Dating back its roots to Scandinavian countries, this interior design style is a perfect amalgamation of modernist and minimalist interior design styles.

Following the concepts of hygge (Danish term for celebrating coziness, family, and warmth), Scandinavian Interior design style mainly characterizes functionality, simplicity, and utmost authenticity!

With a pure minimal and clean backdrop, Scandinavian design and décor are gradually becoming the timeless trend in the industry.

I personally LOVE the Scandi feel!

I get too overwhelmed when I analyze the design style of my clients and it comes out to be Scandinavian!

Voila! That is time for some Scandinavian fun!

But anyway, if you are more inclined towards clean and crisp lines, lighter neutrals, natural materials, and a monochromatic palette – it is quite likely that you are a Scandi spirit!

So, let’s see what exactly Scandinavian Interior Design style is and how you can make your homes Scandinavian-rich!

What is Scandinavian Interior Design?

A cousin of Modernist and Minimalist, and a father to Japandi style, Scandinavian Interior design is all about functionality and simplicity while focusing majorly on natural materials, biophilia, abstraction, clean, and minimalist décor.

A Scandinavian space is soft and lighter-hued, brighter, sleek, and modern to imbibe a feeling of warmth and welcomeness. Since Scandinavian countries have such challenging weather with six months of darkness, it is always a given for Scandi spaces to be painted in lighter colors, so the home feels lively, cozy, and homey all year round.

Scandinavian Interior Design Style: Color Palette

When it comes to Scandinavian design, don’t hold back from using plenty of whites, light greys, soft pastels like blushes, baby blues, and sea greens.

For a tinge of an accent, you could use blacks and browns but only up to some amount! The main idea is to make your room look airy, bright, and spacious!

Hence, using muted colors and shades will help in creating a Scandi aura in your space. I like to best use neutral monochromes like blacks, greys, and white but if you prefer a touch of contrasting pop, don’t shy away from soft pastels!

Here are a few color palette options you could consider for your next Scandinavian dream design!

Materials

Wood is probably one of the best material options in Scandinavian design and décor. (Although remember – they have to be lighter like oak wood or ash wood but definitely not darker or walnut stains)!

First and foremost, make sure that the flooring is lighter-hued! You could use light hardwood parquets or sometimes white or light-grey tiles or simple stain. These lighter floors further help in reflecting away the bright light while making your space airier!

I wouldn’t recommend wall-to-wall carpeting here, instead, for a cozier and warmer look, you could add sheepskin rugs, wool, and faux neutral rugs!

Wood could also be incorporated to your furniture frames, lighting lamp structures, and ceilings.

Meanwhile, I also recommend using metals! (I know you must be wondering they’re not natural materials but let me tell you, they have a great minimalist and sleek look)!

Hence, to add a sense of contrast and accent to whites and woods, I would definitely USE tints of matte black finishes, gold-tints, and sometimes copper and bronze as well!

Furthermore, you could also make use of soft textiles and cotton or linen fabrics to add depth to your space. For the window treatments, I recommend using white sheer curtains to obtain the maximum natural light!

Scandinavian Interior Design: Furniture

Keep your furniture simple and functional!

‘Less is More’ and ‘Form Follows Function’ are two major beliefs to follow here!

You will often find lighter fabrics and furniture styles similar to those of mid-century modern that continually focus on functionality and geometric shapes.

Scandinavian furniture is quite airy and light! Raise them above the floor level and let them have long exposed legs!

These furniture pieces should blend in well with their brighter surroundings and shouldn’t really create a major bold focal point.

I personally like to MERGE Wabi-Sabi accents chairs with lighter-hued, cotton fabricated IKEA style couch to create a perfect Scandi blend!

Well, as I said, it is all about soft and cozy – so even if you choose rough materials like rattan, you could simply add tufted throw pillows and blankets over it to add the cozy touch.

Also, don’t forget to use contrasting and patterned throw pillows and woolen blankets on the couches!

For coffee tables and side tables, choose lighter and natural material and keep them as minimal and functional as possible!

Similarly, for the shelves and bookcases, keep them minimal clean-lined and exposed!

To further add a touch of comfort and coziness, place lighter-hued ottomans and poufs on the floor along with some mattresses and seating pads!

Biophilia

Scandinavian design loves everything NATURAL!

First and foremost, make sure that you have ample windows and doors to let in natural light throughout the day! (of course)

Natural lighting is very important for you as well as your home. It injects a sense of positivity and helps in sparking the much-needed joy in homes.

And since Scandinavians get little to no natural light most of the time in the year, it is more important to get those few hours of light, nature blesses them with!

Larger French-style windows or sliding glass panels are a great way to introduce light indoors. Also, for the artificial lighting, make sure not to use something too bold and heavy!

Lighter and sleek, metal contrasting floor lamps or clean-lined wall scones are a good fit. You could also use pendant lights with geometric shapes and interesting angles!

Time to introduce my all-time favorite – indoor plants!

Scandi LOVES indoor plants!

But remember not to fill up your spaces – instead, maintaining the quality over quantity!

One large piece of fig-tree speaks more than enough! For the planters, again make sure that they are lighter-hued or made in handmade wicker or rattan!

Scandinavian Interior Design: Décor

Keep your Scandi décor to simple and minimal!

Avoid unnecessary use of décor items that are not required and have no purpose in your space!

One of the major Scandi décor elements to look after is artwork and mirrors!

Choose lighter-toned, wood or metal-finish artwork and mirror that works well in your space, cohesively!

The contained artwork could either display Nordic culture or simply some abstract shapes and geometric patterns to highlight a minimal and abstract backdrop!

To avoid multiple décor items, you could also simply use one large piece of artwork that covers the back wall of the couch, bed, or the dining table.

Secondly, mirrors are a great way to make your spaces look brighter since they reflect light (and also for feng shui purposes – mirrors are a great way to foster positivity)!

Add some candles, glass jars with flowers, trays, and wooden books to further add décor elements to your space.

In the End, Keep your Space Clutter-Free

Well, yes! The primary key to Scandi and minimalist spaces is to maintain a clutter-free environment.

Don’t let excessive décor take away the charm of your Scandi homes. I would say, simply use the décor that wants to be cherished!

Spatial planning is very important in Scandinavian design. Make sure that your space is not crammed up!

Leave ample room behind the couch and around the dining table! Don’t push back and stick up your furniture against the walls!

Clean-up the tabletops and console top to only place the essentials.

Remove the unnecessary furniture items and let the space shine bright like a diamond!

So, What’s the Scandi Takeaway?

The reason why Scandinavian design is so admirable is mainly due to its design beliefs of preferring quality over quantity and less is more!

It doesn’t require a lot to transform your space into a Scandi haven – just let your heart out to lighter paints and lighter furniture and introduce a fresh and wholesome vibe to feel a perfect SCANDI SPACE. Do let me know your experiences with this design style in the comments below or check out my Interior Decoration packages for a one-on-one design discussion about your space!

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