This week we caught up with Hygge Views to bring you our first 'Adulting With' feature. Here the two interior design enthusiasts talk money, renos and dreams of hosting a supper club.
Tell us a bit more about yourself? We’re Harriet and Dia, two southerners living in the north. We’re in the process of restoring our first ever home, a 1930’s semi-detached property. It’s not our forever home so we’re renovating with that in mind. We’re interior design enthusiasts who love to blend Scandinavian living with California inspired accents. We both have very demanding jobs so our home acts as the calming balance between work.
What inspired the name ‘Hygge Views’?
Home is really important to us both. The feeling of being safe, secure and comfortable with the people we love. Sadly, COVID has restricted a lot of that. Hygge (pronounced hyoo-guh) is the embodiment of comfort and cosiness. When we were in London, our flat in Peckham was the epitome of cosy, and we wanted to bring that element to all of our homes. Hence “Hygge Views”.
Earliest 'adulting' memory?
I guess for us both it was getting a financial adviser who immediately told us to sign up to Credit Karma. You don’t really pay much attention to your credit score when you’re younger but the moment it mattered, we were all over it!
Spend or save?
Oh absolutely save. One of our closest friends (shoutout to Will) said savings buy you options. Don’t get us wrong though, we definitely know how to spend.
A goal that drives you?
I guess we both have the same one here, we both want to be able to provide our future kids something we didn’t have which was a down payment for a house or flat. We’re trying to break the generational cycle.
What's in your wallet?
Harriet: I don’t have a wallet, I use my iPhone.
Dia: Harriet's credit card, both our driving licenses for when we get ID’d, national trust pass and 2 x Dishoom breakfast vouchers we haven’t been able to use yet. Also, our joint Monzo for when we go abroad, my debit and credit card. How did you land your current job? Harriet: 6 rounds of interviews over 4 months I landed my dream role with an amazing employer. Sorry, I can’t say too much about them! Dia: We’d found out we were moving up north and I started job hunting. I saw a role that really interested me and started interacting with a chatbot on the companies webpage. Unbeknownst to me, the MD took over the conversation and a month later I got the role!
A skill you have that's nothing to do with your day job? Harriet: Knowing random facts about nature and animals that impress our 4 year old nephew! Dia: I love photography, studied it and worked freelance as a food photographer for a few years!
What do you wish you knew more about?
We both wished we knew more about investing our money.
Most expensive thing you've bought?
The house!
Best bargain-buy? Our first ever car from Harriet's dad! RIP Corsa, we miss you! A space in your home the gram is yet to see? Our bathroom, kitchen, second living room. It’s awful. But we’re planning on opening up this space into more of a living/diner. We host dinners quite a lot and have this dream of having our own supper club. So, when the gram does see it, it’ll be beautiful. Current read? Harriet: The guest list by Lucy Foley Dia: Home Body by Rupi Kaur
Go-to Instagram account and why?
Oh, this is a tough one. We have three haha!
The Modern House @themodernhouse for all its beauty, the properties they list are dreamy. We love reading their stories too.
The Local Project @thelocalproject, their account makes us want to up and leave the UK in search of a plot of land in Australia or New Zealand to build our dream property
The Joshua Tree House @thejoshuatreehouse because we have some amazing memories of being in Joshua Tree, CA. We love the aesthetics, pinch small elements to drop into our home and just love what they do!
What does ‘Modern Living’ mean to you?
The beauty of original period features with the comfort and usability of modernity amenities. For us, it’s all about modernising the home in tandem with keeping the age of the property alive.
To see more of Harriet and Dia's beautiful home, follow them @HyggeViews
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