Harmony, comfort, naturalness: three concepts that relate to a lifestyle, as well as furniture. When you think of a Nordic style environment (also called Scandinavian style) you feel naturally well. Very trending during the last five years, the Scandinavian style is one of the most appreciated, not only in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, where it was born. Thanks to the climatic conditions, the crystalline light and a socio-cultural context influenced by the hygge and lagom philosophy, these regions of northern Europe have given rise to an aesthetic taste with unmistakable characteristics. Let's see together the main ones, and some suggestions on how to furnish your home in Scandinavian style.
A Nordic-style house evokes feelings of warmth, intimacy, and harmony, reflecting cherished concepts in Northern European culture. These can be encapsulated by two philosophies: hygge, a Danish term meaning warmth, hospitality, and well-being, and lagom, a Swedish concept linked to simplicity and sustainable living for a balanced lifestyle.
Nordic style furniture and design is largely inspired by a "softened" minimalism. Furniture and accessories are essential, inspired by geometry: circles, ellipses, rectangles. Each element is designed to be simple, but extremely functional for those who use it. Refined details and warm material soften the aesthetics, preventing the rooms from feeling too severe.
Furnishing in Scandinavian style means also seeking a balance between fullness and emptiness. Furniture never completely fills the available space; instead, it leaves room for free walls and spacious walkways. Even decorations are kept to a minimum: a few large paintings and ornaments are enough to enhance without overwhelming. The result is neat and calming.
From the natural wood or stoneware floor, to the smallest tea towel hanging in the kitchen, the Scandinavian style is also expressed in the search for materials capable of evoking positive moods. The visual element is only one of the aspects of Nordic furnishings: tactile senstations are equally important. As you step into a dining room, kitchen, or bedroom, your palm instinctively glides over the grain of oak wood, the cosiness of wool, cotton, or linen textiles, the delicacy of natural fibre curtains, and the tactile allure of a sofa draped in fabric or leather. The common denominator lies in the preference for natural or eco-sustainable materials alongside plastics and fabric made of recycled materials.
Materials intertwine with colour and lighting, other essential elements of this furnishing style. Short and bright summers in Nordic countries pair with long and dark winters, so you need to catch every ray of light with large windows and light-coloured furnishings, able to spread everywhere inside your house.
But even in regions without these climatic features, the Scandinavian style embraces bright palettes, with light or dusty hues. To avoid the risk of a humble environment, you can choose natural or stained wood, lacquered furnishings in light blue, beige, and grey, and accessories or elements in pink, burnt orange and sage green (about which we focused in the Outdoor trends issue). Those who want to add dark elements can choose midnight blue, dark stained wood, or forest green. But always keep your palette simple, with just a few colours.
Plants and wood are essential for a Nordic-style home. Scandinavian countries share a strong bond with nature, which influences interior design: aromatic plants, decorative foliage, and flowers in refined vases or cache-pots are ideal for completing your furnishing.
Large table in oak wood combined with seats with metal or wooden legs and padded seats. Cluster suspension lamps with a light and essential design. Wood is ideal for furnishing your dining room in a Scandinavian style. You can also combine it with colder materials if the total-wood look does not fit you completely.
The sofa is the epitome of conviviality in the living space. Choose Nordic-style armchairs and sofas with soft shapes and generous padding, and add cushions and soft blankets for a cosy effect. To complete your living room, we suggest coffee tables in natural or open-pore lacquered wood, storage units with open compartments that reveal your personality, and adjustable tables or floor lamps. The environment should be tidy but warm at the same time.
The Scandinavian phylosoply conceives the bedroom as a space for sleeping and also for reading, taking care of yourself or relaxing. Therefore, you can enhace it with armchairs, lounge seats or a sidetable. The bed, bedside tables and chest of drawers in the Nordic-style room are typically made of wood, sometimes with details in Vienna straw or wicker accessories that add a rustic mood to the environment.
If you cannot choose traditional bathroom fixtures with metal taps or a retro-style clawfoot bathtub, accessories can do a lot to give a Northern European mood to your bathroom. Our favourites are in wood, metal and natural fibres.
Choose practical and functional furnishings to keep everything in good order in the study or work area. Match a wooden desk with a Scandinavian-style home office chair, organizers, adjustable lamps and modular shelves.
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