Hygge: Savor the Cozy Lifestyle in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Have you heard of hygge? Pronounced “hoo-guh,” it is a Danish wellness tradition that’s gaining popularity throughout the U.S., and especially our beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. While there’s no direct English translation for hygge, it’s best described as a joyful, cozy feeling — one experienced when indulging in life’s small, simple pleasures. Much like our lifestyle at French Broad Crossing, hygge not only emphasizes self-care but also encourages warm relationships with family and friends. If you’re ready to take time out and create a setting that encourages quiet reflection or shared conversations, then you’re ready to hygge. Here’s how to savor the experience at home and in life. 

Lift your spirits with lighting 

Candles are the top accessory for a hygge lifestyle. The warm glow of candles makes a room feel inviting, cozy, and warm. Lighting a few and enjoying their radiance and subtle fragrance invoke a relaxed state of mind. Candles create the perfect hygge ambiance. 

Suggestion: Try a Forest candle with calming, woody notes of cedar, cypress, lavender, and rosemary. Locally made in the Carolinas by Elder & Co., this family-owned and operated candle company uses 100% soy wax made from USA-grown soybeans. What’s more, a portion of their sales goes to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. (We’re big fans of the nearby AT.) 

Find peace with plants 

Hygge means surrounding yourself with things that spark happiness and enhance your home’s environment. Bringing nature indoors is a hygge tradition, especially during the winter months. No matter the room, houseplants are the perfect solution for creating a comforting sensory experience. And the bonus? As lovely as they are to look at, houseplants also improve your home’s air quality. 

Suggestion: Head to Fifth Season or Flora (both located in nearby Asheville) and pick up a few easy-to-care-for plants. Consider succulents, a snake plant, or a fiddle leaf fig — all add attractive greenery to any space. This coming May, be sure to check out the “you-pick” flowers at The Never Ending Flower Farm to add some bouquets of happy, heart-warming colors and natural scents to your home. 

Delight in natural decor 

When creating a hygge-inspired home, focus on decor made from natural elements like wood and stone. Stick with calming neutral colors so that rooms offer a comfortable refuge for either self-care or gentle togetherness. Make your fireplace an inviting focal point. The hearth is the perfect place to enjoy a fireside chat, sip warm beverages with friends, or cozy up with a great book and soft blanket. 

Suggestion: In true hygge tradition, the Danes love to reuse and repurpose natural elements in new and interesting ways. Our friends at Atelier Maison offer several attractive, unique finds that fit the bill perfectly. 

Enjoy gratifying gatherings

Not only is hygge about blissful self-care, but it’s also about a spirit of togetherness. It’s sharing laughs, coffee, and warm, just-baked goodies with family and friends. It’s gatherings on front porches and other inviting spaces that encourage quiet chats or jovial afternoon cocktails with good neighbors. It’s sitting with those you hold dear to savor and enjoy a delicious meal together. It’s indulging in an essence of cozy warmth, not only at home but also in your neighborhood.  

Suggestion: If you’re ready to enjoy a distinctive lifestyle and community that restores and resets your body and mind — one intentionally designed to improve your life — then you’re ready to discover French Broad Crossing. We invite you to open your heart to the appeal of simple, cozy moments where everything falls into place, and you feel safe, warm, and happy.  

Contact us today to learn more about the exclusive homes and superb lifestyle that only French Broad Crossing offers. After all, you deserve it. 

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