10 Design Tips for Boosting Your Mood This Winter

You’re not imagining it: Science has proven that shorter, darker, colder days can impact our moods for the worse, resulting in Seasonal Affective Disorder (aptly abbreviated “SAD”). But don’t worry — there’s hope. Some of the darkest, coldest countries in the world also consistently rank off the charts for happiness. One way you can beat the winter blues is to channel hygge, or the Danish concept evoking coziness and contentment, suggests Dr. Laurie Santos, the Yale professor behind the famous Science of Wellbeing course and the podcast The Happiness Lab.

The reason the Danes are such happy people in spite of their long, cold, dark winters is that they embrace all the lovely aspects of spending time indoors, Dr. Santos says. She suggests you "savor the kinds of things that are nice about being inside, whether that's hanging out with family, or a warm cup of coffee or snuggling up with a nice blanket."

To bring a sense of hygge into your home, cozy up your space with soft, comforting decor and apparel — decorative yet comfortable pillows, blankets (may we suggested a weighted one?), rugs, bathrobes, fuzzy slippers. You can also change up your lighting for softer glows. Thoughtfully incorporate objects that bring you joy and integrate them into cozy traditions you can start with your loved ones.

The cozier you can make your space, the more likely you are to appreciate curling up inside of it and enjoying your time at home instead of counting down the seconds to spring. We've rounded up a few suggestions for things big and small you can do to improve your space, but you should also check out The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living, by Meik Wiking, for more on the concept of hygge.

The Swedish concept of fika isn’t quite as well-known as Denmark’s hygge, but it’s just as delightful. It’s the practice of taking time to be relaxed, present and social — like sharing hot drinks and snacks with a friend at a cafe, on your front porch or over Zoom. You don’t need to drink hot cocoa out of anything fancy in order to enjoy this, but a handmade cup that’s a work of art worthy of permanent display on open shelving in your kitchen can be a smart splurge. Sure, you can get a $2 ceramic mug at Ikea, but if you can support a local artisan with a $20 mug that will make you smile every single day because it’s just so you, we say go for it.

Spending time in nature can be a boon to our moods. When it’s dreadful outside, bring the outdoors in. A study conducted in Sweden recently found that fireplaces and woodstoves can evoke joy and relieve tension — not surprising, considering how much we adore campfires even when we don’t need them for heat. Consider getting a small, portable woodstove or installing a firepit in your yard or on your patio if you don’t have a fireplace. If do you have a fireplace but it’s non-functional, consider stacking firewood or ever-Instagrammable birch logs alongside it anyway for a rustic air.

Liven up the blank spaces in your home with artwork that you enjoy looking at. You could order prints from a favorite artist or photographer, print your own photos into posters or wall decals, frame wallpaper, high-end wrapping paper, or specialty paper, like Japanese washi, which you may be able to find at your local stationery shop, or shop local galleries to support small businesses and individual artists in your own community. Or, make it into an even bigger and more colorful project by taking it upon yourself to paint a bright pattern onto a wall. (We advise budgeting for an extra can of paint in case you hate it.)

Few things evoke a sense of comfort like a roaring fire, and candles can be a good substitute for that in the absence of one. Not to mention, the flickering glow of candlelight is much easier on the eyes than overhead fluorescents. Line your windowsills with tealights, and splurge on a few scented candles in beautiful glass containers with rich, wintery scents. Higher-end candles that come in decorative holders can serve their purpose long past their burn time, as you can upcycle them into containers that make beautiful and practical decorations for coffee tables, TV stands, kitchen counters and open shelving.

Create a little corner of cozy in your home with a pile of pillows and blankets, or a thoughtfully-curated mini library. Give it soft lighting and maybe put it near a window, especially if that gives you a good vantage point to watch for snowfall. This is a great time to finally dress up that window seat you’ve been meaning to transform since you moved in last fall, or to clear out the space under the stairs and turn it into a reading nook.

Even on the shortest winter days, the sun can lend a nice, natural glow for the few hours it’s around. Take advantage of that while maintaining your privacy by hanging thin white or light-colored curtains that let in all the light without putting your home office on display.

2020 has been the year of the houseplant, but we do not expect this trend to fizzle any time soon. Houseplants can dramatically improve our well-being thanks to bringing a little piece of nature into our homes — not to mention they can help improve air quality, too, if you have enough of them — and they’re also just really pretty. Take a trip to your local plant store and seek advice for the right kinds of plants for your home. Nothing beats a simple terra cotta pot, if you ask the Victorian Atlanta plant shop’s owners, but of course there are lots of bright, fun patterned pots out there, too. If it brings you joy, it’s a good fit.