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Nowadays, clients increasingly desire a simple, bright, and modest interior design that is also practical. As the pace of modern life accelerates, people spend less time at home, and they want their home hours to be filled with tranquility, light, and comfort.

This is a very bright and cheerful style, I quite like it, and I assure you, there are few who would not appreciate Scandinavian design.

Here are its main characteristics:

• The bigger the windows, the better, as natural lighting plays a very important role in Scandinavian aesthetics;
• Following the main priority of ensuring ample light in the space, interior design is done in light tones, especially when it comes to wall and ceiling finishes, which are almost always in white shades;
• A preference for natural materials such as natural wood for floors, windows, doors, and furniture, ceramic tiles, as well as cotton and linen textiles. Materials like leather and fur are also welcomed, which is unsurprising for a northern interior. If the client wants to reduce costs, high-quality imitations are permissible;
• Fewer partitions – small spaces are combined into larger ones with several functional zones, to avoid excessive darkness in the interior. Almost in all cases, the kitchen is combined with the living room and dining area, the bedroom with a home office, etc.;
• Practicality and functionality – simple and succinct furniture, no “wealth on display,” preference is given to unobtrusive and modest accessories;
• To prevent the bright space from looking dull and monotonous, it should have at least one bright accent – this could be a plant, a decorative or furniture element, or a vivid painting, all depending on the designer’s imagination;
• The interior should harmonize with the character of the household and match their lifestyle.

 

Main Color Palette

 

The hallmark of the Scandinavian style is the extensive use of snow-white wall and ceiling finishes. This clever move creates an ideal backdrop for any furniture and accessories, expands and brightens the room space, and is also quite budget-friendly for homeowners.

To create contrasts in the Scandinavian interior, black color is used sparingly and measuredly, as you can never go wrong with a black-and-white palette, which is perfect for any design.

Another distinctive feature of this style is the use of wood. Wood harmonizes beautifully with white tones and complements them, adding warmth and coziness to the interior. Light wood species like ash, oak, and pine are preferred for flooring and furniture.

Thus, an interior in a black-and-white scheme combined with wooden surfaces wonderfully transforms any room.

But it wouldn’t be a Scandinavian interior without bright color accents. They must be present in the room’s design – whether it’s a bright piece of furniture, curtains, or pillows. Sometimes, accents are created with multicolored paintings or wall panels.

How to Decorate Different Rooms in Scandinavian Style

 

Living Room

 

The Scandinavian style is very practical, so interiors in this style always look modern and contemporary, regardless of their actual age. And revamping a living room’s interior is easy for anyone – it’s enough to shift some accents, for example, change curtains or throws, remove or add a single piece of furniture, rearrange, hang new paintings, or bring in new plants. Just like that, a fresh living room design is ready.

Another key nuance in decorating a home is the trend of not hanging any curtains on windows. Such openness allows more sunlight to enter the room. This approach might work in the living room, but not in the bedroom.

To summarize: wooden floors, snow-white walls and ceiling, soft sofas and chairs upholstered in natural materials, a small table, large windows without curtains, and a few bright additions in the form of lamps, pillows, or house plants. Add a few light, white-painted bookshelves and a fireplace in modern design, and you have a Scandinavian-style living room

Dining Room and Kitchen

 

These areas are often combined. In the kitchen, black and white colors are preferred. The backsplash is made of ceramic tiles, and furniture is mainly wooden, though brighter options are possible. Regardless, the kitchen interior should not be overly cluttered, cheerful, and appetizing.

In small apartments, due to renovations, the kitchen is often combined not only with the dining area but also with the living room. In this case, the kitchen area is minimized, and the kitchen set is chosen to be small but highly functional, with the decoration done in traditional light tones to visually expand the space.

This is easy to achieve with Scandinavian style, as the combination of wood and white color perfectly suits the decoration of a small space with maximum elegance and practicality.

For the kitchen to not look too cold and boring, you can choose brightly colored appliances. Or opt for retro-style appliances, which would be a very accurate design choice.

Bedroom

 

It should contain minimal furniture. Consistent with the overall Scandinavian aesthetic, the bedroom should also be in light tones. To avoid overburdening the interior, instead of traditional wardrobes or built-in closets, light shelving or racks can be used.

To prevent a dull interior, I recommend creating an “accent wall” in the bedroom, either behind the bed headboard or opposite it. This wall can be decorated with art, posters, or bright paintings. The main decoration should be monochromatic, and decorative plaster can be used.

And, of course, the bedroom should also feature wood, both as flooring and furniture material. An excellent budget option would be furniture from IKEA. The accent wall can be decorated with wooden panels.

Scandinavian style is quite flexible, so woven furniture, baskets, and other storage systems look great in the bedroom. Furniture elements from old sets or simply with an “aged” effect also work well.

Children’s Room

 

It can also be furnished in Scandinavian style. This is easy – just follow the main trends of the style. Snow-white walls and ceiling, natural wood furniture, bright details, and natural fabrics – what could be better for a child?

And don’t forget about large windows and creating space. Yes, in a children’s room, it’s essential to ensure maximum space for the child to move freely, play sports, or just play. Therefore, if the room houses several children, a bunk bed is the best solution.

Furnish a baby’s room similarly, focusing on pastel color variations and quality textiles.

 

Home Office

 

Nowadays, it’s usually set up in a small area of the living room or bedroom. The Scandinavian style won’t let you down here either. A few shelves or racks, and a writing desk designed as a console, make a perfect choice.

 

Bathroom

 

Here, a play of contrasts should be created – white walls and sanitary ware against a dark floor. This helps visually enlarge the space and fill it with light. Wooden surfaces look very effective. These can be countertops around sinks, shelves, or small decorative elements.

Hallways and Corridors

 

Simplicity and sleekness meet modesty and straight lines. Only the essentials – nothing superfluous. And, of course, in light tones. Don’t forget about wooden surfaces. And a bright accent is a must.