3 hygge home updates you need to try

Paid partnership with Local Heroes but all thoughts are my own

Now more than ever my home is my sanctuary and, with the mornings getting colder and the evenings drawing in, a little seasonal update was in order.  In the cooler months I strive to create a cosy, welcoming, (dare I even breathe the most overused word of winter?  Sorry, here it comes…) hygge home.

What I love most about this refresh is that it did not cost me a penny – truly – everything I used I had lurking in a cupboard or hiding in the depths of my garden plus a little DIY project to keep the heart of the home running smoothly.  Sometimes it is simply about taking care of what you already have and repurposing already loved pieces in new ways.

Scroll down to discover my three hygge updates…

DECORATE WITH BRANCHES

I have fallen hard for the outdoors this year and, quite frankly, if I cannot be out in it then it will just have to be in with me.  Something about those oversized sprouts of foliage just fills me with contentment.  Regular blooms will always have a place in my heart but give me a branch, with his sculptural beauty and scale, and I am in love.

I lopped these guys down from the depths of my garden but you could absolutely forage in the wild for something similar (just cut sensitively from different areas so as not to leave your mark on mother nature).  I love the drama of the acer branch and I also chose something prickly with berries to cheer up the reception hall but there are no rules.

Some light research suggests taking a hammer to the base of the stem will allow for better water absorption and your gems will last longer.  Hunt out your largest receptacle and if it is not water tight simply line it with a vase or tub.  A branch demands no arranging so just pop him in and let him shine.

CREATE WARMTH

Surely warmth is the key element of creating a hygge home.  You can one hundred percent trick your brain with candles so dig out those gifts from the back of the cupboards and, when the light gets low, light them.  Truly, what special occasion are we saving them for?  Enjoy them.

But we must not forget the true hearts of our homes, the very source of our actual heat, the boilers.  You should be checking in on the big guy post summer to make sure he is in tip top condition before the action really begins…  I have partnered with Local Heroes to share their handy step by step Boiler Advice guide which will talk you through the process of checking your boiler pressure, bleeding your radiators (easier than you might think) and insulating your boiler pipe but if you get stuck you can contact a Local Hero to help get the job done.  Backed by British Gas, their mission is to make getting jobs done hassle-free by reliable and trustworthy tradespeople.  Simply book online at times which suit you and rest assured that the work, through the network of over seven thousand local companies across Britain, is guaranteed.

ADD TEXTURE AND LAYERS

All.  The.  Cosy.  Those heavy throws you packed away for summer?  And those blankets you discarded after that final summer picnic?  Get them out.  Get them all out.  Layer them up the more the merrier.  Heck, I had one too many so popped an old hook on the back of the door and just slung it up there and I adore it.  It is like the sofa, with all that knitted icing is beckoning me into its embrace and that extra blanket is just like, ‘Hey, don’t worry, I got your back.  Or your toes.  Or any bit that needs an extra hug.’  I am in.

I hope these updates help you stay cosy and happy as the weather gets colder – there really is no place like home and anything I can do to make mine more sanctuary-like is so welcome this year especially.