*This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Shopko. The opinions and text are all mine.
I am passionate about creating a Hygge home all year round. Hygge is not just for fall and winter! Spring and Summer are some of the best times to experience “Hygge.”
Have YOU heard of Hygge?
First off..lets get the pronunciation down. It is pronounced “hoo-ga”…I know, I know, it is not the prettiest sounding word, but I have so grown to love this word!
What is Hygge?
Hygge is a Danish term that is defined as “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.”
If you know me well, you know I am all about doing that little bit of extra to create a special atmosphere!
My friends and family tell me I’m quite good at it, and I adore doing it. It is just in my nature.
I automatically want to create a homey, cozy, and comfortable feeling for the people that I love when they come into my space. I also am very intentional about using these spaces to slow down when I am alone, too.
ShopKo Stop, Shop, and Drop the Prices Sale
I have a lot of easy ideas to create a Hygge home in the spring and summer, and have found some great items from Shopko to help do it!
Right now is a perfect time to shop, because Shopko is having a “Stop, Shop, and Drop the Prices” sale going on right now–May 6,2018-May 12, 2018. No coupons are required for discounted prices, but if you shop online, you can get free shipping off orders over $99 with the code SHIP99.
Not only is Hygge a great way to love others well and make them feel important and cared for in your home, but it is great for being kind to yourself, too!
Remember, it is all about doing a little something extra to create a special atmosphere, and the feeling that Hygge gives is beneficial whether you are with the people you love, or if you are just nesting in for some time alone.
How to Have a Hygge Home in the Spring and Summer
Create Cozy Nests in Areas of Your Home
My teenage girls laugh at me and tell me I like to ‘nest’ in different areas of our home, and they are right! They may chuckle at me, but you better believe I find them taking over my various ‘nests’ throughout the house.
Whether it is the corner of our living room couch, a chair upstairs in our landing area by the window, our porch swing, my bed or even a chair by the fire pit outside, I LOVE to sit and enjoy a comfortable atmosphere.
I use all types of items to create these inviting little areas of comfort–to create Hygge– and I change it up just a bit in the spring and summer.
A great item to start with is a chair, because who likes to nest while standing up? Give me a chair, or better yet, give me a chair with a throw on it! Just make the throw nice and light for spring and summer.
No matter how hot it is outside, I always like some sort of cover when I am nesting in with a good book or my journal, but on warmer days, lightness is key!
Keep Comfort Items Close
I love having items that are used often, close by and within arms reach of where I usually use them. Items like pens, lip balm, lotion, journal, books, magazines, paperclips etc.
These items can create clutter, and clutter can destroy Hygge, so have some fun baskets or small ceramic bowls on hand to gather all the things.
I like baskets made of materials from nature. Adding a touch of nature is a great way to create beauty and add texture to any home decor.
I like to gather my journals, planner and favorite book in a basket and keep it right by my chair, along with pens and colored pencils.
One of my favorite comfort items is lotion, but I don’t like unsightly bottles sitting around. Instead, fill a pump lotion dispenser with lotion and keep it close and handy.
I have the Morgan Cement Pump from Shopko and chose it because it is neutral enough to go in any room and the quality is great.
Get one for the bathroom and the bedroom or guest bedroom. It looks so pretty sitting on a bedside table or any place you want to practice self-care.
Spring and summer sun can be drying, so apply a good lotion as needed.
When creating a cozy home in the spring or summer, think heart warmth instead of body warmth! I created sweet heart warmth by framing a senior picture of my daughter who is graduating!
She graduates in just a couple of weeks, so this photo definitely warms my heart! This beautiful frame is wood but looks like cement. I love the rawness of the cement, and it is the perfect way to bring a normally outdoor texture to the indoors.
A little healthy snack sitting close is a great way to create the feeling of care and concern for those you love, or just for yourself!
Fill a small ceramic bowl with raw nuts for snacking or to have out for guests to help themselves to. I love, love, love this little navy ceramic bowl from Shopko.
Bring in Nature
Replace bowls of pinecones from fall and winter with vases of fresh flowers for spring and summer. Enjoy indoor potted plants. My favorites are succulents and herbs!
Have a planter that is large enough to not have to water or switch out the plants too often, but small enough that it is portable and can be moved around depending on your mood or where you or your guests will be.
I’ve been known to carry my favorite planter around and change it’s home up often! Keep your planters simple in design so that they complement whatever room you put them in.
Bring the outdoors in, open the blinds and let the sunshine in! Remember, it does not have to be fancy.
Another quick tip? You can cut sprigs from just about any bush or plant outside, stick them in a glass and have instant refreshing green nature in your home!
Make Refreshing Beverages
Pamper yourself! I’ve seen glass carafes with different fruited or herbed waters in upscale spas, and it feels SO special…yet is just a simple touch that anyone can do at any time.
Use an Anchor Hocking Glass Carafe, fill it with water and make it extra special by simply adding a few wedges of lime or fresh berries and a sprig of mint.
A carafe is the perfect size container for serving a special beverage. Bring it out to the porch and enjoy the outdoors with a friend, or if you are alone, keep it close by to refill your beverage throughout the day.
Grab a classic Cooler glass or the Anchor Hocking Lido Clear Tea Glass, fill it with iced cold tea on a warm spring or summer day. The refreshing beverages in the images above are lemon ginger green tea with floated fruit and herbs for flavor and beauty!
Remember…creating Hygge is all about making things just a little extra special in simple ways. Yes, it can be as simple as adding a spring of mint in a simple glass of water or iced tea.
Use Lighter Linens and Throws
No more flannel sheets, fuzzy pillows or heavy comforters. Exchange them out for lighter coverings and crisp, light sheets.
I love a good sheet, and I always go with white in the summer. Nothing beats a breezy white sheet! They are easy to launder, and look and feel refreshing.
Shopko sells the Hotel by Club Brand Sheets that are 1,000 count and feels super soft.
Again, keep throws around, but make sure they are soft and lightweight for spring and summer.
Don’t Forget Scents!
Atmosphere can be transformed by scent. I’m a BIG scent girl, and burn candles all year round! I do like a lighter, more refreshing scent like the Turquoise Sea Scented Candle from Shopko in the warmer months.
I also love diffusing more fruity scented essential oils in the spring and summer, especially citrus oils.
Want to keep it super simple? Just open a window and let the scent of nature drift right in.
Pay Attention to Lighting
When creating Hygge in the winter, cozy often feels like low lights and candlelight. In the spring and summer? Gimme all the bright natural light!
In the evening, cozy lighting is important no matter what season! I have this J. Hunt Fillable Lamp (also from Shopko) and it gives such a nice feeling of light with a classic glass body and the natural wood base.
You can fill the glass base of this lamp or keep it simple and empty. If you choose to fill it, you could use with stones, sand, shells, a black and white photo, or a faux succulent. When seasons change, you could even fill it with ball ornaments!
I topped the lamp with the J. Hunt Home Sparkle Hardback Table Shade. Y’all know I love just a hint of sparkle, and this shade has such a tasteful shimmer which adds interest to the grey.
During the day, let the natural light in. Open curtains, shades, and blinds. Use string lights on the porch or backyard. Put some fairy lights in a mason jar or light a citronella candle when outdoors and the sun starts to go down.
Have a fireplace? Arrange 5-6 different sized pillar candles in it and light them. This will create awesome ambiance without the heat!
Have a fire pit outside but it is too hot to light it? Gather some string lights and place them right in the pit and plug them in. No fire needed and instant awesome atmosphere and light on a summer night.
Create Moments Outside
Remember when creating moments with those you love to be thoughtful and purposeful, but keep it simple.
Lay out a quilt and take dinner outside. Pack up a picnic, even if it is just to take to your own backyard. This is how you create special atmosphere and moments to remember.
Create little moments that feel out of the ordinary. It shows your people that you took a minute to think about creating a special memory…all by simply laying out a quilt in the backyard! So easy!
How about investing in a hammock for more Hygge moments outside and a great outdoor ‘nest.’ Bring a portable speaker out and play some ambient music, or simply notice and listen to the birds or sounds of nature.
Think Outside the Box
When thinking of Hygge, you probably wouldn’t automatically think of a fan, but in the Spring and Summer, creating comfort for me — looks like a fan!
I love a good ceiling fan and you can now find ceiling fans are not as unsightly as they used to be. I like a more modern, sleek design that does not draw too much attention to itself.
A tower fan tucked in a corner can keep your guests nice and cool all summer long, is portable, and take up very little space.
What about you? Do you like the idea of Hygge? Do you like to create a special atmosphere and is it something that you think about? Do you find it is harder to do in the Spring and Summer?