Hygge. The puzzling 5-letter word you’ve probably heard mentioned before, seen on Pinterest, or noticed on bookshelves. The term, originating from Denmark, has been trending so much that the word alone has made its mark by landing a permanent spot in English dictionaries. It’s a concept that is impossible to translate without losing basic elements of what it means. Hygge has huge cultural implications for the Danes, so much more than one word can infer.

To start things off, Hygge is something you feel. Most of us have probably already experienced or practiced it, but we just didn’t know it: A walk in the park to see the leaves change colour, taking a bath after a stressful day, inviting a friend over for a coffee and a chat. The word expresses a feeling in a moment that is charming, special, cozy, simple, and extraordinary. Culturally, Danes make it a priority to create and recreate these moments on a daily basis (or as frequently as possible).

The ways to pronounce Hygge in English vary from “hoo-gah” to“heu-guh,” and it can be used as a noun, verb and adjective, depending on the sentence. In Danish, they also blend Hygge with other words to describe things that have similar attributes. There’s a word for comfy sweatpants: Hyggebukser (Hygge-pants) and even one for the place in your home you devote to Hygge: hyggekrog (Hygge-corner) (Country Living).

If you are familiar with lifestyle-yoga (not the kind that’s just about wearing tight workout gear), this is a similar concept in that it is a mindset and a way of being. It urges you to consciously break out of your daily grind, take a moment to nurture yourself in a relaxing way and care for your state of mind. It elevates domestic and personal life to an art form. Hygge can simply be about disconnecting; putting pause on political issues, work, and stress to escape to the fictional world of your favourite book.

In Canada, it is easy to practice Hygge as the Danes do. They use it to help them weather through the cold winter months and stay positive on snowy days. When there is a blizzard, they choose that day to stay in and keep cozy, and do not force themselves to leave the house, battle the cold and attend to unfitting tasks. It is a relaxed approach to living and a way of looking at things. Hygge is an effective way of taking care of and cultivating your spirit during the cold, dark and sometimes isolating winter months.

Readers be wary: Hygge is not something to be made into another strict regime! It should be a natural extension of your regular life—positive habits, not something forced or stressed. There is a beauty in simple rituals and Hygge puts emphasis on that. It is something you are doing for you, for your well-being and the goodness of your soul.

Now it’s time to put aside your North American busy-bee attitude and get Hygge with it!

Create Hygge in your life:  

Many activities, simple or more involved, can be hyggelig. Hyggelig is the adjective to describe something that is Hygge!

Mood Lighting

One of the easiest ways to turn a room into a warm Hygge paradise is to lower the lights! This can be done in more ways than one. Firstly, overhead lights, like those hydrogen recessed lights most houses have, can be overwhelming and far too bright! Turn them off and use strategically placed lamps in the corners of the room to create a soft glow. What’s even better than that? Natural light. If you can sit by a window and read, make a fire or light some candles, these are great ways to recreate the ambiance of the “golden hour” (the first hour before sunrise and last hour before sunset) and make for an extremely hyggelig space.

Comfortable Corner

Danes will frequently have a corner of their homes (or an entire room!) devoted to Hygge. This is known as a hyggekrog. In it, they might have books, mood lighting and relaxing music, but most importantly, it has to be comfortable! Knit pillows and blankets are vital for creating the correct ambiance for this corner of contentment. You could even diffuse some essential oils and add some aroma-therapy into the mix. Perfect for enjoying a cup of tea or coffee as you read the morning newspaper or to wind down with a good book before turning in, taking a few moments in a nice nook of your home is adding Hygge to your day.

Content In Togetherness

Taking time to enjoy one another, and allowing your combined energy to uplift your mood, is another way to create a Hygge moment. Set the table for as many as you can and let the guests roll in. Invite friends over on a cold, dark evening for charades or other group games. Keep in mind that there is no need for extravagance: Hygge is about simple pleasures. Worrying about impressing guests and creating stressful work for yourself should be avoided. Hosting a potluck and sharing food is VERY Hygge! Gatherings shouldn’t be rushed and guests should be encouraged to linger. Hugs, cuddling, spending time with pets, and human contact are great ways to nourish your well-being and are super Hygge!

A Cup Of Cozy

Whether it be tea or coffee, sipping on a warm, soothing drink is hyggelig. It is known in Danish culture that you can cure the common cold with tea and Hygge! Need another way to make an everyday habit more hyggelig? Why not have your morning coffee in a special ceramic mug rather than a Styrofoam cup from work? If you’re the type of person who likes something a little stronger, a scotch or glass of wine, quietly enjoyed by the fire at the end of the day with a loved one is also a way to practice Hygge in your life.

Feed Your Soul

Hygge can be as simple as cooking or baking. Preparing delicious, savoury, filling meals can create a Hygge afternoon, or a Hygge meal. Cooking warms the home, can be relaxing and even therapeutic. Comfort food creates an ambiance of familiarity, nostalgia, and welcome. It can be a new favourite recipe or the oldest family recipe in your cookbook. Indulging in sweets is also Hygge–don’t deny yourself that extra slice of cake!

Homey Interior

Hygge is also an ambiance and an atmosphere. Your home can be decorated in a way that is favorable to that Scandi lifestyle. It’s not about the décor itself, but the environment you are creating. Taking time to work on making your home décor more calming and energizing is very Hygge. Bringing the outside in, or using natural materials like wood, is another way of creating a calm, relaxing, cozy home. No time to redecorate? Just put away clutter! Remove over-the-top embellishments or loud coloured décor. Subtlety and clean lines create calmness and quietness, and establishes the ultimate Hygge atmosphere.

Hoping you take pleasure and find happiness in your everyday,

The season for indoor entertaining is here, and Thanksgiving is one of the first big events on the calendar! Before any food is on the table, your table décor can make a great first impression and set the tone for the evening. There are many options for the theme and mood your table setting can create. There’s rustic, casual, playful, formal, modern, elaborate and traditional, just to name a few, and each table should be created with its own unique vibe in mind. Like many holidays throughout the year, Thanksgiving is all about family, friends, and appreciating togetherness. However, every complete table setting has at least a touch of seasonal creativity or holiday cheer that makes it just as unique as the holiday you’re celebrating! Setting a fall-inspired Thanksgiving table is a breeze if you just let the outdoors be your guide. Nature makes it easy by inspiring us with its natural cycle of seasons and array of colours. For our table, we drew inspiration from the transition of seasons, going from vibrant summer colours to warmer and sometimes more subdued earthy tones. We kept the décor classic and simple, yet warm and inviting. This year, with the help of our easy inspirational tips, set a table that will draw in your friends and family for an unforgettable holiday celebration!

(Not So) Plain and Simple

If you enjoy setting a holiday table, but want to surprise your guests with something different, go neutral and go simple. We’ve done the colourful tables with the classic holiday hues and seasonal colours. Bright and vibrant, those tables are energetic and mirror the excitement we feel that comes with holiday cheer. This time, we had a different philosophy in mind. While we wanted to stay true to the values Thanksgiving brings forward and the season in which it falls, we kept this table’s palette in neutral tones, focusing on white and beige, with wood and gold accents. Switching things up and taking a different approach to your decor is sure to make an impact with your guests. This Thanksgiving, it’s all about the mantra less is more.

Harvest the Classics

When choosing dinnerware and stemware for a table with a warm and basic colour scheme, complementing it with classic designs will do your vision justice. On our table, we used the Riedel Stemware. Made in Germany, its sophisticated design and high quality construction will speak for itself–your table doesn’t necessarily need all the bells and whistles to impress your guests. We also went classic with our dinnerware–the curved pattern on the Sola Dinnerware Set complements the subtle swirls of colour in the Gelato Coffee Dinnerware Set and makes them the perfect pair for our neutral, yet inviting table. Sometimes the key to creating gorgeous table décor is thanks to a designer who knows when to hold back! Skipping the loud prints, vibrant accents, and the traditional holiday embellishments can be the way to a carefully balanced and elegant table for your Thanksgiving celebration.

Modern Autumn

When you think of autumn in relation to a tablescape, your mind might go to rustic-chic, warm and woodsy tones, autumnal colours and maybe even an antique look. To keep a modern and classy element to your table, you can add touches of gold or silver. On this year’s Thanksgiving table, we achieved this by incorporating some glitter in our name cards and we wrapped our Rings Flatware with a quaint gold ribbon. This easy-to-add element will add sophistication to your table in no time.

Ecotherapy

Fact: Adding seasonal elements from nature enhances any table setting. It brings the soothing quality of the great outdoors in and is sure to create a welcoming atmosphere for your guests. This time of year, you can literally pluck some great decorative accents for your table right off the trees! Plus, natural embellishments are elegant and easy. Whether it is colourful leaves, branches, or seasonal produce, like the butternut squash and acorn squash we used, integrating nature to your table will add liveliness and warmth to the ambiance you create.

Show, Don’t Tell!

If you love to host gatherings for friends and family like we do, you want to make sure your guests feel at home at every event–whether it is intimate and casual or grand and extravagant. You can show your guests your appreciation through features of your tablescape that can be thoughtful and stylish. Place settings, for instance, should have a unique inviting touch; show your guests you’re grateful that they are there with a personalized name card. Other elements you can add to make the evening feel special is to demonstrate you went the extra mile by bringing out particular items that you cherish, like a dinnerware set that has been passed down through the family, or that you save only for special occasions. Layering the place settings with multiple chargers and placemats, like we did, also adds an element of drama and novelty to the table.

Give any of these a try and we’re sure it’ll be a success.

Helping you set inspiring tables true to your unique personality,

This Valentine’s day, we hope you get inspired to host a meal that brings people together to create fond memories, share in friendship, celebrate love – and to set a table to match!

Comfortable and casual: Who really wants to sit elbow to elbow with other couples and spend a fortune on a set menu when you can be in the casual comfort of your own home? Hosting a Valentine’s dinner party is a way to escape the over -the-top fanfare of the holiday.  We gave our table an informal ambiance by setting each place with our Lexie flatware set, our Ripple red dinnerware set, our black modern tray, and the wooden cutting board to complete the arrangement. Place a pillow like our black elegance cushion on your bench to add even more coziness to the evening!

Romance is the right vibe:  Even though you might bedecorating a table for a group of friends or family, this is a Valentine’s Day celebration. To us, keeping the romance alive is the right way to go! We all deserve lots of love in our lives, and it can be just so much fun! We added the Love Frames as decorative accents and heart shaped tableware is a repetitive theme for this tablescape with our heart shaped fondue set at each end of the table and the red heart shaped bowl at each place setting. Hugs and kisses are brought to our table by our xoxo mini platter and for beverages we used our Riedel champagne flutes to add a celebratory flare. Why not make a toast to love and friendship at your get-together?

Lovely linens: We love using our linens in new and creative ways. A tablecloth doesn’t have to be just a tablecloth, especially if your table deserves to shine through like our classic wooden one. We took three of our Nature Tablecloths in red and folded them lengthwise to position them across the table under each place setting to create red table runners! It brings unity and uniformity to the table. You could even just fold one and have it going down the middle of your table lengthwise. Who knew a tablecloth could be brimming with so much versatility?

Floral flare: Timeless, festive, and classic. Flowers and any nature effects are an essential decorative touch to your table!  Add an easy centerpiece; you don’t need to over think a bouquet! Talk about versatile products – we used our white waffle pasta tin as a vase for our bouquet! Go neutral with the floral color pallet, or have it draw out an accent from your tableware. Flowers on any table, for any holiday are a do.

Something simply sweet: Candy, chocolate, and fruit directly on the table is a simple way to add some novelty to the event. Fondue is fun and interactive, and you can have it for both your main meal and for dessert! We used the Remy Olivier Cast Iron fondue set for a hot broth fondue and for dessert, the heart shaped fondue set with chocolate and fruit.  Kids love to celebrate every holiday and we think they’ll appreciate this tip especially! Keep in mind that fondue includes flame and high heat, so make sure to keep the fun safe!

Here to help you with all your holiday table décor and more,

The holiday décor is up, the invitations have gone out and preparations for your holiday feast are well underway! It’s time to start planning how you will set and decorate your holiday table. A table setting is a balance between dining essentials and whimsical décor that set the ambiance of the evening for you and your guests.

It’s important to note what will make both you and your guests well equipped to enjoy the feast ahead and to make sure that you include it in your table setting.  Otherwise, it’s all about having fun and giving holiday flare to the most scrumptious meal of the season!

This season, whether it’s a casual or formal affair, minimalist or embellished style, try something new, keep it personal, but don’t be afraid to indulge in your most festive side!   A holiday table is about showcasing the elaborate feast you have prepared in style and celebrating the holiday with your family and friends.

These tips will help get you inspired to create your most merry tablescape yet!

Go for unconventional charm

Get creative and use something in a new and alternative way. Are you still in love with the pattern from last year’s tablecloth? Fold it lengthwise a few times and use it as a table runner instead, just like we did with our Christmas plaid tablecloth on our table!   Want to make sure your guests will be so comfortable they will want stay at your table for hours?  Use some pillows as seat cushions and add an element of décor like we did with our country poinsettia place mat.  However you choose to use your unique holiday charm, guests will be awed by your decorative ingenuity!

Personalize it

Mealtime during the holidays is a family affair.  Keep things warm and inviting with a few personal touches to your table.   A small treat, or a gift that is at their place setting, or even individual decorated name cards can be a cheerful and festive way to make each and every guest feel welcome.  Not to mention the fact that that it adds an element of organization to your table.  You can be sure that there will be no awkward shuffling around when it comes time for your guests to take their seats! Adding personalized touches will make sure your holiday meal is an intimate event and that’s something your guests are sure to appreciate! We used our chalkboard cheese markers for our place cards.

Layer

Layering gives your décor fullness and can make your table unique. Believe it or not, our table has 3 placemats under each dinnerware setting – and a table runner! We placed the metallic leaf gold placemat (in-stores only) on top of the country poinsettia placemat and the flocon de neige placemat to give depth and variety to our table’s decor. Another way to add depth to your table is layering your dishes, which also can help you save space on your table! We added a little extra to our Regency dinnerware set by placing the poinsettia dessert plate and our red round charger plate at each place. Just be sure that each item that you layer with brings a new element to your table and that they work together and complement each other.

Your food can be your décor

This is a simple and easy way to add some joy to your table – and you’ve already done the work. At our Christmas dinner we are serving punch in our celebration punch set. It’s without a doubt a sweet way to add some cranberry red to the table.   And for dessert?   Gingerbread cookies that are decorated with green and red sugar add another delicious accent to the table. Make it even more effortless by displaying your cookies in our Amalia trifle bowl (in-store only), all you need to do is put them in! This tip will keep your guests looking forward to dessert all supper long!

You can Keep it Classic Christmas

Finally, if what your heart yearns for is to add some plaid patterns, golden touches and sprigs of greenery, don’t worry about being typical. Using these Christmas classics are tasteful ways to make your guests feel the joy of the season. Whether it’s a subtle hint of gold in the plaid of your tablecloth or in a placemat, a touch of any metallic, adds glitz and glam to your table and can help elevate the ambiance to a more formal affair. The Facet flatware set and the poinsettia hiball and wine glass are essentials for any holiday table! We used our gingerbread Christmas trees as a decorative accent to bring greenery to the center of our table and a floral arrangement with plenty of green and hints of red. We added sprigs of pine needles with our red cloth nature napkin and mother of pearl napkin ring and the result couldn’t have been merrier!  There’s no doubt, your guests will approve of your dedication to these décor traditions for the holidays.

Helping  you set your most inspirational holiday table yet,

It could be when December hits, or at the first sign of snow, or even before then — whenever it is that you choose to deck your halls, getting creative with your holiday décor is a true labor of love. Your home is a gathering place for friends and family to enjoy each other’s company, to make memories and to get cozy over the holiday season. You want to make sure your home is a warm and inviting place for loved ones to gather, but most of all, a place where everyone can feel excited and enthused by the joy the season of giving brings.

But, the holidays are a busy time of year! Finding easy ways to spruce up your home with holiday trimmings can be challenging. However hectic the holiday season can get, decorating your home should be fun, fanciful and a stress-free task!

So, turn on your holiday music and get inspired to make your home merry without the hassle by using these stylish yet simple decorating tips!

Invite the Outside In

Earthy and casual, yet stylish. Drawing the outdoors in is a sure way to elegantly decorate your home for any season. Nature-inspired décor is ideal for decorators looking for understated charm. Creatures of the forest, wooden accents and pretty pine cones are unfussy ways of bringing holiday ambiance into your home.  Place items with sprigs of greenery, wild cranberries and hints of birch on tabletops and shelves to create rustic warmth and texture. Our reindeer, candle votive, and lac mason hurricane and  decorative accents will make any home a convivial Christmas cottage.

Light it Right

Adding elements of lighting can add festive notes all over your home without being overly ornamental. Tapered and votive candles will help you cast the perfect glow on this holiday season. Classic centerpieces for a holiday meal, or add jovial candlelight to every corner of your dwelling.  Find an empty end table, window sill or use your mantel to arrange groupings of three to four candles in an alternating fashion.  Note that something with frosted-glass will provide a soft flickering glow that will brighten your home with joy all season long. Our gingerbread votive, small winter scene hurricane, and light festival candle holders will fill your home with festive flickering.

Plaid is Perfect

The official pattern of the holiday season, our ideas for plaid will have you singing carols! Plaid is the perfect way to bring Christmas cheer to a rustic country styled home. Nothing says holiday cheer like hot cocoa and cookies on display with our tartan “fa la la la la” dish collection. Don’t worry about set up time when you have yourself a set of plaid pillows and throw, just place them in the corners of your sofa or simply add them to the pillows already on your bed — drape your throw over a chair or fold it at the end of your bed to add festive flare anywhere. Create a cozy corner for hot cocoa and holiday movies, writing Christmas cards or gift wrapping with our checkered throw and pillows.

If Red and Green isn’t your Colour Scheme

If your home has more of a minimalist mood; red and green décor may not be in your holiday décor day dreams. Gold, silver and bronze radiate charm and can be a perfect way to dazzle your home for the holidays. It may not be the standard pallet for the season yet it is equally festive. Warm metallics create a classic modern look while adding some glitz and glam perfect for a celebratory contemporary home. White décor can transform your home in to a beautiful wintery scene ideal for the season. You don’t have to coat your home from top to bottom in red and green to do justice to the most wonderful time of the year. Items like our Rudolf’s sleigh, winter scene hurricane and our snowflake candle holder will light up your home with Christmas cheer without all the bright hues.

Hang it for the Holidays

What could be easier than breezing through your home hanging on knobs, hooks and switches. Hanging décor can bring a playful decorative touch and is the most unfussy way to deck the halls. The decorative opportunities are endless with hanging décor. Add holiday notes to rooms that are harder to decorate, such as the bathroom or kitchen by hanging festive bits and pieces on the door or cabinet knobs. If you’re lacking by way of hooks, our snowman hook (in-store only) is great to place on your mantle or on a cabinet to hang a stocking or for adding extra notes of festive flare! Try hanging from your chandelier over your holiday table for an alternative take on a centerpiece! The gingerbread door knob décor and Christmas cottage décor ball will add whimsical touches and enhance the holiday theme of your home.

Here to help you make your holiday season a little more merry,