Happy February, friends! Last month, I shared that my "word for the year" is hygge. Hygge is a beautiful Danish word that's hard to translate into English, but it's essentially a deep sense of coziness and well-being. I've been trying to embrace Hygge during these cold, Alberta winter months by baking more comfort foods, enjoying the company of my family and friends, doing lots of crafts, and decorating with my favourite cozy essentials. Let me share how I've decorated our living room for winter and 5 things that will help you create your own cozy, hygge space in your own home!

This post is sponsored by Duraflame.

Here's how our living room looks this winter. I love that it looks so warm and soft; it invites me to snuggle up on the sofa with the girls and read a book! It's so nice to have a cozy space to retreat to when it's chilly outside.

5 Essential Elements of Cozy, Hygge Decor

Candles

Lighting a group of candles on the coffee table creates a calming atmosphere, and I personally enjoy at least one scented candle in the bunch to make our home smell delicious! According to Meik Wiking, author of The Little Book of Hygge, "no recipe for Hygge is complete without candles".

Twinkle Lights

Another source of warmth and cozy lighting is using twinkle lights or string lights in your decor. Keep a string or two around from Christmas to keep your home feeling bright and festive. I found these lit birch trees over the Holidays, and I kept one in our living room to combat the darker days of January and February.

Fire

If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace, lighting a warm fire is the ultimate way to add some Hygge to your space. There's nothing like the crackle of logs to instantly add a cozy feeling to any room! I use duraflame® stax® Crackling Firelogs in our fireplace because their super-duper easy to light and they have the sentimental crackling sound that I love! The logs are shaped like split wood and have the same charred appearance, but they burn better than regular firewood and they're made from 100% renewable resources.

Wood Accessories

There's something about real wooden decor accessories that adds character and warmth to a room. Adding in elements like natural wood tables, wooden branches and wicker baskets will make your space feel very hyggeligt.

Pillows and Blankets

Last but certainly not least, an abundance of soft, furry blankets and pillows will instantly add a cozy, hygge feel to any living space. Here's how I made my faux fur pillow seen above, and sheepskin rugs and faux fur blankets are also great choices to use in a cozy living room.

Combining all of the elements above in your space will create a beautiful, warm and inviting room to share with friends and family this winter.

Whip up your favourite comfort food for dinner, invite some people over, and then share the evening together by the fire enjoying each other's company!

Happy hygge-ing!

Here's a video tour of our cozy, hygge living room: