'Lagom' or 'Hygge' Anyone?
Hyped-up catchphrases aside, the cool, cosy Scandinavian aesthetic has long captured the world's attention in recent years. Instantly recognisable, this particular style is all about playing with contrasts; clean yet smartly decorated, muted yet colourful, cool, but warm and snug at the same time.
While it all seems like a lot of work, achieving the Scandinavian style is surprisingly easy - with the right elements! Here are six must-have features to recreate a ‘Scandi-trendy’ look for your own home.
Step 1: Deck The Walls In Monochromes and Pastels
Interior Designer: Matt Interior Design
Scandinavian design is airy and bright; think winter whites and forest-like tones. The overall colour scheme should resemble warmth and cosiness; this of course, can be achieved quite simply with lighter hues.
Interior Designer: Ethnic ID
Choose shades of whites, grey, brown and even splashes of black to draw a contrast against furniture or other accent pieces. Modern Scandinavian colours actually deviate slightly to include vibrant colours such as yellow, pink and green in gentler tones. Try incorporating these upbeat hues if you're looking to update your Scandi-inspired home.
Interior Designer: Charlotte's Carpentry
Step 2: Open Up (Your Windows)
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You don’t have to do anything with your windows; in fact, keeping window treatments minimal, clean and even forgoing curtains is very Scandinavian indeed. The reason for bare windows has much to do with letting plenty of natural light enter the home.
Interior Designer: Anwill Design Sdn Bhd
However, to counter erratic local weather or for privacy’s sake, you can still incorporate drapes, albeit in lighter materials. Sheers are best but opaque ones will work as well in pale colours such as white, cream, beige, silver or dove-grey.
Interior Designer: Matt Interior Design
Bonus Tip: If you don’t want to put up curtains or let your window just be, go with blinds instead! This will give you the option to completely draw up to expose your windows or draw down to darken as needed.
Step 3: Go Bare With Flooring
Interior Designer: Meter Square
White-washed or natural timber floors are an iconic Scandinavian themed feature. Skip full carpeting and huge area rugs that cover up natural floors and opt instead for small, warm accent rugs in materials like flat-weave wool, jute (or if you're feeling exceptionally luxurious, sheepskin).
Interior Designer: Matt Interior Design
Go for warm or dark wood varnishes that would balance out the white starkness above. In addition, add accents like plush throw pillows and warm coverlets on your sofa or chair to up the lived-in, homely vibe.
Interior Designer: Matt Interior Design
Can't afford expensive parquet? Tiles and vinyl flooring now come with highly realistic alternatives that can get the same look for less.
Step 4: Select Furniture With Simple, Classic Lines
Interior Designer: Vi Interior Design
Words like functional, practical and sturdy are synonymous with Scandinavian furniture pieces. How does that translate to design? There's a focus on compact, loose furnishings, sometimes with multipurpose uses such as additional hidden storage.
Interior Designer: Vi Interior Design
Interior Designer: A Moxie Associates Sdn Bhd
In addition, Scandi-inspired furniture often feature simple, classic shapes; think well-crafted wooden pieces with smooth edges, tapered legs (for chairs and tables) and boxy, regular lines, especially for sofas.
Interior Designer: Amorphous Design
Interior Designer: Matt Interior Design
Most of us are familiar with incorporating wooden elements in a Scandinavian home. Furniture to flooring, even accent pieces could be timber-toned. However, most people might miss out on adding this key component - metal accents.
Interior Designer: Oriwise Sdn Bhd
Metallic pieces work well with its wintery appeal and help to reduce the bulk and visual weightiness of wooden furnishings, whilst providing a lighter, more reflective balance. How do you integrate them to your interiors? Via lighting pieces, kitchen furniture and also with storage (e.g. metal wire racks and cabinet handles).
Source: Pinterest
Step 6: Declutter and Decorate!
Interior Designer: A Moxie Associates Sdn Bhd
One major arc in Scandinavian décor is minimalism – but that doesn’t mean keeping your interiors entirely bare! With all the loose furniture and contrasting elements, it's more of decluttering and discarding any unnecessary items that would mess up the careful balance created in a Nordic-style interior.
Interior Designer: Matt Interior Design
You can still populate your space, by selecting decorative pieces that are simpler or pared-down. For example, plain coloured lampshades, unembellished wall sconces and heartwarming knick knacks that evoke memories. Add little pops of colour around with artwork and small decor items.
Interior Designer: Amorphous Design
Take Your Scandi-Style Up A Notch
Here are three extra ways to give your home a delicious Scandinavian lift:
Interior Designer: Thomas and Team Creation
1. Rather than fitting your furniture together in traditional, closed settings, open up the space by deliberately leaving empty spaces between furniture.
Interior Designer: Design Collective Studio
2. Place small potted plants in the home bearing dainty flowers like orchids or greenery such as the Aloe plant or Paddle plant. Remember to use plain vases – modest white/black flower pots are a Scandinavian staple.
Source: Pinterest
3. Use nature-themed accessories such as artwork with leafy or forest motifs on simple backgrounds, winter-inspired sculptures or wood-framed mirrors.
Putting Your Scandinavian Abode Together
You've got the clues; now is time to put those pieces together to create your ultimate Scandi-inspired home. And we can help - simply drop in a quote request here, and we can match you up with the right interior designer, based on your budget and style.
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