Is a woodburner hygge?

Hygge is a Danish word that famously has no direct translation into English. It has risen to prominence in recent years, aided by the popularity of Scandi decor and Nordic television programmes, and begun to enter the English lexicon (helped by the aforementioned absence of a literal translation).

The word describes the feeling or mood created by the pleasure of making regular household activities more meaningful, beautiful or special. It is often loosely translated as cosiness, though that doesn’t quite hit the nail on the head.

Denmark’s tourism website Visit Denmark says: “In essence, hygge means creating a nice, warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people around you.”

That’s good enough for us: on the basis of that explanation a woodburner is definitely hygge. Lighting a stove makes the atmosphere in a home more beautiful and special. It definitely creates a warm atmosphere and it encourages friends and loved ones to gather. Sounds pretty hygge to us.

The same source says that, although part of the Danish language since the 18th century, the word has its origins in Norwegian, where it meant something close to well-being. Given the warmth created, reduction in energy bills and environmental benefits of installing a woodburner in your home, a stove ticks that hygge box, too.

We’ve written previously about the social benefits that come from owning a wood-burning stove and there’s no doubt that contributes to some pretty significant hygge, too. Not least when cosying up together and getting wrapped up in warm clothing to go and collect firewood.

So, if you’re keen to add a sense of hygge to your home, a wood-burning stove is definitely going to be a step in the right direction. And if you want to really create a Scandinavian vibe to your living room, you might like to consider some of these Scandi style woodburners.

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