Hindustani Hygge: The New Design Philosophy that's Rescuing Urban Homes, by Architect Rajesh Atha Studio

What if your home could tell a story? Not just any story, but your story of childhood memories, family rituals, and the quiet comfort of tradition. In an era where design trends blur into sameness, Hindustani Hygge offers a different path: a philosophy rooted in cultural memory, sensory richness, and timeless comfort.

The living room balances cultural vibrancy and modern comfort, with a handcrafted artwork anchoring the space, natural wood and cane furniture adding warmth, and daylight streaming in to create a calm, inviting atmosphere.

Coined and developed by Architect Rajesh Atha Studio in Mumbai, Hindustani Hygge embraces the layered traditions of Indian architecture and spatial principles, blending them with the clean lines of Scandinavian design and the warmth of Japanese sensibilities. It is more than a style; it is a way of thinking about space that prioritizes lived experience over visual trends, crafting homes that feel both familiar and elevated, rooted in heritage yet ready for the future.

What is Hindustani Hygge?

At its heart, Hindustani Hygge is the art of designing spaces that remember. These are homes that carry the imprint of memory while offering the ease and efficiency of modern living.

While Nordic hygge is about coziness and well-being, Hindustani Hygge expands this idea to embrace ritual, heritage, and sensory connection. It acknowledges that in India, comfort is not only about warmth and softness but also about the rhythm of daily life, the cool touch of stone floors, the scent of polished wood, and the subtle presence of tradition. It is a design language that stands apart, culturally specific yet universally resonant.

This isn't minimalism stripped of identity; it's minimalism enriched with texture, narrative, and belonging. It draws from ancestral Indian spatial principles like the aangan (courtyard), verandahs, thresholds, and layered privacy, reinterpreted to meet the needs of contemporary life.

A corner where craft, memory, and light converge. The dining nook layers a hand-carved temple frame, traditional copper vessel, and minimalist timber seating, embodying the tactile warmth of Hindustani Hygge.

The Guiding Intentions Behind Hindustani Hygge Design Philosophy

From its inception, our goal with Hindustani Hygge has been to restore emotional depth to urban living, directly countering a trend where apartment design prioritizes efficiency over cultural resonance and identity. This philosophy is guided by three core intentions:

1. Memory as Blueprint: We begin the design process not with templates but with stories. The layout, materials, and atmosphere of a home are informed by personal narratives and collective heritage, ensuring the space feels deeply personal.

2. Material Honesty: We choose materials that invite touch, age gracefully, and connect to local craft traditions. This means using natural wood, artisanal finishes, and lime plaster—surfaces that tell a story and make a home easy to live in and maintain.

3. Spatial Warmth: We create flows and layouts that mirror the rhythms of daily life, from the quiet ritual of morning chai to the openness of evening gatherings. Spaces are designed to feel intuitive and inviting, without forcing occupants to adapt to an imposed style

A serene spot in the den, where bold wall art, a patterned cushion, and a brass planter bring depth and texture to a calm, multifunctional space.

The First Expression: A Mumbai Residence

The first built expression of Hindustani Hygge came to life in a 1,200 sq. ft. Mumbai residence for a couple who wanted to carry the spirit of their ancestral Gamdevi home into their new suburban apartment.

The design process began not with diagrams but with storytelling. The couple recalled the scent of polished wooden doors, the cool stone floors that stayed pleasant underfoot in the summer heat, and the quiet stillness of an afternoon courtyard. These sensory details became the foundation of our design.

Spaces were planned to evoke these cherished memories. We orchestrated light to shift gently through the day, creating moments of pause and reflection on the lime-plastered walls. The result was a home that feels deeply personal yet offers a calm, universal sense of belonging. This debut project caught the attention of Architect & Interiors India magazine, where it was featured for its quiet redefinition of what comfort can mean in a contemporary Indian city.

Claiming Authorship

Hindustani Hygge is a design framework conceived and developed by Architect Rajesh Atha Studio. The name is a deliberate act to give a formal definition to an approach that has been intuitive to us for years. It is the outcome of decades of practice, observation, and experimentation in creating spaces that feel as well as function. By naming and defining it, we claim authorship and set the foundation for this idea to grow as both a design approach and a cultural statement.

The primary bedroom pairs warm, earthy tones with soft textures and natural light, creating a restful retreat that reflects the calm, tactile elegance of Hindustani Hygge.

Looking Ahead

This is just the beginning of the conversation. Over the next seven weeks, we will peel back the layers of this philosophy, revealing the spatial language, material palette, and cultural rituals that make it so unique. Join us next week as we explore the subtle choreography of light, air, and thresholds that gives a space its sense of place.