’s easiest-to-lose item easily secure.

And if Dad travels internationally often, get him a Leather Passport Cover to match.

Enriching the Experience

Get Dad a compact Sony Point & Shoot Camera to document his travels! This is a great prosumer camera that shoots amazingly and is really intuitive to use to the photography novice.

This is the best gift for the worldly foodie. No matter where you are in the world, go Where Chefs Eat.

Gifts for Staying Organized and Connected

Going on an extended trip? From Uncommon Goods, this Men’s Travel Organizing Set is a must for keeping things organized on the go.

Keep Dad connected with a Portable Phone Charger.

Gifts for Traveling Comfortably

Up Dad’s style on a long flight with an understated but street stylish sneaker like the Rising Star Adidas Sneaker.

The Ursa Major Travel Skincare Set is perfect for the minimalist who appreciates luxury but still likes to travel light. Dad never has to rely on the hotel-provided travel samples again!

Shop All Father’s Day Gifts

The Mother’s Day Home Decor Edit

Get mom a coffee maker like this gorgeous espresso maker to make her morning’s a little more luxurious.

Fishs Eddy has the cutest, quality tableware like this glass set that are perfect for adding a little whimsy to mom’s kitchen.

If mom has a knack for timeless design, you can’t go wrong with a Fornasetti candle. They smell delicious and after they burn, make for gorgeous, collector decor.

A cozy throw always makes for a great gift, and a designer throw blanket from missoni elevates it!

Shoe obsessed? Novelty Velvet Smoking Slipperss like these velvet beauties from Banana Republic make for perfect presents.

The Mother’s Day Wellness Gifts

The best gifts for the mom who needs a spa day… Encourage mom to take a break with some natural cosmetic products like these bath bombs. These smell amazing and feel fabulous on the skin.

Similarly, a Molton Brown hand soap and lotion set is perfect for the powder room. 

Another functional piece that doubles as home decor is this beautiful Virtruvi diffuser. When it’s not in use, it doubles as a gorgeous architectural feature. 

Mother’s Day Gifts for the Mom Who Loves to Travel

Planning Spring and Summer travel? Get mom a new Weekender bag she’ll love! This Vera Bradley bag is on-trend with its dark floral print and is the perfect size for a carry on.

Have a techy mom? Dress up her desk with a stylish, minimalist

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 PHONE CHARGE

A Bike has always been an exciting Christmas gift for the kids, but why upgrade mom’s wheels for Mother’s Day?

Personalized Notebooks are always an appreciated, simple gift. Who doesn’t love a hard-covered journal with ribboned bookmarks?

Valentine’s Gift Guide for Him

1. Larq Self-Cleaning Water Bottle

Larq is a reusable, rechargeable, insulated water bottle that cleans itself and the water you put inside it. We love the Monaco Blue and Obsidian Black colorways for him. Keep him hydrated and chic at the gym.

2. Ralph Lauren Healy Stripe Beach Towel

He’ll be Hamptons-ready with these large, soft Ralph Lauren Healy Stripe beach towels. We love their classic style and their modern soft weave.

3. Radiate Portable Campfire

These mini Radiate portable campfires are exactly what they seem: Easy to set up for tabletop s’mores and they come in elegant packaging making them the perfect gift for the guy who just can’t get enough camping.

4. The Impossible Collection of Rolex Book

This giant collector’s coffee table lends a new perspective on Rolex watches. With dazzling, blown up product photography, you’ll experience Rolex like never before.

5. Tom Dixon Swirl Multi Candelabra

Designer Tom Dixon creates collections of unique, masculine, colorful home decor. Up his bachelor pad game to designer dwell heaven with a Tom Dixon Swirl Multi Candelabra.

6. Craft Beer Candles

Uncommon Goods is always a treasure trove of novelty gift items and these craft beer candles are no exception. If your man worships at the altar of hops, he’s bound to love the IPA candle.

7. Wine Bottle Puzzle

Make him work for his wine with this wine bottle puzzle that locks a bottle into this beechwood cork. It’s a sophisticated, clever way of gifting a great bottle of cab!

8. Common Projects BBall Leather Sneakers

Up his sneaker game with a styling pair of Common Projects BBall Leather sneakers. We love the sand colorway to as an understated neutral. The perfect finishing touch on a street-style monochromatic outfit and easy to dress up or down.

9. Crosley Record Player

Feeling nostalgic? Enhance his record collection with a Crosley Record Player. Their Nomad turntable has a retro feel and displays perfectly in a man cave or den.

10. Alessi Cactus Coffee Press

Alessi designs gorgeous housewares that make excellent gifts. For the guy who likes his coffee strong, the Alessi Cactus Coffee Press is perfect. It comes in the steel laser-cut Cactus motif, one of Alessi’s most famous patterns.

11. La Colombe Workshop Sampler Gift Box

Pair his coffee accessories with a tasty coffee sampler set. La Colombe is every coffee snobs favorite. Their Workshop Sampler Gift Box comes beautifully gift wrapped and is a great way to sample their best-selling whole beans.

12. Le Labo Men’s Shaving Cream

Le Labo men’s grooming products are nourishing and made from plant-based formulas. Fill his dop bag with Le Labo grooming products you know he’ll love but won’t buy himself! 😉

13. Marshall Major Bluetooth Headphones

This go-to classic set of headphones has been re-engineered for a cleaner design, while the silhouette stays true to its original form. The plush ear cushions make the Marshall Major headphones comfortable for long-time wear and the bluetooth update eliminates pesky cord clutter.

14. Wooden Rope Back Massager

Simple in design, but extremely effective – Whether he’s a gym rat suffering from overexertion or desk bound hunched over his computer all day, he could use an easily administered backrub on hand!

15. AYTM Table Clock

Dress up his desk with an AYTM Table Clock. We love its sleek marble – in innovative marrying of art and design.

16. Givenchy Textured Eros Leather Card Wallet

Everyone loves a premium leather accessory. These Givenchy textured leather card wallets are made in Italy and are sleek and simple gifts for him.

Shop All Valentine’s Gifts for Him

Shopping For Her? Head over to our Valentine’s Gift Guide: For Her for more great gift ideas.