Christiana

Christiana is a small business owner and interior design consultant. She is thankful that she loves what she does and that her life no longer involves billable hours. For her, a good day is one when she is able to do most, if not all, of the following: stroll around Telegraph Hill sipping coffee and taking in the view, design a room, make Aimee laugh, talk about how amazing wallpaper is, share some sushi, learn a new yoga pose, and be a true friend. Recently, there have been many good days.

Q. What does hygge mean to you?

A. I’ve been noticing that hygge is any moment I live that makes me smile twice. Once in the moment and once when I think back on it.

Q. Describe a hygge moment or two you’ve had recently.

A. Sitting on the Vallejo Steps when Aimee was visiting - we drank beer, indulged in a bag of flaming cheetos, watched the sunlight fade under the Bay Bridge and talked about our families, the past, the future, and yes, wallpaper… Just this afternoon, I took a nap on my bed in the sun after doing some “research”on my favorite design blogs. (It was short nap, I promise, I’m here to answer your emails and phone calls.)

Q. List hygge places you like to go.

A. I love to pick up mini sandwiches (the blt and the chicken are the best) at Cafe Boulange and sit in Washington Square Park with a design magazine when the sun is shining and there are plenty of people and dogs to watch; Milk & Honey for brunch every time I make it back to Chicago; Sarah and Bob’s back deck in the Berkeley hills around 5:00 pm after gin and tonics have been properly poured; anywhere with friends, oysters, champagne and a slight breeze.

Q. List and describe objects in your home that you feel embody hygge.

A. An umbrella stand that I see as I come up my stairs. It was fortuitously delivered on a rare morning when timing was critical, and I always think of how lucky I was/am when I come home and see it greeting me at the door; a vintage ceramic jam jar from England and from my childhood; a stack of fresh white towels in the bathroom.

Q. Describe a small moment that you’ll never forget.

A. When my postman taped 2 pennies to a little note card and left it in my mailbox because I’d overpaid postage on a letter he’d collected the day before.