60 Scandinavian Interior Design Ideas To Add Scandinavian Style To Your Home

Scandinavian design is all about being calm, pure, simple and functional. This design emerged in the 1950s and become popular again in the 1990s. Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe which includes countries such as Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Faroe Islands and Iceland. Though often overlooked as travel destination in favor of traditional tourist cities such as Paris, Rome and London, the Scandinavian region offers much inspiration for home design and décor. Here are some tips on how to add the Scandinavian style to your home.

Scandinavian Interior Design

1. Colours

The main colours in a Scandinavian design are neutral, such as beige, white and pale. However, it’s becoming more popular now to add in injections of color, such as grey, black and yellow. It’s the whole simplicity of the design that makes it succeed as a Scandinavian look.

2. Furniture

Scandinavian furniture is simple, elegant and heavily influenced by Arts and Crafts movement. Basically, Scandinavian designs include lots of wood, this being the main material used. Passing through the bedroom and kitchens, wood can be found all over the house in all pieces of furniture such as chairs, tables, beds, wardrobes, cupboards and dressings. This makes the furniture highly functional and attractive.

The furniture designs are usually streamlined without extra decorative additions. The furniture should be painted in light colours in order to render more light. Look for items like wood-framed couch with white, gray checked material on cushion and simple light-wood table and chairs.

3. Lighting

Lighting is a very important factor in the Scandinavian interior design. Scandinavians live many months in darkness, so sunlight and fresh air are appreciated elements of décor. Keep curtains minimal, in pale colors and sheer fabrics. For indoor lighting, use several light sources instead of one. Place floor lamps and table lamps in various parts of the room to add different lighting levels.

4. Flooring

Choose light-colored hardwood floors to get authentic Scandinavian look. Paint the floor white and then add accents with stencils’. A floral or striped area rug can also help break the starkness and also add warmth to your floors.

5. Walls

To add interest to the walls, add traditional objects and designs depicting Norwegian scenes. This is just perfect for bringing Scandinavia right into your home décor; they bring cleanliness, freshness and whiteness of these countries. Scandinavians are famous for their knitted wool designs, in both wearable and non-wearable forms. You can hang knitted wall hangings featuring traditional Scandinavian designs, or use throw pillows featuring motifs. Look for Saami designs as well. Look for regional objects for decorating from specific countries, such as brightly painted wooden horses from Dalarna in Sweden, or Royal Copenhagen china sets from Denmark.

6. Textiles

Traditionally, Scandinavian textiles tend to be simple cottons, often with naïve motifs. Choose a gingham design for that authentic look, especially in white and red, or white and blue, and use for curtains to allow light.

7. Introduce images of nature

Decorate your walls with framed photos of landscape such as the otherworldly lava fields, Norwegian fiords, or waterfalls on Iceland. Get some beautiful picture of animals such as majestic Finnish reindeer and Norwegian narwhal. Use rustic-looking wooden frames to complete the Scandinavian motif.

8. Accessories

Place mirrors all over the Scandinavian interior. The mirrors reflect light and produce sparkling effect. Some simple wreaths arranged in box wood or twigs can be hung using light-colored ribbon to your windows. Floral window screen or room dividers add elegance to a Scandinavian design house.

Images: © Paulina Arcklin for Zoco Home,  deko,  stadshem, Αlvhem Μakleri,  Per Jansson, klikk, Wrede,  Johan Israelson,  LANTLIV,