5 tips on creating a Scandinavian style in your home
If you are in the process of building a new home or looking for a fresh, sophisticated and stylish look for your current abode, taking style tips from Scandinavia might be what you are looking for.
A Scandinavian inspired interior is well renowned for being stylish, simple and for creating an understated elegance. This beautiful, distinct look has won over modern interior designers thanks to its ideal formula of simplicity, minimalism and functionality.
We have put our top 5 tips together to help you recreate the Scandi look in your home.
- Create a sense of warmth, calm and relaxation by taking cues from the environment.
One of the key traits of Scandinavian interior design is the use of natural materials throughout their homes. Plenty of wooden features, such as white wooden floorboards and timber furnishings, warm fireplaces, and throws and rugs made of wool, sheep’s skin, cotton and mohair are a beautiful way to create this look. Another much more simple approach is to bring in fresh flowers and botanical plants to give your home the sensation of being outside…even when it’s too cold to actually enjoy the outdoors. Don’t forget though, when it comes to Scandinavian design, less is more!
- Focus on a clean, neutral colour palette.
The colour palette of Scandi interior decor is very natural and muted. The colours you choose are designed to make your home feel uncluttered, relaxed and create a sense of calm. Look for neutral tones, such as whites, greys, blacks and browns, to create a clean and peaceful look. Pops of colour can also be brought in, but should be kept minimal and take the form of artwork and furniture. This is a great way to create highlight pieces in your home and captivate you guests through bursts of colour.
- Live clutter free.
If you are hooked on the idea of bringing Scandi inspired design into your home, then this is an absolute must - no clutter! By this we mean take it easy on accessorising throughout the home. If you do have a lot of bits and pieces, try hiding them in cabinets and shelves to reduce the way they affect your otherwise clean and relaxed backdrop. When it comes to Scandi design, less is more!
- Beautiful lighting is key.
Lighting is key to bringing a Scandinavian inspired look into your home. In winter months in Scandinavia, families sometimes only see seven hours of light in a whole day. They make up for the lack of light outside by really highlighting beautiful lighting in the interiors of their homes. Incorporate a variety of lighting types to add a sense of glow throughout your home, for example pendants, downlights, lamps and even candles.
- Elegant furniture.
Scandinavians are known for being practical and they certainly adopt this in their furniture choices. Furniture is seen to be practical and innovative features of their home. To create the Scandi look through your furnishings, choose pieces that feature clean and natural lines and rounded edges in neutral tones. Furniture in wood and metal finishes also fit well within the Scandinavian design approach, and copper and brass statement pieces will work a treat.
To gain more inspiration for creating a Scandinavian look in your home, take a virtual tour of two of the display homes that we have decorated in a Scandi styled theme:
Scandinavian Interior Style - View more inspiration on our Pinterest Board.
