My friends Joe and Brenna are attempting to build a Montana based brand around the Hygge lifestyle.  What the heck is the Hygge lifestyle?  I asked the same question.  First, it is pronounced “hoo-ga”.  Second, according to a Country Living article, it encompasses a feeling of cozy contentment and well-being through enjoying the simple things in life.

The article goes on to say:  “If you’ve ever enjoyed reading a book indoors on a rainy Sunday or a cup of hot cocoa on a snow day, you’ve experienced hygge without even knowing it.

Hygge is such an important part of being Danish that it is considered “a defining feature of our cultural identity and an integral part of the national DNA,” according to Meik Wiking, the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen.

“In other words, what freedom is to Americans. . . hygge is to Danes,” Wiking says in his book The Little Book Of Hygge.

They are raising sheep, making blankets and more from the wool that they will be selling as an example.  Very cozy!  They also have their own brand of micro roasted coffee currently available at www.bringhyggehome.com called Hygge MT that you can purchase online one bag at a time or sign up to subscribe to and receive shipments in the regularity of your choice.  The perfect cozy beverage of course!

They are also well into finishing a custom cabin that they will be renting out via Airbnb etc. once it is finished.  Like the main property, it will be powered off the grid, but have more coziness than you could imagine in a one-room structure.

Upon my arrival, they had much of the primary structure built with the roof and wood siding on.  It was all they could do to get that done last year before the brutal winter hit them and shut down days where they could work on it at 7,000 feet up on a Montana mountain.  My goal was to help them get started on it again and finish what we could while my extra pair of hands were residing on their property.  I also planned on being one of the first guests to live in it and experience the hygge.

As you can see, the Montana winter took a little toll on the lower tar paper.  Because they had attached the weather barrier underneath it, there was no damage to the structure.  As you can also see, they employed a unique Japanese technique to seal the exterior siding called shou sugi ban.  They had great fun last year making their torch and burning boards all day in preparation for installation.

This cabin has an amazing view for all who would like to book the cabin!  This photo shows you an example, but continue to read this post and you will be rewarded with the complete hygge inside out experience.

Eventually, we hauled equipment and materials down to the site and got working on finishing off the exterior.

First, we repaired the tar paper in preparation to attach metal siding on the lower portion of the structure.

I then attempted to trench around the structure so that we could put the lower corrugated siding on, run some chicken wire into ground and cover it all up so critters will not inhabit the underside of the structure.

Unfortunately, at this point, one of those big Montana summer storms rolled in and construction on the exterior was halted until another day.

One of the interior projects we completed was the construction of a combination bench, storage, and table storage piece of custom furniture.  You lift the lid and there is storage beneath it and the large opening on the bottom will hold a fold out table in case you would like to have a table inside the cabin.  You will be able to sit on the bench and have the table in front of you.  Pretty cool idea.

Here’s the before

Here’s the after

Here’s the transformation

Here’s the installation

With that completed, it was time for me to get my hygge on and try this place out.  Brenna outfitted the cabin for my cozy comfort and I headed out there for the next two nights.  All I can say is that if you are heading to Montana, this is some extra cozy glamping.  Here are the features and experience.

It has an exceptionally comfy memory foam mattress and big old down comforter.  Perfect for a cool or cold night in the mountains.  Don’t worry about the cold by the way.  They have a 100 gallon tank of propane set up to run a heater that will be more than you need to keep in warm in there.  Plus, the whole place is insulated as well.

That insulation keeps it really quiet too.  Great for sleeping.  I barely heard any birds or anything outside.  It cut the wind noise down considerably as well.

The interior is mostly whitewashed rough sawn boards.  After I left, they tiled the whole floor to complete the interior finishes.

For the family of three or four there is also a loft bed.  There is a ladder to get up there and they have strung heavy cord through those industrial eyelets you see up there so no one falls out.

The view is incredible as earlier noted.  The window is longer than the bed so you can just lay there all cozy and feel like you are outside without any of the elements to deal with  The view goes all the way down to Butte so you can see some of the lights at night as well.  Additionally, if it is clear at night that big window lets you gaze at the Milky Way all night long.  It would be perfect to book during meteor showers!

After I left, they tiled the floor and started installing a two burner stove so you can cook in the cabin as well.  For your additional convenience, they have an interior toilet with a door that features a composting toilet.  No running out to the outhouse in the night.

It will not have running water, but it will have a water closet with 3 gallon water jugs that you can replace as needed.  Additionally, in the summer they will have hammocks strung outside between the pine trees for hygge outside in the elements.

Joe sent me these photos of the exterior siding he finished after I left.  They are super close to having it available to book for vacations and events in Bute such as the Montana Folk Festival.  They are also next to thousands of acres of U.S. Forest Service land and groomed cross country ski trails that you can walk to from this cabin.

So, if you are interested in the Montana hygge experience, let me know and I will connect you for booking it.  They also plan on providing your morning breakfast, Hygge MT Coffee, and concierge services such as helping you book your fly fishing trip etc..