How to Create a Scandinavian-inspired Living Room
If you want a cozy and warm oasis at your home, the Scandinavian decor style can be the best way to get one. Recently, the Scandinavian style has become more popular due to its uniqueness and simplicity. This decor style is one of the sleekest and most innovative designs, creating a warm and welcoming vibe that can enlighten your mood in seconds. Scandinavian living rooms focus on beautiful textures and light, airy hues; this decor is best to set your bedroom furniture and the other areas' furniture of your house too.
Close Enough to minimalism, Scandinavian mainly focus on the exact decor your house requires and removes the additional mess that doesn't relate to your place. It's marked by simplicity and cleanliness, which enhance the modern beauty of the place, yet it also feels warm. If there's one line to define Scandinavian, it is; “functionality without sacrificing real beauty”.
If you are interested in creating a Scandinavian inspired living room, we are here to share the 12 best ideas for creating one for you. Just give it a read, and you'll decide what to add to your living room.
Top 12 Ideas to Create a Scandinavian Living Room
Follow these top 12 ideas to create your own modern scandi living room:Always Choose Functional Furniture
The Scandinavian look can enhance the cozy feel to have a gentle impact on daily life. So, furniture is not all about creating an elegant impact, but should have a functional look– it should also serve a meaningful purpose and stand the test of time. To create a Scandinavian-inspired living room, it is best to have a woven rug, accent cushions, and aesthetic houseplants to enhance the look. Also, some pieces of Scandinavian furniture in the room don't only look good but would work in the best way if you choose some beautiful accessories, fittings, or soft furnishings that will make a good collaboration. Remember to make the space only for items and furnishings you truly love.Embrace Open Spaces
Scandinavian living rooms rarely have a lot of clutter. You can expect cleanliness, minimalist living room furniture, and a focus on bringing nature indoors instead. Many Scandinavian living rooms are open-spaced, to create the heart of the home. Additionally, open-plan layouts encourage us to reduce clutter and display only special, curated items. If you want to simplify the interiors of your living room and maximize storage, consider fitted furniture ideas.A Neutral Color Scheme is Always Better
Having stark white walls in your living room is a good starting point for a neutral backdrop. It is a timeless and easy-on-the-eye choice to choose a blank, clean canvas - plus, you can choose to alter the room's appearance by adding accessories, soft furnishings, and artwork at any time. If you like color and pattern, add a few accent colors rather than going overboard or creating a color-coordinated room. It may be a good idea to pair a patterned cushion or rug with a gray sofa or footstool, or you may opt to decorate just one feature wall in your home with intricate, hand-painted wallpaper or artwork.Light Up your Life
Lighting your living room is one of the basic and utmost things to make your Scandinavian-style living room even more welcoming and warm, which gives you quite relaxing vibes 24/7. Lighting is the most versatile thing that enhances the enchanting look of your warm Scandinavian living room. It is common to see various lamps and pendant lights rather than a monochromatic light source to show beautiful vibes. A combination of floors and table lamps will add a soft touch too.Monochrome Art is the Best
Scandinavian style is closely related to monochrome art, which includes abstract prints and graphics, and pictures with basic frames are the perfect way of styling a Scandinavian living room. Try to avoid going with a collection of small pieces, though. Big-size artwork will help to create a warm Scandinavian living room. And you don't need to worry about using symmetrical objects. By doing this, you'll come to many things, like how left-side cushions complement each other and even the right ones enhance the look in their way. You can also embrace various sized artworks, making a great visual effect.Leather, leather everywhere
Whenever you're willing to go with a Scandinavian-inspired living room look, it will be surprising that worn leather pieces will make a major transition to enhance this look. A worn leather sofa with an elegant, rustic quality without creating too much of an antique picture but just a perfect combination. In addition, worn leather will make a great look with a cozy blanket tossed over it. Not only will it provide a sense of comfort, but the warm texture will also be enough to create an aesthetic vibe. And also, this trend isn't just limited to sofas; there are many other ways to add some worn leather to your living room. Like there is a wide variety of ottomans, cushions, and even leather-bound books as a coffee table. Don’t forget to have a look over beautiful Scandinavian coffee tables.Wood Panels
Wood is the basic element of the Scandinavian look, which is used in furniture, floors, and even walls. It is important for us to feel comfortable and content in our living rooms since they are one of the most prominent areas of our homes. Light woods like ash, pine, and beech are quite popular, as they welcome warmth and texture while keeping the living rooms fresh and airy. To create a Scandinavian feel in your living room, you should use light wood paneling with a light finish. This sleek, contemporary, yet calming Slatwall panel consists of narrow strips of timber with an oak veneer that can be installed vertically or horizontally. Organic textures will add warmth and improve well-being by bringing the outside in.Flooring is the Key
There are many homes in the southern hemisphere, but fitted carpets are rarely observed in Scandinavian homes, where wooden floors are kept. As well as enhancing the interior quality of a room's architecture and furnishings, wooden floors add a sense of warmth. Pine or birch are pale-colored woods that reflect light well. You can also paint the floorboards white to make the space appear larger. Rugs are a big feature in Scandinavian design, especially in combination with wooden flooring and usually in specific areas such as under a table, in the main living space or in a corridor. A living room rug will also add a splash of color and texture; wool and cotton are the go-to materials, although the design and colors are up to you.Raw, here we go
A Scandinavian living room is full of natural materials, like wood, leather, wicker, and cotton. Due to the number of Nordic forests and abundant outdoor space in the region, there is a strong relationship between design elements and nature. By using natural materials in your home, you can maintain your connection to nature - even when you are indoors. The Scandinavian design seamlessly blends in different natural materials, including stone, wood, and linen, so that you can feel as close to nature as possible. To keep your living room ideas within a similar tone and color range, you should use whites, creams, and grays as your main colors. Using a wide variety of materials in the design scheme will clutter the space and make it feel fussy, which is the exact opposite of what this design scheme is trying to convey.Welcome Outdoor colors
Try a scheme inspired by nature instead of a stark and clinical all-white scheme. For an understated, calming look, use natural colors. It can apply to walls, floors, curtains, and living room seating. Use green to evoke the earth, grass, and plants, blue to evoke the sky and ocean, and yellow to evoke the sun and flowers. It is important to note that neutral tones, such as brown, cream, and beige, in your living room will make your interiors feel more fresh, clean, and more natural. Finally, avoid cold, artificial materials and embrace wood, cork, and bamboo for flooring. These feel warmer underfoot and are a more natural, organic choice.Plants are Meaningful
As it stands, it is nearly impossible to live in a modern world without a houseplant. We have become obsessed with cultivating a green thumb at home, which might not be great for time management skills, but it makes a huge difference if you love interior decorating. You can enhance your space with plants by giving it a fresh, bright, and natural vibe. They also have many hidden benefits, such as cleaning the air and creating a calming atmosphere. The Scandinavian living room should be filled with greenery to embrace hygge and tie the space together.Warm Textiles
Scandinavian living rooms are full of natural materials, such as wood, leather, wicker, and cotton. As a result of the number of Nordic forests and the abundance of outdoor spaces in the region, design elements and nature are closely related. Using natural materials, it is possible to maintain your connection to nature even when indoors. Stone, wood, and linen are seamlessly incorporated into the Scandinavian design so you feel as close to nature as possible. Using whites, creams, and grays as your main colors will help keep your living room ideas within a similar tone and color range. If you use various materials in the design scheme, the space will feel cluttered and fussy, which is the opposite of what this scheme is trying to convey.
Tips Before Styling your Living Room
Following are some bonus tips to consider before styling your living room:
- Always choose comfortable and stylish flooring for your living room
- Consider a plan before choosing your living room layout
- Lighting should be done to create a cozy and relaxed vibe
- Some antique furnishings and accessories in your living room will create a luxurious look
- Give yourself the flexibility to change your living room furniture layout to match the occasion