If you have often fantasized about being swept away to a hidden après-ski cabin in the middle of the Austrian alps, surrounded by faux-fur rugs, candles, and a roaring fireplace at your feet, then unless you have the money to do this, you should enact your Plan B.

Hygge, otherwise known as Scandinavian chic, is the ideal way of bringing this relaxing, cozy, warm, and comforting design framework into your own home in the US, and moreover, your living room is the perfect place to embrace all things Hygge.

Soft & Soothing Paintwork 

First and foremost, the epitome of Hygge design and décor is the neutral, soft, and altogether calming color palette.

As a basic framework, you need to restrict the colors of paint you choose, and indeed, also all the soft furnishings, ornaments, and other items of décor, to light browns and grays, dark browns and grays, wooden accents and furniture pieces, and creams. 

Maximize Natural Light

Another important component of the Hygge way of life is to maximize the volume of natural light in and around the living room and adjacent rooms, and the airier the atmosphere and ambience, the better.

Fortunately, there are many ways to emphasize the naturally lit quality of your living room, including the following:

• Use solar shades instead of conventional lampshades for floor and ceiling lamps
• Hang large mirrors in the places on the walls where the light always hits during the day
• Make the walls less harsh and lighter by applying a softly textured finish 
• Tie the curtains right back in the day and completely away from the windows 

Expand Your Focus to the View Outside

Tumbled limestone paving slabs will not only allow the seamless transition of the eye from the Hygge interior to the calming, relaxing, and not to mention, low-maintenance nature of the patio, too, with the natural colors of the limestone complimenting the Hygge décor inside perfectly. 

Wonderfully, the simpler the design of your backyard, the more relaxing an ambience you’ll create, and simultaneously, you’ll also reduce the amount of cleaning and maintenance needed outside, too (which is great news for the colder winter months!).

The More Candles, the Better!

Not only is natural light important in a Hygge landscape, but so too is the presence of warming fire, and this is why not only should you be looking to invest in a stylish and ornate portable fireplace for the corner of the room, but also a variety of cream pillar candles in different sizes.

As an alternative to a fireplace, which although varying in price, will still take up a significant proportion of your budget, you could, instead or as well, hang some simple, warm white string lights in and out of your wooden furniture.

Hygge décor is all about snuggling down on the sofa under faux-fur blankets in browns, creams, and light grays, and feeling as if there’s nowhere else in the world you’d want to be on a cold, dark and wintery night.