Simplicity & Serenity: Reasons to Embrace Scandinavian Style in Your Home
So, you are finally ready to turn a new page in your book and move into a new home. Congratulations! Switching places is the perfect opportunity to find the guts to dispose of all the clutter that occupied your old home. And while you’re at it, why not consider adopting an interior design scheme that will prevent your new home from getting cluttered ever again? What am I talking about? Scandinavian, of course!
Scandinavian interior design is famous for its clean and simplistic attitude. It demands that furniture and decorative items are kept to the bare minimum in order to increase the amount of open space and support movement in the home. But even with fewer things, you won’t find yourself lacking something because this is Scandinavian furniture we’re talking about. And Scandinavian modern design furniture is often built to serve several functions like for instance, an ottoman that doubles as hidden storage, or an extending dining table which allows you to add extra seats when needed.
However, simplicity doesn’t only refer to cutting back on the things you own. It also refers to the clean and simplistic aesthetic of Scandinavian which is perfect if you want to fill your home with calmness and a Zen-like atmosphere. And what colour is more calming than white? For this reason, white walls are the predominant feature of this style. They serve to make the space feel lighter and look larger visually and allow the modern design furniture with sleek lines to grab more attention. As for the windows, they are best left bare or partially covered with a sheer curtain that allows for light to filter through and flood the space.
Although the colour palette is dominated by white, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel free to include other colours as well. In fact, a palette of neutral tones and touches of pastel can give the white backdrop more depth. The rule goes that big furnishings should come in neutral colours such as cream, grey, brown, or black, whereas décor and smaller furniture pieces like ottomans can come in pastels. As a result, your space will feature plenty of colours while still feeling visually balanced out.
Besides the dominance of white and neutral colours, another characteristic of Scandinavian style that makes the home feel more serene is the connection to nature. Drawing inspiration from the great outdoors, Scandinavian modern design furniture is made of quality hardwoods such as oak, maple or walnut. The colours and textures of these woods give the space a warm and cosy feel. The same goes for the floors as well, which are usually made of wide-planked hardwood. The use of indoor plants as décor is strongly encouraged in this style. Additionally, you can also include some modern metallic touches in the form of brass lighting fixtures.