Hygge is the Danish lifestyle concept that swept the nation last year and had an impact on everything from food, entertaining and design. But how did has it affected property searches?
Loosely translated as being cosy, content and happy in the home and everyday life, Hygge is a term on the minds of lots of house hunters and has had an influence in how they search for property. This year, another Scandinavian term, Lagom, is hot on the heels of Hygge as the next big thing. Lagom is Swedish and means just the right amount – not too much, and not too little – a balanced and happy lifestyle.
According to our analysis of online search volume data from people who are looking for houses for sale in Cheltenham, there has been a steady rise in Hygge-related search terms over the past six months. Keywords relating to the trend such as ‘fireplace’, ‘cosy’ and ‘period cottage’ have seen an increase in search volume for property in the Cotswolds.
This detached period cottage in Stoke Orchard has been very popular since it went to market and is the epitome of Hygge. This Grade II Listed cottage contains a wealth of character features including exposed beams, flagstones and fireplaces making the ideal cosy Hygge home.
On the other hand, Lagom has also had an impact on property searches with data from the first two months of this year showing an increase in search terms relating to ‘eco’, ‘sustainable’ and ‘contemporary architecture’.
This property in Charlton Kings, for instance, fits the Lagom bill perfectly with its sharp clean lines and modern architecture. The property has four double bedrooms, bespoke fitted wardrobes and a high specification designer kitchen and dining room with Siemens appliances, Quooker hot tap, wine fridge and glazed doors opening into the landscaped garden.
Tom Hatcher, Director at Charles Lear & Co., says; “It’s always interesting to see how different trends and fashions affect property searches. Over the years, we have seen trends that were synonymous with particular decades or styles and, through analysis of our online search data, we can see that the popular lifestyle concepts of Hygge and Lagom also seem to be having an impact on property searches.
“The properties we sell in Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds vary in their style and design, and particularly as we specialise in unique and interesting properties for sale in Cheltenham, many of them match the themes associated with Hygge and Lagom. In 2017 it looks like these Scandinavian trends will be having an impact on many areas of our lives, including having a bearing on what we look for in a property.”
