You may or may not be familiar with the Danish concept of “hygge”. Until recently, neither was I. The term hygge (pronounced hue-gah) can be translated into English as “cosiness”, however it is more like a sense of being comfortable, encouraging wellness and treating yourself and others well.
The Danes think of hygge as essential to getting through the winter months, creating an atmosphere of warmth, romantic lighting and minimalist luxury. However, hygge isn’t reserved for middle-class hipster types. Everyone is doing it. Hygge can be as simple as getting together for a comforting meal, lighting candles or settling into a warm bath. As much as we would enjoy it, it’s not quite practical to install a bath here at Curated simply for the purpose of bringing greater hygge. However, we are going to enjoy the little things this winter, and I’m making it my mission to bring as much Danish delight to our Scottish home as possible. Theses are just a few of the Hygge happenings here at Curated that bring us a sense of winter comfort.
Soup Club - After disappearing for the summer, Soup Club returns! The idea behind soup club is community, comfort and only a hint of competitiveness. Each week, a member of the team takes a turn at making their speciality soup. We agree on a time for soup club to make sure most of us can participate (it’s all about encouraging a sense of comfort and belonging after all) and delight in the little bit of home comfort brought to the office. We do love our sweet treats too, and we like to make sure the ‘Fruit and biscuit” bowl never goes empty.
Quiet room - Although hygge can be about community, it can also be about some time to yourself. When we feel like some quiet time here at Curated, away from the keyboard tapping and coffee slurps, we head to the “Quiet Room” - maybe this year we can call it the hygge room. Dressed in neutral tones and dimly lit, the quiet room is the perfect writers retreat.
Plants and animals - From what I have gathered about hygge, having something to care for can bring a sense of wellness. Plants are perfect for bringing a little bit of life and colour into the office. We also have regular visits from our four legged friends, Rodger and Spencer - look out for them on our social media accounts.
Recreation and decoration - Whilst we do believe in working hard, we also strive to create a sense of community through recreation activities in the office.
Sometimes we play darts, or even a little music
There is also a seriously competitive Fantasy Football League going on and our prestigious daily “On this Day” quiz. These activities allow the team to bond, feel comfortable at work and ultimately work together better, encouraging productivity and higher motivation. Every workplace could do with a little hygge.
We are also very lucky here at Curated House to have such a well styled office. We moved into the office a little under a year ago and since then the hygge has only been growing. Ideas on how to decorate come from all members of the team, and are overseen by design experts. These photos represent a few of my favourite spots around the office and hopefully act as a little inspiration for bringing hygge to your working life.
Thanks for coming to see our home away from home - were looking forward to settling into a productive and hygge winter here at Curated House. We have plenty of festive events coming up - including Scotland’s only “Digital Marketing for Law Firms” themed Pantomime. Catch up with us on social media, we would like to know how you hygge this winter.
Here's a selection of some other images from around the office.
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