If there’s anything that we’ve learned from Pinterest or interior design websites and magazines in the past couple of years, it’s that Scandi style is more popular than ever and it’s here to stay. Scandinavian furniture trends are hitting the market with a boom and everybody seems to have developed an obsession for white walls, wooden furniture, copper accents, natural textures and sheepskin throws. So, if you want your home to be as Instagrammable as possible, how do you master this design trend and incorporate it into your living space?
Make Wood the Key Feature
When it comes to Scandinavian design, wood is the key feature – in fact, the more, the better. This is especially true when it comes to flooring; area rugs thrown over wooden floors are favoured over wall-to-wall carpets when it comes to this design style. Lighter woods tend to be more popular, so consider poplar, pine or ash. And, don’t limit yourself to just flooring when using wood as a key feature in your home; Scandi interiors tend to include plenty of wood accents, from built-in cabinets and storage space to wooden ornaments and accessories.
Use Colour Sparingly
Scandinavian design is an effort to keep things bright and light inside when it’s dark and cold outdoors, so it makes sense that white is the most popular and dominant choice of colour in Scandi interiors. For the most part, this is complemented with pale, muted tones like light grey that can be incorporated into the design in a wide range of furniture pieces, textiles, rugs and furnishings. Pale pink and turquoise are very popular choices, although occasional, limited bold pops of colour can also work really well.
Focus on Letting Natural Light Shine In
When it comes to Scandi interiors, you’re unlikely to find a lot of heavy window treatments since this would block out too much of the precious natural light that the design style is best-known for. In fact, window treatments are often completely done away with in an effort to keep the clean lines that are a hallmark of Scandi design. If you need to hang anything in your windows, stick to translucent, light fabrics that let the light through easily and try to keep to an organic, flowing shape.
Make it Cosy
in Norway and Denmark, the word ‘hygge’ is used to describe a state of comfort and cosiness that leads to contentment and wellness. And this is exactly what you’re trying to achieve in your home, especially in the rooms that you tend to relax in most often, such as the living room, bedrooms and bathroom. Chunky-knit blankets, indoor plants, nicely scented candles and plush rugs are just some great accent ideas to help give your interior a comfortable, cosy Scandi flair. Imagine yourself creating an environment where you’ll feel invited to curl up with a cup of tea and a blanket or get cosy on some pillows and read a good book.
Stick to Minimal Principles
Clutter is a big no-no in Scandi design, so it’s important to keep accessories as simple and as minimalistic as possible. All the elements in the interior should create clean lines, which helps to create a serene environment indoors – perfect for Scandinavian areas where people tend to spend a lot of time indoors due to long, cold winters, but it works just as well in any other part of the world.
Keep it Practical
With more and more people working from home these days, the home office space is becoming even more essential. And Scandinavian furniture trends lend themselves perfectly to home office spaces; minimal, trestle desks with a stylish draw for paper and pens (or snacks) are cropping up in home offices all over the world. A minimal LED desk lamp will make sure that you’ve got plenty of light to work with, or if you’re feeling creative, try a copper hanging lampshade above your desk space.
White walls are easy enough to do, but if they feel a little too clinical to you, consider adding some minimal wall art – landscapes fashioned from pastel shapes are a huge hit at the moment. Add a comfortable chair with wooden legs, and you’re ready to go. If you sit at your office desk all day long, a standing desk is a great addition. These height adjustable standing desks from FRISKA are very fitting for a Scandi-style home office and are really practical too. You can choose from a range of wooden colours or a plain white desk.
Scandinavian design has certainly taken homes around the world by storm, with everybody wanting to try out the latest furniture, accessories, colour schemes and room layouts. The key to incorporating Scandi design into your home is to focus on keeping things light and bright, clutter-free and minimalistic while making sure that it’s cosy and comfortable too.
