3 Scandi-inspired flooring layouts for a living room (that are timeless)

Flooring is such an important part of a living room (or any room) because it’s the foundation on which you build the rest of your decor. It’s also something you’re not likely to change for years and years so it’s worth paying a lot of attention to and choosing something that will stand the test of time and work even when you make other decor swaps.

The Scandinavians are great at decorating timeless spaces and therefore it’s no surprise that they consistently opt for timeless flooring too. Wooden flooring is a given in most Scandi homes, especially in living rooms and the colours tend to be pale and lighter toned woods, to help spaces look brighter.

That said there are three styles of flooring layouts that are used the most and this is no coincidence. These three layouts are timeless, aesthetically pleasing and don’t create visual clutter. All three layouts work well so you can’t go wrong with any. Choosing between the three will mainly come down to the size and shape of your space (small, narrow, large etc) and personal preference.

top 3 Scandi-inspired flooring layouts

1. Wide planks

Wide plank flooring is seen throughout Scandinavian homes as this type of flooring creates a seamless look. Wide planks mean fewer joins and so they look more minimalist which suits the Scandi aesthetic perfectly.

Wide boards also show off the natural grain of the wood meaning they are a great way of connecting the indoors to the outdoors. Bringing nature in is a key part of Scandinavian interiors and wooden flooring, especially wide boards, are a great way of doing this.

Whenever you’re shopping for wooden floors always get a sample to see the colour as colours can look very different on a screen. Also, the lighting in your home will affect how the colour of the wood reads.

2. Herringbone parquet

While there are several different patterns of parquet flooring, herringbone is the one most often seen in Scandinavian living rooms. This is because herringbone is a simple and clean pattern that never looks busy.

Herringbone floors have been around forever meaning that they are truly timeless. They work just as well in modern spaces as they do in more vintage inspired interiors.

Herringbone parquet is especially good for larger rooms that’s why it’s best suited to living spaces which tend to be the largest spaces in most homes. For the Scandi look, opt for natural matte finishes as opposed to the highly glossed versions as the latter can look dated quickly and aren’t quite as minimal as the natural wood finishes.

While you can shop for parquet flooring online, it’s often better to see it in person as it’s hard to get a sense of the pattern in a sample piece because it looks very different when laid down in a large area.

3. Long and narrow planks

As the name suggests, these planks are slim in width but are long. This style of flooring is the most traditional of all the three and is often seen in older Scandinavian homes. That said, it’s still very much a timeless style and is also used in newer Scandi homes.

Long and narrow planks are best suited to smaller rooms as they can visually elongate a space, making it look bigger. For this reason, they generally tend to be used more in small urban dwellings in Nordic cities rather than in large sprawling homes.

Unfortunately, long and narrow planks can be a little hard to source at least outside the Nordic countries, though they do exist. If you’re considering this type of floor, you can shop it online but once again it’s always worth getting a sample and most importantly make sure to assess the length of the planks in relation to the size of your room.