With the winter fast approaching, many of us are considering battening down the hatches and closing up shop. Once the frost kicks in, our first instinct is to hibernate. OK maybe it's not your first instinct but it sure is mine.  All I want to do after a long day at work is hunker down on the sofa with a cozy blanket and a warm drink. Thanks to the Hygge trend made popular a few years ago, we’re all about surrounding ourselves with everything which makes us feel cozy, comfortable and loved. While it's super easy to make our interiors feel warm and welcoming, our outside spaces don’t always fit in with the tradition of Hygge. In fact, they’re the last places we consider when thinking about how to get snuggly and warm on a cold, crisp day or night.
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Getting Hygge In Winter Weather

In reality, though, a little thought and creativity could make your backyard as cozy as your living room, if not more so. What could be better than being outside and under the stars, lounging around a crackling firepit while wrapped in a thick blanket and sipping warm hot cocoa, alone or with friends?

Here's a few ideas for hygge-ifying your outdoor spaces this winter, be it your backyard, deck, porch or patio.  With a few simple additions, you can learn to love your outdoor spaces all year round.
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Provide Sources Of Heat

Think About Comfort

Surprise, surprise--we're suggesting you consider your heat source first and foremost. No one is going to enjoy spending an extended amount of time outdoors if they are freezing their gagoots off. Luckily, there are plenty of options to ponder, the majority of which can also become fantastic features on which to build your seating area. Perhaps the most iconic choice here would be an outdoor fire pit. Whether you built this or purchase a ready-made one, it doesn’t get much better for warming up your hygge butt. A well-positioned pit could form the centerpiece of any seating area and lends a wonderful camping-life vibe which is sure to be inviting to friends and family. Other heat sources?

• BTU patio heaters, which may not be the most attractive to look at but are great sources of heat.

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• A chiminea, which is traditionally  made of clay and designed with a wide-bottom and a narrow, vertical stack (hence, chiminea) through which to direct smoke.  A fire pit sits in the wide bottom of the unit.  Unlike a fire pit, a chiminea is contained.

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• Build an outdoor fireplace.  A log burning fireplace isn't just for the inside of your home; you can assemble a gorgeous outdoor fireplace like the one below in just under a weekend. 

With your heat source taken care of, it’s time to turn our attention to creature comforts.  No matter the heat source, our outdoor space needs to be a cozy space, too. Let's think out of the box in terms of seating.  Besides the traditional lounge chair, how about:

• Adding texturized outdoor rugs for added warmth.
• Oversized cushions or bean bags on the floor.  
• Large, outdoor hammocks could see you swinging with ease for hours on end.
• Sleeping bags like this cute AF one.  It even has sleeves!
• Blankets, blankets, and more blankets.  I don't know how you can spell "winter hygge" without b-l-a-n-k-e-t-s, anyway!
  

Create Ambient Lighting
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Aside from your heat source, you’re going to need some form of ambient lighting to set the mood (especially in the evenings). Fairy lights or outdoor string lighting would be an awesome addition to your space. Wrapped around plants, trees, fencing and other outdoor structures, fairy lights are a super affordable lighting option. Other lighting ideas include:
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• Lanterns
• Candles
• Solar pathway lights or other wireless solar lighting

​Consider Protection From The Elements

If you have an enclosed porch, patio or deck, then you're probably already in great shape to do battle with the elements.  If you live in a climate where inclement weather isn't an issue in the winter months, even better!  However, if you don't have an enclosure or an awning of some type, you might want to think about adding some sort of protection from the weather, like a canopy or a material gazebo, to add to that chilled out vibe. You could even invest in a retractable awning. That way, you have the option of using the awning, depending on the weather.

What To Do Once You're There

With your hygge backyard area nearly finished, what will you do with it once you're there?  Presumably, your firepit, chiminea or fireplace will be your focal point.  But you'll want to consider how you'll spend your evenings outdoors getting hygge with it:
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• Make s'mores, roast weenies and / or drink hot cocoa
• Play a board game
• ​Do a jigsaw puzzle
• Watch a movie
• Read a book
• Relax after sledding, skating, or making snowmen
• Throw a party!

Making Winter: A Hygge-Inspired Guide to Surviving the Winter Months by Emma Mitchell, amazon.com. Click to buy.

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