About Hygge & Me
Who We Are:
Kelsey in the City:
Born and raised in Canada, I remember a childhood spent designing. Through LEGO, makeshift Barbie homes, and cardboard boxes, I have been interested in the idea of "home" for as long as I can remember. I built a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired LEGO house after a life-changing family trip to his famous work, "Fallingwater." There were cardboard box houses created with hours of meticulous scissor craftsmanship - cutting out windows and doors, and using a Sharpie to draw in kitchens, trim, and make them as lifelike as possible.
Design is entirely in my DNA. Growing up with an aunt who is an interior designer and a father who passionately collects antiques and vintage art, I learned early on to appreciate the stories that furniture can tell and the life pieces can add to a space. They taught me how to look past trends and instead look for character, craftsmanship, and pieces that feel personal.
With a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Wilfrid Laurier University and a background in sales, I stumbled into the world of interiors by accident. I found a passion that had lain dormant until a 2021 move opened the door to the start of a new chapter: my first home! (take a gander below). Furnishing, thrifting, browsing estate sales, online auctions, and garage sales... everything was secondhand, owned and loved by someone before me. My 1920s white concrete box turned into a little paradise, furnished entirely secondhand for under $2000. My poor partner would come home to find his wardrobe not only replaced, but entirely gone!
Through this period of trial and error, I have toyed with many different design styles, likes, and dislikes to find what I consider the DNA of my personal style: a maximalist, eclectic, vintage, Danish, mid-century, playful mashup. I focus on wood, chrome, pottery, ceramics, mixing materials, and never, ever forgetting colour.
Hygge & Cultivating Character in Toronto:
Back in 2019, I went on exchange to Aarhus, Denmark, where I discovered the concept of hygge. A word shared by both Danish and Norwegian, hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) is etymologically related to the English word "hug." Naturally, as an English-speaking student, I initially started calling it "Hi-Gee." Today, it sits at the absolute center of my design work and inspiration.
Often described as the "art of creating intimacy," hygge encapsulates a feeling of coziness, comfort, conviviality, and well-being, especially during the cold winter months that Denmark and Canada share.
For the past five years, I’ve called Toronto home, falling deeply for the city's architectural history. Today, I live in a classic bay-and-gable Victorian in the heart of the city. The exquisite 1800s craftsmanship, combined with the inspiring energy of the dozens of families who have occupied it over the last 150 years, makes me excited to wake up every day and create.
Going back to hygge, my design goal is always to honour the history of a space while making it functional, deeply personal, and incredibly welcoming. I want people to walk into a space I have created and want to stay awhile - captivated by their surroundings like a child exploring their grandparents' home. I want them to notice the books, the art, and the little figurines, simply enjoying the sun bouncing off the walls while music plays in the background.
My First Home in Toronto:
