Do you love Scandinavian style, like me? If you’ve lusted after Scandinavian interiors but weren’t sure where to start, I’ve put together some handy tips for creating a minimal yet warm, Scandinavian style bedroom.
One of the best parts of Scandinavian interiors is the combination of form and function. Scandi interiors look beautifully designed but they are always functional and fit for purpose. It’s never a case of design over practicality. It’s all about making the most of your space no matter how big or small.
Here are some tips to to create your very own Scandinavian style bedroom:
1. Neutral tones
Keep colours neutral. I’m don’t mean pure monochromes as they aren’t for everybody and if not done right, they can look quite stark. Instead think shades of grey, white, light wood and soft beiges. If you do like some colour, a hint of dusty pink or green-grey works really well with these tones. For the walls, there is no hard and fast rule but within this colour palette white is always a winner as it adds to the feeling of space and light. If you want a moodier look, neutral shades in dark colours work really well in a bedroom.
2. Light wood floors
The Scandis just don’t do carpet and besides, carpet can look dated. Light wooden flooring is pretty much a must for a Scandinavian style bedroom. Pale wood looks light, making your bedroom feel bigger and brighter and it works beautifully with all the other tones of the bedroom. Instead of solid wood which can be pretty expensive, you could consider engineered wood flooring in light oak or you can paint existing floorboards white. Both light wooden floors and white floors will reflect light and make a space feel larger. And to add warmth, a plain or very simply patterned rug will do the trick.
3. Clean lines
Choose furniture with simple shapes and clean lines avoiding anything fussy or intricate. Follow the same principle for your bedding and any other decor. Patterns are fine but opt for minimal ones like a grid pattern, stripes or geometric shapes. Anything that is clean and simple.
4. Texture
Texture is key. Adding different textures takes a neutral colour palette to another level. It adds interest and warmth. I’m a firm believer in adding interesting textures to every room as it really does so much for a space and effortlessly makes it look styled and designed. Think natural materials like chunky wool, linen, sheepskin, seagrass, rattan, leather and metals like copper, gold or brass.
5. Open storage
Every bedroom needs storage – those clothes, shoes and all those other bits and pieces have to go somewhere. Instead of looking at storage as a boring must have, turn some of your storage in to a feature by having it on display. For e.g. consider an open clothes rail and/or have natural storage baskets dotted around the bedroom.
6. Lighting
When long, dark winter months are part of life, as they are in Scandinavia, good lighting is extra important. Here again, the Scandinavians treat their lighting like a feature. Think over-sized pendant lights made of natural materials or hanging naked lightbulbs all of which become a focal point in the bedroom. All the lighting tends to hang low making it feel very much a part of the room.
7. Feature your clutter (or at least some of it)
We all have a certain amount of small stuff lying around in the bedroom like a handbag, maybe some accessories, a few clothes, books, mags… list goes on. A lot of this stuff tends to get dumped on a chair or on the bed. Instead think about how you can display this stuff so that it doesn’t look like a mess. Can you use a pile of magazines or books as a table? Or can you get a ladder to hang accessories on? Can you get some coat hooks to hang your handbag and a few clothes on?
8. Space
Don’t be tempted to fill your room with lots of furniture and lots of stuff. Instead leave some empty floor space which creates a spacious feeling, even in a small room. The room pictured above is pretty tiny but it’s still got floor space to make it feel bigger than it is.
9. Multi-functional furniture
The Scandi’s are great at making and using furniture that serves more than one purpose. Unless you live in a mansion, this is a great idea. It’s budget friendly and saves space. As you can see in the room above, simple wooden stools (from Ikea) have been used as bedside tables. They can always double up as extra seats anywhere in the home.
10. Mix up designer with Ikea
Scandinavian style doesn’t break the bank, especially when you have a place like Ikea to shop at. In most Scandinavian bedrooms, there is something from Ikea. This is often mixed with higher end Scandi brands – the trick is to mix and match according to your budget.
11. Plants
A touch of greenery adds a hint of calm colour which complements the Scandinavian colour palette very well. This can be anything from a large plant to a few stems placed in a glass or vase. I personally opt for the latter because I can’t seem to keep anything alive for more than a day!
Those are my top tips for creating a Scandinavian style bedroom. Are you thinking of going down the Scandinavian decor route? I’d love to hear in the comments?
Image credits: All images from bosthlm | entrancemakleri | stadshem
This post is in partnership with Direct Wood Flooring. All ideas and opinions are mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog.
[…] Scandinavian bedrooms are often painted white with lots of white decor too and yet they never look cold or clinical. The number one secret to making white bedrooms look warm is natural textures including linen, sheepskin, seagrass, wool and more. There are also other design elements too that make a white bedroom look so cosy and calm like adding wood or using contrasting neutral accent colours like black, beige, grey or brown. […]