Make your living room cosy: 4 steps to a hygge look for autumn & winter
When the days get shorter, the rain patters against the windows and the temperatures drop, there's only one place we really want to be: on our own sofa. It's the time of year when the Danish concept of “hygge” (the art of cosiness) comes back into our homes.
But how do you turn a cool or ordinary living room into a real feel-good space without having to buy new furniture? The secret lies in textiles! With rugs, cushions and throws, you can create a completely new, warm feel in your room in just a few minutes.
Here's your simple 4-step upgrade for a hyggelig home:
Step 1: Create a warm base – the rug
Cosiness starts from the ground up! Nothing spoils the hygge factor in winter quite like cold feet on a bare floor. A rug is the anchor of your living room. It visually connects the sofa, armchair and coffee table into a harmonious “island” and also dampens sound in the room.
For the cold season, especially soft rugs like the mokebo 'Barefoot' or models with a tangible texture like our indoor rug 'Loop' are ideal. They instantly radiate warmth and offer the perfect base for getting comfortable on the floor in front of the sofa too.
Step 2: “Tactile Living” with a mix of materials on the sofa
The biggest mistake in sofa styling? Too many cushions in exactly the same material. It quickly looks flat and a bit like a waiting room. Interior designers call the solution Tactile Living – decorating with different surface textures you can feel.
When you combine different textures, your sofa instantly looks more three-dimensional and inviting. For the perfect look this autumn and winter, we're relying on three absolute trend materials that also complement your rug beautifully:
- Bouclé: Nothing says cosiness quite like Bouclé. Its little loops and nubs are reminiscent of soft clouds. A soft Bouclé cushion like the lumbar cushion 'Line' breaks up strict lines and brings an organic, cuddly touch to your sofa. You can add a playful highlight with the cloud-shaped scatter cushion 'Cloud'.
- Corduroy: The timeless classic is back! Corduroy cushions in all shapes instantly bring texture and a subtle retro warmth to the room with their clear ribs. They're robust, incredibly soft and the perfect contrast to smoother woven fabrics.
- Velvet: When the light is dimmer in winter, velvet takes centre stage. Velvet cushions reflect the light of candles or fairy lights beautifully and look deep, luxurious and warming. Warm earth tones such as dark brown, olive and rust look particularly autumnal and atmospheric.
Our styling tip: Use a large corduroy cushion as a base, place a shimmering velvet cushion in front of it and round off the look with a small, fluffy Bouclé cushion. An absolute dream mix on a simple sofa!
Step 3: Draping throws the right way
A sofa without a cosy throw is simply unthinkable in winter. But instead of folding the throw neatly and placing it in the corner, we recommend the casual “undone” look you know from interior magazines.
Grab the throw loosely in the middle and let it flow naturally over the armrest or a corner of the seat. It looks effortless and instantly invites you to snuggle up underneath.
Extra tip: Pick up a colour in the throw that also appears in your rug or one of your cushions. It creates a beautifully cohesive overall look.
Step 4: The magic odd number
So how do you best arrange the cushions? A simple interior rule applies here: odd numbers look more harmonious. Instead of placing two cushions on each side of the sofa, try an asymmetrical arrangement. For example, arrange three cushions in one corner (ideally in different sizes, with the largest at the back) and two cushions in the other corner.
Finally, give the cushions the famous “karate chop” (a light tap with the side of your hand on the top centre of the cushion) – it loosens the filling and makes them look especially inviting and high-quality.
Ready for your hygge upgrade? Make your living room the cosiest place in the world with our home accessories and living room furniture!
