Home Decor: A Guide to Scandinavian Style | Renovation Quotes

Scandinavian home decor is all about fostering balance and calm and focusing on light and nature. The Nordic love their homes to have a connection with the outdoors, and this is reflected in their refined style, pairing rustic appeal alongside clean lines and simple silhouettes. In a Scandinavian house, the finer details don’t go unnoticed, so overlooking any aspect of a home renovation project will be obvious.

You can find a balance between simplicity and functionality by adopting the Scandinavian style! Recreating the beautiful and ever-popular Nordic decor in your own home is as simple as it looks. If you’re not sure where to start, there’s really no need to worry. Just follow our requirements for creating a Scandinavian style home, no matter what the size of your abode!

Here are our top tips for creating a refined Scandinavian interior.

Craft a Light Palette

source: Pixabay, kaboompics 

The Scandinavians are all about cultivating a chic minimalism through their home decor, while still incorporating rustic aspects without these being overly worn. Scandinavian design centers around a stark, monochromatic aesthetic to blend contemporary chicness with warmth and comfort. White or gray painted walls are popular among Nordic homeowners, being one of the main features of this decor.

Blue walls or accents also feature heavily, and any of these colours offer the right ambiance for a Scandinavian inspired room. If you’re going for monochromatic walls, consider incorporating pops of blue, specifically a bright blue that stands out against black, white, gray and wood.

The most popular material used in Scandi home decor is wood. Consider cladding on walls and ceilings to add dimension as well as a texture and warmth in an otherwise minimal space. Floors are generally hardwood, aside from the bathroom. If you are going with a hardwood, choose wood of a lighter grain. Copper accents are another favourite in the Nordic home. Specifically, globular copper lights are popular. If you’re into this style of lamp but aren’t too keen on the copper aspect, consider large round white paper lamps instead.

Photo: Unsplash

Scandinavian Functionality!

Scandinavian home decor fosters livable interiors. For this reason, clean lines are sought after in both architecture and furniture.  When you’re furnishing rooms, try to scale back on accessories, making sure that rooms are not cluttered. Spaces should be carefully furnished to incorporate only things that are necessary for functionality. With Nordic home decor, you’re looking to create a sense of calm that should align with simplicity, as any form of clutter will leave yourself and loved ones feeling overwhelmed.  

For the kitchen, consider open concept shelving or butcher block countertops. Keep walls and appliances in white, and add interesting but streamlined hardware and accessories. Consider an oddly-shaped brass faucet to add visual appeal to an otherwise clean-lined kitchen.

Multifunctional rooms and pieces are also sought after, and a shared toilet, shower and laundry space is not uncommon in the Scandi home. Think about incorporating pieces that have multiple functions, of those which can be moved from room to room in times of need, such as a rolling lamp, desk or daybed.

Polished Decor

source: Pixabay, La-Belle-Galerie

The ornamentation of a Scandinavian home is expressed in its pieces of decor rather than the frills of furniture and fussy details of flagrant materials. Since all other aspects of a Nordic home are kept minimal, the decor is where you can be a bit more experimental. Large graphic accents, such as a calendar with giant numbers, or artwork with bold but minimal patterns are popular. Any way for basic geometric shapes and lines to make their way into Scandinavian home accents is welcomed.

Playing with textures is another method by which to add dimension into minimal spaces. Use muted colours, try incorporating a faux sheepskin rug over a folding wooden chair or a faux feather display placed in a vase as a table centrepiece.  Cacti and other succulents, little or big, add a cheerful green to this monochromatic decor.

Access to plenty of natural light is another important aspect of Nordic design, so make sure to privilege natural light wherever possible. Negative space is another great way to allow the eyes to rest and focus on all of the interesting but meticulously chosen features of a room. Don't overwhelm rooms with accessories, but instead, choose specific pieces for their ability to add depth and character to a space.

Photo: Unsplash

Consider Eco-friendly Options

Another popular feature of the Scandinavian home is to incorporate eco-friendly aspects. Keep your home correctly insulated and save on heating and cooling by triple glazing windows or redoing your attic's insulation. Consider installing a ground source heat and cooling system, as these are standard in the Nordic home. If you’re looking for ways to make your home more environmentally friendly, have a look at our article that will show you ways to save energy in your household!

Renovation projects to create a Scandinavian decor at home

Are you looking to adopt a Scandinavian decor style? Here are a few ideas for renovation projects that you can execute to transform your interior. 

Repaint the walls and surfaces with light and neutral shades

The easiest technique for bringing the Scandinavian style into a home is by repainting the walls. Of course, different shades of white and gray are omnipresent in these types of decors but you can also add little touches of bright colours and a few textures or designs. Wallpaper can also be installed to create a bit of variety.

Here are a few articles to give you ideas for wallcovering materials: 

• Paint and wall covering renovation guide

• Wallcovering inspirations: price and characteristics

Incorporating elements of nature inside your home

Scandinavian decor is strongly associated with elements of nature, namely wood and stone. With that in mind, you can install a floor and/or a countertop that is made of wood or natural stone, a minimalist wood or raw metal staircase, while also maximizing the amount of natural light that gets in through large beautiful windows. 

Here are a few articles about construction materials that are reminiscent of nature: 

• Stone kitchen countertops: cost and characteristics

• What's the best type of wood for flooring

Opting for practical, custom-made furniture

One of the main characteristics of Scandinavian style is functionality. We see lots of multipurpose furniture that takes up little space and can be transformed according to the needs of the moment. This means that you can reduce the amount of clutter in the room. You'll find some of this type of furniture in store but your needs will be best understood by a carpenter who will create a tailor-made concept. 

Working with an interior designer to adopt a Scandinavian home decor

Are you looking to adopt a Scandinavian style in your home but puzzled about where to start? Do not hesitate to call upon the services of an interior designer to transform your rooms and adapt them according to your taste and needs!