Move over hygge – koselig (pronounced 'koosh-lee') is the new Scandi style trend in town. Koselig is a Norwegian concept which combines nature, companionship and cosiness to promote personal wellbeing: making it ideal for cosying up your home ready to hibernate for the winter months. Where koselig differs from hygge is that it’s even more focused on the social aspect, as well as a connection to nature and the outdoors.
Intrigued? Here are the seven rules of koselig:
Create a sociable space
Gathering together with friends and family is a big part of the koselig way of life. Most of us don’t have a living room as big as this but you can still make yours a place to gather with friends and relax in by arranging seating around a coffee table, rather than pointed at a television.
Make sure your living room is guest-ready by making your sofas as inviting as possible with the addition of cosy throws and squishy cushions, so your guests can make themselves really comfy. A snuggler armchair or spacious loveseat is the perfect addition for curling up in front of the fire, and it’s ideal if a large sofa would dwarf your room.
Upholstered footstools are not only great for putting your feet up, they also double as extra seating when needed, while both kids and adults alike will want to sink into a faux fur beanbag.
Choose cosy colours
When deciding on a colour palette, let nature inspire your choices. A typical koselig colour scheme echoes the seasons and is based on warm neutrals, such as taupe and creamy off-white, combined with soft sage green. Add accents of deep greens, blues and browns to remind you of expansive forests and rivers, while subtle greys and light blues echo grey winter skies and the soft blue tinge of ice.
As the sun goes down, keep the scheme feeling cosy by using several table or floor lamps with warm white lightbulbs, rather than a glaring overhead ceiling light, to soften the colours and shadows in a room and recreate the glow you’d get from a real fire. Smart light bulbs will allow you to adjust the hue of the light using an app on your phone – and you can also set timers or control them in the app, so you’ll never have to come back to a dark home again.
Look for woodland motifs
Everything needs to work in harmony in your koselig scheme, so when it comes to using pattern, avoid bright colours and clashing prints. Neutral-coloured fabrics with detailed weaves and textures are the backbone of this look, but you can then layer these up with fabrics featuring subtle prints and embroideries. Choose fabrics with prints that feature woodland motifs, such as ferns, bark patterns or wildflowers.
If you want to add pattern to your walls, consider using a mural featuring forest trees, or wallpaper mimicking rough-hewn planks or cut logs to create an authentic Scandi cabin vibe. Alternatively, if you’re confident in your DIY skills, try adding rustic wood panelling to your walls – but use it sparingly, for instance below dado height or in an alcove, to prevent it from overpowering the room and making it feel too small and enclosed.
Use natural materials
This trend is earthy and all about texture, so including furniture and accessories in a combination of natural materials, such as wood, rattan, bouclé and seagrass, is essential to create a relaxed scheme that celebrates nature.
Mix high street buys with unique, handmade pieces crafted from natural materials. Look for furniture that has a handmade feel and organic lines, with a matt oiled or waxed finish, rather than shiny varnish.
Woven textures are not only soothing to look at, but they feel great under your fingertips, so include woven jute or cotton rugs, seagrass or rattan basketware, as well as some soft linens (or cotton and linen blends for a more budget-friendly option) to sink into.
Finish off your décor with a few thoughtful touches taken directly from outdoors, such as evergreen branches arranged in a vase or pine cones displayed in a hand-thrown ceramic bowl.
Add comforting accessories
Enjoying a steaming mug of hot chocolate in front of the fire after a brisk woodland walk with friends is the ultimate in koselig living. Fill your home with thoughtful touches that will make your guests feel extra welcome when they come to visit. Stock up on large handthrown mugs that just cry out to be cupped in both hands and filled with creamy hot chocolate with all the extras.
Keep a basket full of cosy snuggle socks or sheepskin slippers in the hallway so guests can kick off their winter boots and feel right at home in front of the fire. And don’t forget to have a stash of hot water bottles in super soft knitted or faux fur covers to keep everyone toasty on cold winter nights.
Lighting is a crucial element of setting the koselig mood, and you can accessorise your space with well-placed lamps, wall sconces, and plenty of candles - real, or battery-powered.
Mix and match touchy-feely textures
On a cold winter’s day, we all want to wrap ourselves up in woolly jumpers and faux fur, and the same goes for our interiors. Layer up the sofa with chunky knitted throws and use sheepskins to soften wooden seating and fill the floor.
Depending on your budget, you can choose from a host of real or faux sheepskins, or opt for a cruelty-free felted sheepskin. Felted sheepskin rugs, sometimes known as ‘vegetarian sheepskins’, are made by felting sheep fleeces that are removed by shearing, rather than actual sheep skins. They look just like sheepskin rugs, but the base is made of wool rather than hide. The rugs are made using a technique called ‘wet felting’ which uses hot water and agitation to make the fibres stick together.
Check out the following companies for a range of felted sheepskins: feltedsheepskins.co.uk and thelivingrugcompany.com.
Relax with soothing scents
When you’re spending so much time indoors over the winter, it’s important to surround yourself with scents that remind you of the great outdoors or include your favourite comforting aromas.
Whether you choose reed or electronic diffusers, or classic scented candles, look for fragrances that echo the koselig ethos. Scents which have notes that are reminiscent of wintry walks in the woods are perfect and give the feel of being out in the countryside, even if you live in the middle of a city. Fragrances that are warm, spicy or smoky will help you get that fireside feeling without the need to install one.
Check out our pick of the best winter candles for some ideas to get you started! We've also got a selection of our favourite scented candles for all year round.
