Living Space Feature
Clare Hunt seeks out stylish winter warmers to up the cosy factor in our homes
Clare Hunt
31 August 2019
As far as trends go, you’ve got to give hygge credit for persistence. While the very specifically Scandi iteration of it may be showing signs of waning, the idea of creating a home that’s welcoming and comfortable – somewhere to really curl up and get cosy – is a perennial winner.
Long before hygge became an everyday word (though we’re still not exactly sure how to pronounce it), the Brits were a people that knew how to snuggle up. In its broadest sense, hygge isn’t just about soft-to-the-touch objects or decor dripping with blond wood. It’s about creating a simple atmosphere, and an environment that’s warm and enveloping. Flamboyant gestures are out; small touches suggesting intimacy and consideration are in.
A jumble of woollens in a vintage basket, mismatched crockery in earthy tones, or well-worn cushions piled deep on an old leather armchair can all sum up the homely sense of battening down the hatches and cuddling up. So as the nights draw in and the shortest day approaches, how can we amp up cosiness and shut out chills?
Warm and tactile, wood brings an organic understatement to interiors. But to harness its power, you don’t need to deck out your home like a pine-lined sauna or strip back every surface. Uncomplicated wooden furniture, especially when it is knotty and simply waxed, has an appealing homespun sensibility. Rough-cut shelves with the bark left on the edges can be hung with rope and informally crammed with spice jars. Whatever you choose, opt for pieces that emphasise the natural swirls and contrasting tones of the grain to deliver a just-cut-from-the-forest feel.
Invite it in: capture rustic elegance with wooden platters hand-turned in chestnut. They’re made on the Dartington Hall Estate by the LandWorks charity, which works with people recently released from prison or on probation.
£45 from www.aerende.co.uk
Breathable in the summer and so very warm and pleasingly tactile when the temperature drops, natural fibres outdo the sizzling static of synthetics every time. If they’re a little bit scrunched and creased, all the better for capturing that lived-in and snug feeling.
Invite it in: a soft cotton quilt from The Forest & Co in Dartington (£97) has a charming hand-me-down quality, thanks to its faded-sprig print and contrasting block-colour reverse. Cover a Devon Duvets’ 100% unbleached wool duvet (based in Plympton and priced from £100 to £170) with the Lazy Linens range from Loaf (from £265 for a bundle), then heap your quilt on top.
While there’s much to be said for mass manufacture, handmade is having a well-deserved renaissance. Being more considerate about what we buy taps into the move towards being less wasteful, and it lets us curate our homewares more effectively. Artisanal objects have a story and an almost tangible sense of connection with the maker. They may be flawless and pristine, or beautifully imprecise. Either way, they deliver authenticity to a cosy space.
Invite it in: Dartmoor-based Ruby Cubes’ nesting flat bowls are braided in unbleached cotton rope. Their soft edges and subtly coloured decorative stitching make them beautiful to look at and practical too. Fill them with bread rolls, warm from the oven, to share at the table. A set of four costs £90.
For an easygoing and laid-back style, so-soft velvet radiates warmth and welcome. Curl up on a deep and squishy sofa, or stack pastel-hued cushions with the pillows on your bed to evoke a feeling of huggable opulence.
Invite it in: Loaf’s Humblebum love seat in chalky pink velvet (£1,045) is roomy enough for two to snuggle on. Or lounge alone, bolstered by some Double Deuce cushions (£60 to £75 each) that come with pastel-hued velvet on one side and slubby linen on the other.
Staking a claim as the original and best of the natural fibres, wool is hard to beat when it comes to adding cosy touches to a room. Layer up traditionally woven blankets and throws in soft colours or neutral tones on your bed, or transform a tucked-away nook into a reading nest by lining it with chunky knits.
Invite it in: Dartington-based The Forest & Co’s big-knit teal throw (£120) has a luxe feel; their rare-breed sheepskins (£85) are more than capable of locking out winter’s icy blasts.
When there’s a nip in the air, wrapping your fingers around a mug of steaming hot chocolate is just the ticket. But not all mugs are created equal – so when you find the perfect one (or two), guard it with your life.
Invite it in: Garden Trading’s ceramic Ithaca mugs (£15 per pair) have perfect proportions for hugging. A wide handle and chunky body give them the ideal hand feel; the off-white glaze and uncovered base are appealingly rustic.
Drinkers of refined teas will appreciate the feel of Raphaela Seck’s ceramic cup with a blush glaze (from £14). Hand-thrown in her Totnes studio, it’s one to sip from slowly as you savour.
Forget the fairy lights, true magic comes by candlelight. Opt for multiple tea lights in twinkling glass jars, or make a statement with wooden candlesticks roughly stained in chalky white. Scent is optional, but as it’s winter, a hint of cinnamon or pine needles wouldn’t go amiss.
Invite it in: visit Nkuku’s Harbertonford-based Lifestyle Store for its range of brushed brass candleholders (from £16.95) that are hand-forged for a rough-hewn finish. They can be arranged in a group to arresting effect – fill them with beeswax candles or opt for a selection of soft blossom colours.
While stripped-back Scandi colours still hold appeal (especially for drawing in light when winter days turn gloomy), there’s much to be said for the cosy cocooning that comes from deep, dark jewel tones. When dressed with modernist accessories, these can be dramatic. But add in soft textiles, and they become comforting and homely.
Invite it in: soft but saturated purples and blues – like Tokyo Flag or Indigo Shade from Dulux – are rich, yet relaxing and can transform bedrooms into cosy sanctuaries.
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