Earlier this month we had the pleasure of taking a few days out and heading to one of our favourite destinations, Copenhagen. The home of hygge. Where my love affair with Scandi design and lifestyle began back in 2007, on my honeymoon. This city is the epitome of hygge, connecting with me deeply through it’s warm, friendly, laid back vibe. So whether you’re planning a trip yourself, or would just like to know more about this vibrant city, here is our Hygge & Cwtch guide to Copenhagen.

What makes Copenhagen special

Yes the history, architecture and design is all top notch. But for us, the most special quality of this city is the culture and the people.

The Danes are cool personified. Laid back, understated, individual. Just how we like our interiors! We love the sense of self they have. There’s no competing, no showmanship and no real sense of following trends. It’s so refreshing to be in a capital city full of people who are just being themselves. The contentment that it brings is palpable and the nature-inspired, minimalist, high quality design and interiors are reflective of that.

How the Danish have nailed design

Without a doubt. And the human design and experience is just as considered as the traditional Scandi meets contemporary innovation aesthetic that we’ve come to know and love.

From the minute you land at the airport you can sense that every aspect of a person’s journey through the city and beyond has been thought through. There’s an ease and simplicity to their processes and infrastructure which makes travelling not just easy but enjoyable. Almost every building environment is calm, minimal and aesthetically pleasing which, as we know, has a huge impact on our wellbeing and evokes positivity from the get-go.

And we can’t talk about Copenhagen and design without talking about colour! Central to the Hygge & Cwtch design style due to the effects colour can have on our wellbeing. So we couldn’t help but smile at how much colour is a part of this city. Bright vibrant hues around every corner, you can’t help but feel energised and happy when walking round this city. Paired with the classic Scandinavian simple, well-crafted and understated design style, it really is a must-visit design destination.

Hygge spots for food and drink

Connecting with people and soaking in the atmosphere while enjoying great food and drink is one of the most hygge things in life. And with a cafe or bakery on almost every corner you really do have the pick of places to sit and watch the world go by.

Starting with one of our personal favourites. Featured in Vogue as ‘Copenhagen’s, and perhaps even the world’s, best bakery’, is Hart Bageri. Classic Scandi interiors and fresh bakes. We picked up buns for breakfast and started the day off in true hygge style.

Granny’s House in Frederiksberg was one of our first stops. With a Scandi maximalist interior and vintage feel, this was the perfect warm, welcoming and cosy place to catch our breath and refuel.

A must-visit for any food lover is the Torvehallerne food market, located close to the Nørreport metro station. A hub of delis, fresh food market stalls and a whole host of dining spots to stop off for a drink or bite to eat. There are even mini versions of some of Copenhagen’s best spots, including Granny’s House and Coffee Collective. Torvehallerne is the ultimate introduction to the world class food scene of Copenhagen.

We had one of our most hygge dining experiences at the wonderful restaurant, Høst. Part of the Copenhagen Food Collective, it was a fabulous 5 course meal set in perfectly Danish interiors with friendly, efficient service. A must-visit if you’re looking for a special place to dine.

For the real foodies out there, you will already know about the three Michelin starred world-famous restaurant, Noma. Innovative, nature-led fine dining at it’s very best, the newly-reopened restaurant is every bit the rustic Danish interior design spectacle that you’d expect.

Must-visit spots for interior lovers

We could dedicate an entire post to the interior design scene in this city (in fact, we may do that one day), but until then we’ll share a few of our personal highlights.

Ferm Living – a brand that we already loved and used often in our interior design work – has a boutique store close to the Opera House. A lovely place to wander around and of course the store itself is a Danish design treasure trove. Grab a coffee from their in-house coffee bar and get inspired by the stunning designs and interior pieces.

Just north of Copenhagen is the Ordrupgaard museum, where you will find the home of renowned Danish furniture designer and architect, Finn Juhl. Take a walk through Finn Juhl’s house for, quite literally, wall-to-wall Danish design inspiration and an immersive experience of the architect’s vision. From the furniture and art to the spatial and human design, this is a must-visit for any interior or architecture fan. If you don’t want to leave the city centre, House of Finn Juhl is a concept store in the København area. A place to take a piece of the Finn Juhl style home, celebrating his work of beautiful and functional craftsmanship.

HAY House is the place to go if you’re short on time but want to soak in as much interior inspo as possible. Filled with colour and contemporary Danish design, it‘s a real interior one-stop-shop. 

Copenhagen is a real design hub. There are shops and galleries all over so you’re never short of an interior fix in the city. We particularly enjoyed the train journey to the coast to visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. We found endless inspiration for architecture and design lovers. The contrast of the wide open space and coastline after spending time in the beautiful urban city was a real treat.

Interiors isn’t always about shopping, it’s about feeling. Simply soaking in our surroundings at this museum (and in the city in general), provided us with so much inspiration and motivation. We’ve come home buzzing with ideas and ready to take elements of what we’ve discovered, and how it made us feel, and apply it to our work and our home.

Is Copenhagen on your travel list?

If not, it should be! Whether you’re a design enthusiast or just looking for a city break destination, we have no doubt you’ll leave Copenhagen feeling inspired and restored. There’s so much to see and do, eat and drink that one trip won’t be enough and, just like us, you’ll probably find yourself booking a return visit to soak up the atmosphere and get another hit of true Danish hygge.

If you’ve been already, we’d love to know what you thought of it, join us on Instagram and let’s chat!