How to Create a Frugal Friendly Hygge Home

In this post we will be sharing with you how to create a frugal friendly hygge home. According to Google, Hygge is a Danish word to describe, “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being”. What is the English equivalent? I would venture to describe Hygge as comfort, peace, coziness, tranquility, hominess, sensuousness, or any other word that describes the simple pleasures that home can offer.

Our Journey to Create a Frugal Friendly Hygge Home

Since Starla and I first became roomies, one of our biggest goals has always been to create a space where people feel welcomed and at home. A space of comfort and peace. There is nothing quite like having someone tell you that your house feels like a haven.

We have many friends that have literally told us that they love to come to our place as a sort of “retreat” from the daily grind of life. These friends and family insist that the “aura” or “feel” of our place is just peaceful. The music is soothing, the coffee tastes better, the food is comforting and nourishing. Oftentimes Starla and I laugh out loud at these sweet compliments, because, I guess, this ambience is just plain normal to us. We don’t always see what others see.

a huge house plant in front of a bright south facing window hygge home

But when we take a step back, we realize that we have been blessed beyond measure with an abundance of beautiful things to make our house feel like a truly hygge home. And more importantly, the presence of the living God is in our home. So with gratitude for Jesus’s abundant provision to our lives and home, we want to share our 15 simple luxuries that will help you create your own hygge home. We hope it inspires you!

15 Affordable Luxuries to Create a Frugal Hygge Home

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Create Ambiance with Great Music

We’re old school and love CDs. Isn’t that so nerdy?! But we are just people that prefer tactile things. Being able to hold a CD cover and look at the lyrics and photos is just fun. So consequently we have a huge collection of music on CD. Some of our favorites to put on for background music in the evenings or during a meal are Billie Holiday, Blossom Dearie, Julie London, or Harry Connick Jr. I mean, have you ever heard Billie Holiday play on a rainy day while you’re under a blanket reading a book? If not, you’re missing out!

We had a friend come one night to eat pizza with us. When we got back to the house with the pizza, Starla had Dean Martin playing in the background while she finished up making a huge salad. The friend said, “Oh my gosh, it feels like we just walked into a romantic little Italian restaurant!” That is creating a feeling, is it not? It’s hygge.

Cotton and Linen Sheets and Blankets are Essential

One of my favorite things to see on a couch is a cotton blanket or quilt. There is always someone in the room that is chilly and needs something cozy to wrap up in. We are, admittedly, a bit snobbish about textiles in our home. If it’s not a natural material, we’ll pass. We insist, with snobbish abandon, that our blankets make our skin feel light and breathable. Any blanket that dares impede the breathability of our skin is a big no no.

cotton blankets and quilts on a pink covered bed hygge home

The same can be said for sheets. Sheets should make you feel happy to crawl into bed. They should feel cool and crisp to the touch. Not to mention natural materials are just better for your body in general.

sets of cotton and linen sheets in a closet hygge home

Essential Oils for the Win

Putting some wonderful essential oils in a diffuser can make your home feel so hygge. Scent is such an amazing memory jogger. I believe bringing something that smells delicious into the room brings a whole other level of relaxation. Some of our favorites are rose, geranium, lavender, and patchouli.

an essential oil diffuser and essential oils on a marble table hygge home

Books and Magazines

We grew up in a home with parents that absolutely loved to read. Walking down the steps in the morning to see my dad wearing his reading glasses, reading his Bible with a cup of tea is such a great memory of mine. Having books in the house makes me feel as though I am surrounded by endless possibilities of knowledge and growth. I can learn anything, or travel anywhere in these books. And books are another tactile thing that you can actually experience with the senses- sight, touch, smell.

Some magazines sitting on the coffee table are so nice to flip through as well. They spark interest. Magazines can show you beauty you may not have access to in your area. They can help start interesting conversations.

Fresh Eggs

I know that sounds a little funny, but is there anything more homey than a bowl of eggs on the kitchen counter? It brings to mind so many Martha Stewart magazine spreads I can remember as a kid. Fresh eggs were often the star of the show on a countertop or recipe. Seeing fresh eggs evokes a feeling of comfort and country charm to me.

Homemade Bread Will Make You Smile

Bread has gotten a really bad wrap in the last 10-15 years. What’s funny is that bread has been the staple of many cultural diets for centuries. Jesus is referred to as “the bread of life”. Bread CAN be done right. The sheer pleasure of a freshly baked loaf of real sourdough bread is enough to make my mouth water. It warms the soul, my friends! And seeing it sitting in a quant country kitchen makes you remember why you love the stuff in the first place. It’s beautiful and delicious. And it makes the kitchen feel so hygge.

fresh sourdough bread on a cutting board hygge home

A Water Boiler

Is a water boiler a new concept to you? When I moved to Germany many years ago (I was 19), the family I lived with had a water boiler. It was like angels sang, “Hallelujah!” when I discovered this wonderful new contraption. My mom only ever boiled water on the stove (which is fine!), but a water boiler means a hot cup of tea or french press coffee in a fraction of the time. And it turns off automatically, so no need to worry about forgetting to turn the kettle off!

I mentioned earlier that I have a few friends that insist my coffee is something special. To be honest, my only secret is the french press. That’s it. But for some reason it tastes better. And thanks to the water boiler, it’s quick as well! Community Coffee is made in Louisiana, and it is one of our favorite brands! We love their Dark Roast.

Cloth Napkins

It’s funny, but I’ve seen a few friends hesitate to get our cloth napkins dirty. They think they’re fancy. On the contrary- they were made to get dirty! And to be washed! And to help prevent more disposable waste from going to a landfill. So we get to feel fancy, and save the environment all at the same time. And I would, again, prefer to wipe my face (and the faces of my loved ones) with a piece of well worn cotton than a piece of paper. Hygge.

Fresh Cut Flowers to Brighten Any Day

“Beauty is goodness made present to the senses.” -Dallas Willard

I could not agree more, Dallas. When I walk into a room with fresh cut flowers, it just makes me feel better. It makes me realize goodness truly exists. God’s creation is so beautiful and brings so much comfort. The colors, the scent, and the lavish yet simple abundance of a big bouquet of flowers is one of the best ways to create a frugal friendly hygge home.

fresh cut wild flowers in a small white vase hygge home

Artwork for All the Walls

This goes along with the theme of beauty again. Surrounding yourself with truly beautiful artwork brings such a cozy feeling. Florals, nature scenes, and landscapes are some of our favorites to display in our home. My personal favorites are from Monet. Impressionism to me feels glowy and dream-like.

a copy of monet impressionist painting on a log cabin wall hygge home

Houseplants are Friends

That’s a hashtag I saw on Instagram one time. Isn’t that cute? It’s funny because it feels kind of true! We love our houseplants. They bring color and depth to a room. They make it feel old-fashioned, like a Victorian hot house. There are so many shapes, sizes and colors to choose from as well. Something for every taste and time schedule. They clean the air as well. What’s not to love? House plants are so hygge.

a pink pot with a stromanthe sanguines plant hygge home lfaf

Candles Make Everything Feel More Special

Be it dinner or just a quiet rainy night, candles always bring an ambiance of relaxation to a home. They can make something ordinary become extraordinary. Add them to a cut crystal candle holder and you can enjoy the dancing light reflecting all over the room. Now that is hygge.

flower candles holders with tea candles hygge home

White Lights Feel Magical

Similar to candles, a string of white lights makes a room feel magical. One of our favorite examples of this is Nigella Lawson. In pretty much any season of her different cooking shows, you will find her kitchen, living, and dining rooms full of simple white lights. They are strung along cupboards and looped through bookshelves. It’s a real treat to the eyes. Try it for yourself and you’ll love the hygge feeling you get from your home.

white lights over a canopy bed hygge home

Nice Pots and Pans Make Yummier Food

Does that sound silly? Well, trust me, it’s true. I have to put my plug in for cast iron enamel cookware because it is simply our favorite. It holds heat so well, doesn’t allow things to easily burn, but most importantly (okay maybe not MOST importantly) it comes in every color of the rainbow. It is truly a beautiful way to cook. My favorite is the pink and pale blue pieces we have.

a pink and and a blue cast iron enamel pan on a stove hygge home

And along those same lines- doesn’t eating a delicious, nourishing, homemade meal bring all the warm fuzzies of hygge to your heart? I think so. It’s as though when you cook your food with real ingredients, and love, in a beautiful white-light filled kitchen, in beautiful cookware, the food is bound to taste better. And I believe I can vouch that it certainly does!

We Love Our Pretty Dishes

Florals are at the top of my list. Who wants a big ugly coffee mug with their tea if they can have a beautiful floral tea cup instead? We have lots of mis-matched floral china that we use for every day. It’s not fancy or expensive, but it looks so pretty.

How to Create a Frugal Friendly Hygge Home Honorable Mention

Turn off the TV. Throw out anything from your home that doesn’t bring peace or goodness. Oftentimes the TV is the worst culprit. Read a book, play with the kids, take a walk, get your hands dirty in the garden. These are the things that bring life and goodness to the world, not the TV set.