What is Scandinavian design?
Scandinavian design is concerned with creating a healthy lifestyle at home. There is a mix of simplicity, functionality, and minimalism in Scandinavian design which is mostly reflected in their furniture. The Scandinavians are known for simple, bright homes with clean lines. These Nordic countries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden have a large design presence worldwide.
Take a look at our favorite collection of Scandinavian décor, inspiration, and design ideas for your home. With the help of these suggestions, you may make your house a peaceful Scandi retreat.
Scandinavian Design Element #1: Natural Materials
Scandinavian homes are known for their natural, organic materials. Wood is the most popular of these materials. It is used in home décor, furniture pieces, and even flooring! There is a common theme found in Scandinavian interiors where light wood floors extend onto adjacent walls to emphasize continuity throughout the space. The use of heavy woods is usually limited to the legs of furniture pieces or accents.
Wood isn’t the only natural material used in Scandinavian design. Look for materials like straw, cork, linen, and stone.
Scandi Product Ideas: Natural Elements
Display your favorite dinnerware in the Quinn sideboard. Constructed from wood, the Quinn features a two-tone white and walnut brown finish for a cool, modern feel. The two doors open to reveal three shelves behind each door and one shelf on each side of the unit.
8-inch solid wood furniture legs are the perfect solution to raise your furniture off the ground. With a dark walnut finish, these wooden table legs will match any type of furniture you have at home. They are simple and creative ways to design accessories that can be adapted to different mounting types of furniture legs. These table legs can easily be installed in less than 5 minutes.
The rustic metal cork holder bar wine shelf frame is an ideal complement to any home bar or kitchen. With its distinctive style and gorgeous finish, it's sure to spark conversation. This wine rack can hold up to eight bottles of wine, but it may also be used as a decorative item for photographs or mementos. Clean, simple, and functional designs like these are the foundation of Scandinavian design!
Scandinavian Design Element #2: Robin’s Egg Blue and White
From kitchen cabinets and dishes to cloths and table linens, the color of choice for Scandinavian design is a friendly, cool blue. Think clean and simple with just enough warmth as you use these friendly hues as accents in your home. Look for other friendly colors like grays, whites, and browns as well!
Scandi Product Idea: Robin’s Egg
The Freeport Outdoor Patio Loveseat with Integrated Side End Table is a beautiful addition to your outside living area. All-weather fabric cushions and slatted hardwood backs provide extra comfort. The right-facing design of this chair allows you to sit back and relax while taking in the scenery of your garden or patio. It also includes an end table that may be used as a coffee table, side table, or cocktail table - it's up to you! This item has simple and pleasant colors with a light wood frame and Robin Eggs blue cushions.
NordEco HOME's throw pillow covers are a fantastic way to bring new life to your favorite chair, sofa, or bed. You may easily alter the appearance for different seasons/holidays without having to purchase fresh pillows all the time thanks to the removable cover. It's also quite space-saving in terms of storing seasonal decorations since you just have to swap out your covers instead of adding more pillows; great decor for both indoors and outdoors. This pillow cover is neutral and cool, with a lovely blue hue that complements any Scandinavian design.
Scandinavian Design Element #3: White or Beige Walls with Minimalistic Artwork
The Scandinavian design keeps things crisp and clean by using simple, modern styles for their decor. White or beige walls are the perfect blank canvas for your favorite art pieces to stand out! Artwork should be either minimalistic in nature (think geometric shapes) or else very colorful. Other ideas include using the friendly blue hue mentioned in #2 above in your artwork.
Scandi Product Ideas: Artwork
Sometimes the most beautiful Scandinavian designs are the most simple. A heavy-textured abstract design, in blue and white hues, with hand and glitter embellishments for a glamorous look. Features 2 D-rings on the back that makes them easy to mount on any wall.
The vivid colors in these Scandinavian-style boho designs correspond to the ebb and flow of nature, such as pouring rain and mild waves against white or beige walls. The colorful wall art set will transform your living area, bedroom, or hallway into a vibrant place. Abstract design goes great with a variety of themes, from geometric prints to landscape wall art. Combine standard black frames with other abstract artwork posters for a modern and striking appearance.
Scandinavian Design Element #4: Clean Lines and Geometric Shapes
The lines, forms, and spaces within your house are the subject of this design feature. Clean edges with pleasant hues will keep Scandinavian decor inviting and approachable! Rather than sharp or severe angles, furniture throughout a room should have friendly and simple-to-navigate angles. There won’t be many busy patterns competing with your artwork on the wall; instead, there’ll be just enough going on to compliment your work without being distracting!
Scandi Product Ideas: Clean Lines
Scandinavian furniture is all about simple designs. The Harlow Sideboard Cabinet is a contemporary sideboard cabinet that will add elegance and storage to your living room. This sideboard has two doors with four shelves, three drawers, wooden knobs, and smooth drawer runners. You have enough area in the Harlow sideboard cabinet to store all of your living necessities such as books, periodicals, CDs, or DVDs.
Clean edges and simple lines offer this chair a sophisticated touch. Clean lines and clean trim make it an excellent addition to any décor. Mid-century modern dining chair with shapely legs for added comfort. These chairs' neutral hues and design will help your space feel warm and inviting!
Scandinavian interior design is all about rich, warm, and welcoming interiors. The dining room is the ideal location for tactile textures and some beautiful design styles. This Crossroads 63" Oval Pedestal Wood Dining Table is ideal for any home. The mid-century modern look of this wooden kitchen table will go great with your dining area's basic yet attractive style. This oval pedestal base dining table can seat up to eight people and has a walnut grain veneer finish that will blend in well with most décor trends.
Scandinavian Design Element #5: Mood Lighting & Natural Light
It’s possible to add a bit of atmosphere with mood lighting for your living area if Scandinavian designs are too basic for you. Mood lighting is defined as an accent or decorative lights that may be used to draw attention to specific elements in your living room or bedroom. Rather than putting all the lights on one wall, you could use a spotlight light fixture and point it at a painting or artwork instead! In addition, natural light is crucial in Scandinavian interior design. Allow sunlight through your windows to provide a relaxing natural glow to complement the decor in your living room!
The Kira Home Ceres 14" Hanging Orb Pendant Light is a beautiful design and the ideal mood lighting. This 14" perfectly spherical pendant light will brighten up your space while also complementing your decor, making it ideal for showcasing the cozy textures of a Scandinavian home. Install this simple, easy-to-use fixture in a variety of settings such as over kitchen or dining table tables, in pairs of 2-3 above kitchen islands, or in hospitality areas such as a restaurant or bar. The ceiling may be dimmed and slope without affecting functionality.
Scandinavian style is all about bringing attention to fine details and design elements. Therefore, the Method Lights picture light is perfect for creating a focal point through some beautiful lighting. This wireless picture light can be mounted and does not need to be electrically powered. The rechargeable battery is long-lasting (up to 3 weeks with regular usage), and the lamp is undoubtedly distinctive. This handy device includes a remote control so you can use it to turn on/off your light, change the temperature, or program lighting sequences for an exact mood.
This Seaside Village Touch Control Table Lamp is the ideal contemporary bedside lamp for you. This lamp has a sophisticated appearance with an open-top fabric shade and an oil-rubberized base. This is a fantastic method to bring Scandinavian elegance to your space or accentuate your interior design. This product is soft on your eyes, has a minimalist style and design, and comes with a LED lightbulb.
Scandinavian Design Element #6: Bring Life Indoors
“Adding a few potted plants to a Scandinavian living area is one of the simplest methods to bring nature inside,” according to our friends at Home & Garden. So, what are you waiting for? Add life to your modern home with a plant or two! Potted plants in Scandinavian homes are generally placed around the house to help balance out indoor spaces. You could also use them as decoration pieces if you have an eye-catching ceramic pot collection in your living room, dining room, or bedroom.
For example, the Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree is a great addition to any space. This friendly plant has large textured leaves that add a bit of life and movement to your living area or bedroom. The dark green leaves contrast well with bright pots, making this one of the most attractive plants you can decorate your home with.
Use plants to: Brighten your room, add contrast to dark colors and textures, bring a pleasant touch to your living space, provide interest and character to your home.
Scandi Product Ideas: Highlight Plants
Costa Farms provides high-quality living plants to your home. This fiddle leaf fig plant is ideal for creating texture, color, and an interior designer look while being relatively inexpensive. You can combine this plant with some Scandinavian design for a unique new appearance in your living area or bedroom. Bright neutral pots, wood, and textiles are the perfect accessories to bring this friendly plant into your home.
The leather plant hammock is a chic alternative to the traditional macrame hanger. This simple and timeless design lets you show off your favorite plants in style while still offering some Scandi or boho flair with its minimalist Scandinavian styling! The clean look goes well in any room of your home, from kitchens & patios all way down into powder rooms- this would be an excellent addition no matter where it's placed.
Easy Craft Idea: Scandinavian Decor
At Crafts & Bolts we are all about empowering our readers to make crafts, and transform their homes with creativity, imagination, and resourcefulness. We love Scandinavian designers who bring simplicity into their space without compromising character. So, if you are looking for some super easy DIY projects to create a Scandinavian room, then check out these projects:
DIY Leather Magazine Holder
This easy-to-make magazine holder takes just a minute to assemble, but it will add a unique look to your home that all of your visitors. Minimal crafts like these are great for adding texture, developing an accent wall, or adding warmth into a home’s interiors. All you need are some leather strips, a hole punch, and a hammer and nail!
DIY Vase Refresh
If you have an old vase that isn’t bringing life to your living room or house, we’ve got a fun DIY project for you. Essentially, you cover your old vase with Drydex spackling to get a textured ceramic look. Then sand down the vase and apply some textured spraypaint for your beautiful contemporary design. This project is for adding some Scandinavian interior charm on a budget!
How Do You Create Scandinavian Spaces in Your Home?
We would be delighted to hear from you! Do you have any favorite Scandinavian design advice or methods? Please share them with our readers in the comments area below. And, if you enjoyed this blog post, please share it with a friend or family member and give us a like. Thank you for supporting writers, crafters, and home-makers!