As winter sets in, it’s worth considering all the ways we can keep ourselves cosy, content and connected.

 Whether it’s taking the time to invite friends over to enjoy a lazy, bantering lunch or dinner, or a quiet cup of tea enjoyed alone by the light of a scented candle, the Danish concept of Hygge (pronounced hue-guh) comes into its own during the short days and long nights of winter.

Not directly translatable into English, hygge is a feeling, a state of mind or a moment that is charming, cosy and special.  It is about simplicity and connecting with those small moments of joy. It is about lovely rituals and the art of creating intimacy.

Annette Braagaard, the Danish founder of Nordic Blinds, emphasises that it is also about being warm – and one big trick to staying warm lies with your windows.

According to Sustainability Victoria, a single pane of glass can lose almost ten times as much heat as the same area of insulated wall.  Double glazed uPVC framed windows reduce heat loss by creating an insulating air cavity between the two panes of glass. However, glass remains an effective conductor of both heat and cold, making windows and glass doors the leakiest part of a house.

The solution, according to Sustainability Victoria, is to use a closely woven, close fitting internal window covering.  It should fit snugly on both sides of the window, and at the top.

Cosiflor® honeycomb, or cellular, blinds, do all of this and more.  They provide two layers of fabric with an air pocket in between for additional insulation.  Because they are so neat, slimline and minimal, they can be installed in the window beading or reveal with barely a gap on either side and none at the top. This creates another layer of still air, this time between the glass and the fabric.

There are a lot of styles of honeycomb blinds to choose from.  Something for every type of window, including skylight and conservatory windows, and arched or triangular windows.

As well as being functional and environmentally responsible, our blinds are also beautiful with their perfect honeycomb cells and choice of attractive fabrics and colours.  Which brings us back around to our theme of charm and cosiness.

This winter why not dress up your windows with some of our honeycomb blinds and then sit back and relax and mindfully drink a hot toddy by fire or candlelight?

Hot Toddy – serves 1 (thank you Marie Claire)

½ teaspoon brown sugar

1 strip lemon peel

1 clove

1 cinnamon stick

¼ cup whisky

Place all ingredients into a glass and top with boiling water.  Enjoy!