A Fresh Start
Looking for a way to redefine your style, or get inspired to try something new? This month we’re exploring some easy ways to embrace a cozy lifestyle, refresh your home, and flex your green thumb.
Get Hygge With It
This popular Danish concept isn’t just for the colder months! Embrace hygge—pronounced hoo-ga—this spring to bring a sense of cozy contentment and well-being to your every day. Emphasizing warmth, kinship, and an appreciation for the little things, this perspective is widely touted for its contribution to Denmark’s consistently high happiness ratings. Now grab your sweatpants (or hyggebusker in Danish), and get ready to get hygge with it.
Any Danish person will likely tell you the most important part of a hygge home is candles—they burn nearly 13 pounds of candle wax a year per capita, more than any other country in the world! So light some candles and set the right mood.
What you eat is essential to creating those cozy vibes necessary to hygge it up. Spending a ton of money on an expensive meal isn’t necessary. Hygge is about comfort food—whatever makes you happy should be the aim.
Whether it’s a picnic in your backyard or exploring Chicagoland’s beaches and parks, hygge is all about appreciating the world around you. Host an al fresco dinner party, or check out movie nights in a local park to keep the cozy feeling going year-round.
Redefine Your Style
Spring is a great time to rethink your home décor, but there’s no reason why finding the perfect piece needs to be an expensive affair. From mid-century furniture to stunning antiques, these Chicagoland vintage locales offer something for every style. Added bonus: eco-friendly, secondhand shopping is an ideal way to reduce your environmental impact.
An Orange Moon—2418 W North Ave, Chicago
Dial M For Modern—2773 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
Broadway Antique Market—6130 N Broadway, Chicago
Randolph Street Market—1341 W Randolph St, Chicago
Architectural Anarchy—3611 S Loomis Pl, Chicago
Maxwell Street Market—800 S Desplaines St, Chicago
Vintage Garage—1800 Maple, Evanston
Grayslake Antique Flea Market—1060 E Peterson Rd, Grayslake
Get Your Hands Dirty
Whether you’re an avid gardener or blooming beginner, these Instagram accounts will inspire you to get your hands a little dirty this spring. From beautiful indoor plants to verdant outdoor retreats, follow these accounts for tips and tricks to make your home a little greener.
- @conservatoryofflowers
This San Francisco-based conservatory brings the wonders of plants to your feed daily. Their garden landscape is bursting with color and inspiration at every turn. - @fairyblooms
Worried your busy lifestyle means you have to sacrifice the garden of your dreams? Succulents are a great option for those on the go and require minimal maintenance, and this account takes their arrangements to the next level. - @sharonsantoni
You’ll feel as though you stepped into a fairytale scrolling through this Insta feed. Embracing the French countryside lifestyle, lush florals, and stunning architecture promise to spark your creative energies. - @nickbailey365
A garden designer and freelance horticulturist, Nick Bailey offers his followers a carefully curated and colorful way to gain some new perspective for your own gardening adventures.
