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My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place

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The author of the New York Times bestseller The Little Book of Hygge, helps you turn your home into your happy, cozy safe place.

The urge to nest and control our close environments has never been stronger. We spend more time in our homes than anywhere else—but the way in which our homes impact how we feel has remained relatively unexplored until now.

Backed with Danish design principles, years of research, case studies and a sprinkle of hygge, Meik Wiking has created the ultimate guide to turning your home, office, or wherever you may be, into your happy place.

The Hygge Home will teach us all how to create a much-needed cozy safe space in our homes into which we can retreat to escape the tough things going on in the outside world. Meik will explore the size of our spaces, the way we decorate our homes, the amount of natural light coming in, how much access to green space we have and how we can extend these design principles from inside our homes to our neighbourhoods and beyond.

Meik is guaranteed to help you create a home and safe space where you can both live and thrive.

272 pages, Hardcover

First published September 29, 2022

About the author

Meik Wiking

15 books1,419 followers
Meik Wiking is CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, research associate for Denmark at the World Database of Happiness, and founding member of the Latin American Network for Wellbeing and Quality of Life Policies.

He and his research have been featured in more than five hundred media outlets, including The Washington Post, BBC, Huffington Post, the Times (London), The Guardian, CBS, Monocle, the Atlantic, and PBS News Hour.

He has spoken at TEDx, and his books have been translated into more than fifteen languages.

He lives in Copenhagen, Denmark.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 445 reviews
Profile Image for AquaMoon.
1,572 reviews57 followers
November 6, 2023
Welcome to mid-November in Michigan, where the majority of the days are cold, damp, and overcast, and the near-nonexistent sun sets around 5 p.m. Where Seasonal Affective is already raging and we're still more than a month away from the maximum darkness of the Winter Solstice. And where thoughts of those long, dark, frigid months ahead are enough to make even the most Pollyanna of the population want to curl up and cry...or at least go into hibernation mode.

Therein lies my motivation (desperation?) for checking out this book. Even when past experience warned me otherwise.

The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well came across as an endorsement for owning (and lighting) more candles than the average Catholic Church during the Holiday Rush (). While this likely had the Yankee Company singing praises of gratitude for the financial/stock boost, I found it quite impractical due to the fact that I have pets. Plus, no one should light up THAT much Pumpkin Spice. No one. Not even Starbucks. It also endorced unhealthy eating habits and spent countless pages promoting a cookie-cutter version of "Coziness." And, to add insult to injury, had the balls to suggest that no one but the Danish could truly experience said quality. Which led me to wonder...does this author even really know anything? Or is he just spouting narrow stereotypes? To be honest (and unmerciful?), it read more like one of those novelty books you find in over-abundance on the Holiday Sale table at Barnes & Noble than anything with substance.

I admit it: I gave the book quite a bit of beef. And I was fully prepared to viciously tear into this one as well, much like Homer Simpson would tear into a dozen donuts. I was even mentally wring the review in my head as I held the pre-read book in my hands. And I had all sorts of snarky witticisms prepared too.

But *shock!* I was actually pleasantly surprised!

I'm not complaining. I love when this happens. It's the exact opposite of a "Hyped And Excited For" book being the Disappointment of the Year (or at least the moment).

Whereas The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well had about as much nutritional value as Homer's aforementioned donuts, My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place actually had something of value to say. Rather than hyper-focusing on a very narrow and stereotypical (not to mention materialistic) definition of Hygge, this book actually delved into the Science and Psychology of happiness and what one needs to do/change in their life/environment to achieve that elusive state even in the dark depths of the coldest, nastiest winter. Or pandemic lockdown, if you rather. And this time around, the author even freely admitted that Hygge is NOT an exclusively Danish thing (see pg. 19), a falsely presumptuous (and rather pretentious) assumption he flaunted in his previous book.

Overall, Mr. Wiking's most recent book presents a more broad view of Hygge and leaves the concept open to individual interpretation. It does mention some general basics one needs to lead a happy life, but backs that up with scientific sources. It was what the previous book should have been.

True, there was still some New Age-y mumbo-jumbo. And I did roll my eyes a couple times. And this is coming from someone who has an affinity for Crystals and who likely has as much quarts (and other healing gems) in their home (per pound) as the author does in candles.

True A LOT of info about lighting, placement of stuff, and general energy flow/vibe comes directly from the much older practice of Feng Shui.

And there was STILL that obsession with candles, which the author plugged at every opportunity. To which I say, "Dude, I have cats. And I wouldn't even trust those curious little buggers around a single, heavily-supervised birthday candle, let alone a whole housefull of potential fire hazards." Not to mention that lighting candles, or anything that produces smoke and ash, in an enclosed space isn't really the healthiest thing one can do for their body. And since Good Health = Happiness, candles and their environmental fallout seems kind of counterproductive to the end goal. But if candles make the author happy... Hey who am I to judge. I probably have some happiness triggers that would cause him to scratch his head and make the WTF face.

I will substitute the candlelight with fairy lights, however. The LED variety of which the bulbs don't heat up to scalding and that use up far less juice than their traditional counterparts.

So yeah. I liked this one.

And I give it a solid 3.5 stars.

p.s. I totally vibe with the "Viking Proof" seating concept. Like a (Mafia) Boss! Yes, Baby...please put me in the corner!
Profile Image for Emiliya Bozhilova.
1,595 reviews294 followers
December 19, 2022
Най-много ми харесаха картинките. Няма никаква нужда да се чете задълбочено, не казва нещо, което всяко дете да не знае. Хубаво ни е, когато има много естествена светлина, топлина в зимните дни, меки възглавнички, късче зеленина наблизо из сивите улици, добри приятели и малко вкусна домашна зимнина.

Хюга всеки си я прави сам, и стига да е постигнато минимално ниво на материална осигуреност - оттам нататък Хюга е възприятие, отношение и поведение, а не покупка на нови вещи или твърди правила.
Profile Image for Matt.
343 reviews68 followers
January 22, 2023
There wasn’t a ton of new info in this book if you’ve read Little Book of Hygge. This book is padded with a lot of useless pictures and full-page charts, too.

My favorite part of the book was the discussion towards the end about designing your home for self-actualization. I would have liked for the author to have developed this content more. Why not get into specifics about how a person could do that? And the photos could have shown how different people designed their homes for the kinds of lives they’re living.
Profile Image for Sandra.
694 reviews107 followers
July 10, 2024
If you are looking for a wonderful December, end of year or Christmas read look no further
Profile Image for Briana Kelly.
235 reviews14 followers
December 8, 2022
The Hygge Home by Meik Wiking
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📚Overview: Research and suggestions on how turn your house into a home, with a Hygge (Danish way of life) influence.

📖 Genre: Lifestyle | Wellbeing | Non-Fiction | Health

👍Likes: This book is just fabulous! I was gifted it at a time when I was going through a reading-lull! It’s easy to read, simplistic, inspiring, mind numbing and cosy!

👎Dislikes: I enjoyed the whole process of reading this book so am struggling to fault it. Admittedly, I adore (and am a little obsessed with) the concept of Hygge so this may be a biased review, as a result!

📘Format: Hard Copy. I would highly recommend the physical copy of this book- The pictures are beautiful throughout.

🎁 Recommend For: The perfect gift for anyone who likes warmth and coziness (Hygge).

✨Fun Facts:
🏠We spend 90% of our time indoors, 69% of which is at home!
☀️People who are outside in daylight 2 hours have 40% lower risk of becoming depressed.
💼53% of people want to work from home at least 3 days a week, following from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

💙 Memorable Quotes:
✨”There is a time for interaction and there is a time for introspection.”
✨”You can’t stay in your corner of the living room waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” - Winnie the Pooh
✨”A good reply is better than a fast reply.”
✨”It’s pointless. But the fact that ur is pointless is the point.”
✨”Hygge is all about the atmosphere you create with people, and it can happen anywhere, any time, so don’t just deserve it for your home.”
✨”Work Hygge, play Hygge.”
✨”A home without books is like a body without a soul.”
Profile Image for Петър Стойков.
Author 2 books308 followers
May 6, 2023
Прочел съм бая книги за датското уютване, повечето от тях от американски авторки и повечето не особено добри. Тази е от датски автор, при това, както не се уморява да повтаря в книгата си, изследовател в Института за изследване на щастието. Да, има такова нещо в Дания и правителството явно им дават пари за това. Надвили са си масрафа хората и могат да си го позволят.

Книгата е нещо като продължение на предишната на автора и не е особено детайлна, по-скоро се занимава с различни концепции и идеи относно hygge в дома, отколкото да дава конкретни съвети. От нея също личи типичното датско разбиране за уюта като по-широка идея за живота, което американските авторки (що са винаги жени?), упражнявали се по темата не са успели да схванат.
Profile Image for Lavins.
1,091 reviews44 followers
December 14, 2022
5 stars

An absolutely excellent book that goes straight to the heart and warms even the darkest corners.

Such a beautiful , heartwarming, sweet, nice, funny take on things. An absolute joy and a perfect gift for anyone!
Profile Image for Katie.
123 reviews
September 10, 2023
This didn't gel for me. I wanted more photos and illustrations, while many of the existing visuals were kind of generic and not necessarily tied to the text. The mix of personal anecdotes, commentary, and happiness research read a bit choppy for me. And I just wasn't the audience for the author's corny sense of humor and cultural references (Laura Ingalls Wilder and Winston Churchill aren’t inspiring or cozy to me). What I did appreciate was the author’s idea of "Viking-proof" seats, rooted in "prospect-refuge theory" of landscape aesthetics (we seek places where we can see without being seen), and the vacant chair principle (purposefully leaving an empty seat to make it easier for someone to join the group). His preserved lemons recipe was another point of inspiration: I thought it would be more complicated. It was also great that he tried to address the commercialization of hygge and encouraged readers not to try to buy our way to happiness.
Profile Image for Victoria.
602 reviews
February 1, 2023
My practical takeaway - Whatever makes me feel cozy and happy at home...do that.

Side note: the author's job description is beyond cool, "Meik Wiking is CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, research associate for Denmark at the World Database of Happiness, and founding member of the Latin American Network for Wellbeing and Quality of Life Policies...He has been called 'The Indiana Jones of Smiles' and is probably the World's Happiest Man."
Profile Image for Katelyn Jacobson.
45 reviews2 followers
February 21, 2023
I love my home. It’s probably one of my top 3 things I’m most proud to create. It’s the essence of our family and has to be taken apart and put back together every three years (thanks USMC) and it’s my absolute joy to do it. This little book of Hygge Home was magical in reminding me the importance of home and how to best cultivate a sense of Hygge within. 5 stars for being inspired, encouraged, and embraced by this book.
Profile Image for Nena.
62 reviews2 followers
December 18, 2022
I love this book and the previous one too..Lots of good ideas to implement and it was the best time to read it as I refurbish a house. Love the pictures and the decoration on the cover itself.Looking forward for the next book.
Profile Image for Iryna.
74 reviews30 followers
July 26, 2023
Найбільш затишне та надихаюче на позитив читання за останній час.
Ще й естетично🤍
Profile Image for Alexandra - Alexs books and socks.
739 reviews42 followers
October 27, 2022
Begin ik al wat in de kerstsfeer te komen? Mogelijks. Maar dat is helemaal oké want die sfeer dat kerst bij mij oproept is voor mij dan ook echt helemaal Hygge. Dit boek is vooral over wat je huis een thuis maakt. Of je nu miljoenen hebt of net een heel erg beperkt budget, dat gevoel, dat hygge-ding, dat kan je altijd creëren.

Niet alleen de theetjes, dekentjes en kaarsje zorgen voor dat gevoel. Ook ruimte, ruimte in je huis zorgt voor rust en zuurstof in je hoofd, daglicht is een boost voor je en dat zorgt dan weer voor dat speciale gevoel. Dat is wat dit boek meegeeft, hoe je dat kan creëren. Erg fijn aan de manier waarop de auteur het boek schreef is dat het je helemaal vrij staat om dingen toe te passen of niet, tips & tricks zonder een gevoel van ‘je moet dit zo doen’, nee, je kan en mag het zo doen en daar ga je dan mogelijks gelukkiger van worden.

Heel dit boek alleen al van cover tot inhoudelijk maakt al gelukkig. Warmte, samen, hygge. Dit boek lezen op de bank met een dekentje is op zich al hygge. Ik werd en word heel gelukkig van dit boek.
Profile Image for Alyson.
581 reviews2 followers
July 5, 2024
Will read all things hygge because it's hygge. New metric for US States where I will never live is the map summarizing where folks search for the term hygge.

Also LOL'ed with this quote. Although I think John Waters used the F bomb with his advice.

"You might say, "I don't care about books and reading. OK, fine. First, I am sorry that we can't be friends anymore. Second, the point is that your home and your room impact you and your behavior. You act differently in different room settings, so simply having books there will make a difference. And finally, keep in mind that Cicero, the Roman statesman and scholar, is said to have pointed out that a home without books is like a body without a soul. What he meant was of course that a home without books lacks hygge. A modern variation is John Samuel Waters Jr, an American actor and director, who is credited with saying, "If you go home with somebody and they don't have books, don't sleep with them." Don't sleep with people who don't read. A variation of that could be: No books equals no hygge." (233)
Profile Image for Justine.
1,219 reviews212 followers
April 7, 2024
I loved this book more than the first one I read by the author, The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well . I decided to pick it up because I'll be making changes at home and I wanted to pick ideas if I felt like it; I annotated my edition and I'll use it to help!

I loved that the author keeps refining the concept of hygge here and reminds the reader, multiple times, that it is not about money, but about atmosphere and relationships. I also loved the focus on home, what it is, and how to make it a comfortable place, a place we love to be in. It made me want to read more books about home and the concept of it!
Profile Image for Becca.
735 reviews24 followers
March 13, 2024
So glad I read this before thinking out the design choices for my house. I love this way of thinking about what makes home so special.
Profile Image for Blajuti Roxana.
56 reviews1 follower
November 18, 2023
La fel ca și celelalte carti din colecția Hygge, absolut geniale. Lucrurile simple sunt mereu aducătoare de fericire, plinătate și împliniri.
Profile Image for Mariana.
185 reviews
June 11, 2023
I’ll be honest, I put this one on hold in our bleak February and then forgot all about it until it became available a couple weeks ago. Hygge ideas and concepts are even more appropriate in Minnesota winter months, but I learned here that it’s not *all* about the weather. A lot of it is about slowing down and paying attention and connecting with others—something I could certainly use to do more of these days! It will be one I’ll pick back up again, for sure.
Profile Image for Janalynn.
177 reviews5 followers
November 16, 2022
This was a gifted copy from the publisher in exchange for a review.

Ever have a book come into your life at the perfect time?

It’s mid-November and I live in Newfoundland, Canada. Winter is right around the corner, and the Almanac’s predicting it’ll be a cold and snowy one. For most of my adult life, January, February, and March have been my least favourite months of the year.

Enter My Hygge Home. I started reading this and couldn’t put it down and finished it in a single afternoon. It’s easy to read, and full of really lovely photos. (My personal favourite is a cat curled up catching a nap in a ray of sunlight.)

It's full of inspired suggestions on making your home a happy place. It’s more “helpful menu” and less “to-do list”. There’s no pressure and the tips are laid out for picking and choosing at your own pace. Sure, some of it I already knew, but it's a nice book all the same.

The book has given me hope. Maybe I don’t need to hate Winter quite so much. Maybe I’ll get a plant. Maybe I’ll finally try that soup recipe I wrote down six years ago. Some extra fresh air would do me good. And maybe I should bring my camera along. I’ll take things slow and enjoy the process—which, according to page 71, is very hygge.

I’d definitely recommend for anyone who, much like myself, lives in a cold climate and doesn’t enjoy the Winter months.
Profile Image for Sarah.
99 reviews1 follower
March 7, 2023
So I love natural light and making home a comfortable place (and reading books that validate my loves - sue me)! Lots of little insights in this one - I’ll be leaving an extra chair out from now on. 🤍 Must go back and read the Little Book of Hygge.
Profile Image for Megan Hibbs.
41 reviews
May 20, 2023
This was such a fun and easy read, and the photography was really beautiful. I will say, far more was discussed than just hygge in the home (hygge in the workplace, for example). I'd recommend reading it in the fall or winter, though!
Profile Image for Renee Young.
99 reviews13 followers
November 28, 2023
Absolute gem of a book. Infinitely more practical and helpful than LBoH. This is not a burdensome “to-do” list but rather “a catalog, or menu, for inspiration” (267). And that it surely is. I wish you could feel the difference of my home in just a few short weeks taking the information of this book to heart. I de-cluttered ruthlessly. Painted walls. Declutterred some more. Put up peel and stick tile in the bathroom. Dusted and vacuumed some more. And my heart exploded at the thrill of comfort that was forming in my crammed and sardine-packed abode. But hygge life is more than just decluttering and cleaning, it’s about enjoying. “Marie Kondo, you know what would spark joy? Buying less crap (121). And with 5 kids I feel this in my bones. “Hygge is truly all about—living the good life on a tight budget. It’s the enjoyment of simple pleasures. It’s the art of creating a nice, warm, comforting atmosphere. I think one of the best things we can give to our children is an understanding of where we can find joy and well-being without spending money” (128-29).

After reading this book, I could sum hygge up in one word—contentment. “Happiness does not have to come with a price tag” (142).

“[Hygge] is finding comfort in our shelter when the storm is raging, or when winter has come” (36).

“[Hygge] is not about having it all. It is about enjoying what you have and enjoying it with the people in your life. It is not about what you have but the atmosphere you create. It’s a state of mind. It’s what makes a place feel like home” (130).

“Hygge is about enjoying the process. About taking things slowly. And looking forward to the delicious results you will enjoy tucked up at home on a quiet wintry evening. It’s about enriching this time at home by knowing that you’ve got plenty of delights in store, ready for the perfect hygge moment. It’s about making your nights in special, and never feeling that you are missing out” (71).

“Hygge is about being frugal – about old virtues. It is about following the tradition of earlier generations, the generations that didn’t throw away things because they were broken, but learned how to fix them. It is about repairing our clothes rather than buying new ones. It is about using the food that we have in our fridge and not letting it go to waste” (130).

Connection. Togetherness. Enjoyment. All improve our well-belling, and this isn’t secular idea but exactly how the Lord designed us to be!! “The hygge home is not an island; it is a place that knows it is part of a wider community, and it offers support and warmth to those in need” (182).

I recommend this book if you need a book to cozy up to the fire with a cup of coffee with. If you are curious how to make your house a home, if you are overstimulated and overwhelmed by all of the stuff in your house desperate for another way—read this book to get the why and how behind taking a step toward the hygge life.

Cheers.
Profile Image for Христина Лончина.
81 reviews5 followers
March 29, 2024
Для українців читати книжку про дім, може бути болісно й сумно, бо, на жаль, багато людей втратили дім, або виїхала з нього на невизначений термін.

Проте значення хюґе не лише творити атмосферу в особистій оселі, а й там, де ти перебуваєш безпосередньо в цей момент, додавати якісь затишні деталі, щоб почуватися в безпеці тут і зараз.

Мік Вікінг не лише розповідає про якісь елементи дизайну, які варто додати в помешканні, щоб воно перетворилося на затишну оселю, а й наводить практичні дослідження, які він із колегами проводять в Інституті дослідження щастя в Копенгагені. Декілька таких - можна глянути в каруселі ☺️.

Колись я думала, що хочу створити мінімалістичний дизайн у домі, проте потім зрозуміла, що мені затишно в оселі, де є маленькі деталі, які разом створюють особливу атмосферу, в якій мені добре - роздруковані фото, книги, сухоцвіти, а в сезон - живі квіти, багато зелені, зокрема вазонкові квіти, картини (наприклад, зараз я сама часто малюю маленькі картини-афірмації), якісь пам'ятні статуетки, листівки, а ще свічки, багато різних свічок!

Якщо тема хюґе вам близька, прочитайте цю книжку, вона хороша 💛. Мені зокрема ще дуже відгукнулися думки про те, що наш дім формує нас, надихає на досягнення бажаного, про це й інше - опублікую згодом цитати з книжки, чекайте 🥰!
16 reviews
February 2, 2024
This book was like a warm hug whenever I needed it. It is broken down into short sections, so it's easy to pick up, read a couple pages, then go back to something else. (I read most of this while I was rehearsing for a musical during my off stage scenes).

I would say if you are a very practical person looking for ideas on how to orient your home in a cozier way, then this is the book for you. If you have moved recently, are younger and starting out, etc, this book is for you. However, if you have an established home that you are happy with, you can probably skip this. That being said, if you love research into how people think and the correlation between perceived happiness and the homes they have, there is TONS of research in this book.

The thing I loved most about this book is that it constantly would restate that buying more and consumerism is the opposite of hygge. It really encourages the reader to get creative with what they have or to find small changes (ex-buying a warm light bulb instead of a whole new lamp).
Profile Image for Abby Jones.
Author 1 book30 followers
August 2, 2024
This book is a great compliment and expansion on the Little Book of Hygge. It details out how to make a home hygge by looking at lighting, plants, food, companionship, layout, and more. It is an excellent resource for a struggling homemaker or a homemaker who feels like she doesn't have a natural knack for decorating. It provides research on why different things build up a home and community and why others don't.
I appreciated how he didn't just address a person in their home, but people living together as families and communities. I enjoyed the humor, the discussion of plants, and the advice to those who work from home.
This is a pretty book with short digestible topics and chapters and action points.
Profile Image for Natalia UN.
223 reviews22 followers
January 1, 2024
"Un loc tămăduitor pentru suflet" - astfel trebuie să fie o casă după părerea autorului, și are dreptate. Toate cărțile Hygge ale lui Meik Wiking sunt ca o plapumă caldă și pufoasă, iar Hygge Home nu este o excepție. Este atât de plăcută simplitatea nordică, tendința lor de a se înconjura cu oameni buni, cărți, mâncare gustoasă, lucruri mici care aduc plăcere încât ne rămâne doar să luăm exemplu și să le aducem în casa noastră pentru a avea un cămin fericit ❤️.
Profile Image for Blair Brown.
202 reviews2 followers
April 2, 2024
3.5 stars, rounded up. This was a light and enjoyable read. It offers up some good ideas for ways to crank up the coziness factor in your home and increase general life satisfaction by slowing down and enjoying it. I'm feeling inspired to plant some seeds, preserve some fruit, and enjoy everything my home has to offer.
Profile Image for Kristina NT.
281 reviews2 followers
April 12, 2024
Kitaip tariant, hygge yra gebėjimas paprastą statinį paversti namais — vieta, kurioje yra jauku, kurioje randame dvasinę bendrystę. Projektuoti hygge namus reiškia įsivaizduoti, kokios veiklos, galinčios turėti teigiamą įtaką jūsų gerovei, čia vyks, o tada formuoti savo gyvenamąją erdvę.

Visai įdomi knygą, patiko. 🏠🥰
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