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Simple and stylish: 8 tips for a cosy Nordic interior with effortless Scandinavian furniture

Food… fashion… furniture – we can’t think of anything the Scandinavians don’t do well. The modern Nordic or Scandinavian style dates to the early 20th century with some real interior design classics – like Jacobsen’s iconic 60s classic ‘egg’ chair and Wegner’s countless, covetable mid-century modern pieces. The timeless style is still alive today with simply designed Scandinavian furniture, bright, neutral walls and floors, warm woods, and textured natural textiles. Want to embrace it? Here’s how.
Design Inspiration Lifestyle Hints & Tips
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1.Make it simple and cosy with some bedroom hygge

Scandinavian furniture is a great choice for any bedroom – especially a more compact one. The clean white aesthetic encourages you to keep things simple and uncluttered. Pale oak bedroom furniture makes a bedroom feel lighter and larger. If white isn’t your thing, you can warm up your Scandi style bedroom with some warmer neutral accents.

Natural wood or white wood bed frames with slatted or spindled headboards are a simple option to add some warmth too and they never go out of style.

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2. Keep it tidy with elegant Scandinavian style storage

Effortlessly clean and simple, Scandinavian furniture is functional too. Take your pick of Scandi furniture with practical storage that helps keep your living spaces stylishly clutter-free. Large storage pieces like sideboards and display cabinets do a fantastic job of keeping all your possessions under control.

If you want to have a few choice items on show, curate a simple but effective display of ceramic and glassware on stylish shelves or a bookcase. Experiment with scale - pairing smaller framed photos with larger glass vases, for example, or go for asymmetrical shelves or display units that offer both open and closed storage.

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3. Create ambience with Scandinavian dining furniture in pale oak or birch

With Scandi dining, wood is the way to go. You’ll find Ercol furniture perfectly captures this look, with a wonderfully retro feel along with exceptional build quality. Whatever you decide on, consider an extending dining table - the very essence of Scandi furniture - warm, inviting, hygge.

And because comfort is entirely compatible with Scandinavian style, choose beautifully cushioned upholstered dining chairs and dining benches rather than simple wooden chairs. To keep things interesting, try mixing and matching dining chair and bench upholstery colours within a singular colour theme – think shades of white, grey, and pale blue.

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4. Work in some colour – the Scandi way

Gentle colours keep Scandi furniture looking fresh and on-trend. We love the hue of the moment, blush pink, which creates a warm and ambient look steeped with texture and softness. Mongolian sheepskin cushions and tactile linens add depth to the scheme, and a glimmer of gold in pendant lighting introduces luxury to any Scandinavian style room.

Prefer your Scandi style perfectly neutral? Soft grey, off-white, and the palest of taupes echo the pale wood of Scandinavian furniture and help create an authentic and timeless look that’s perfect for a relaxing bedroom.

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5. Sink into bold Scandi style with a focus on function and family

Scandi style is every bit at home with bolder colours too. Moss green, charcoal grey, navy blue, and chocolate brown all offer Scandi-style sophistication and a more practical modern sofa colour choice for you and your family, especially if you have children.

And don’t forget the strong design parallels between Scandinavian style furniture and cool retro chic, especially in terms of colour palette. Both styles often feature burnt orange, forest green, and harvest gold – perfect for a floor lamp, a chic swivel chair, or even an entire sofa.

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6. Get inspired with a cosy reading corner

Whether you need a place to sit and read before bed or just catch up on emails, a cosy nook will help you focus and wind down.

For example, a Scandinavian style corner sofa in a beautiful textured neutral fabric suits the Scandi living room perfectly. If you choose a modular sofa design, you can create a sofa to suit your space, adding more pieces as your family grows or if you move house. And give modern reclining sofas some serious thought too. After all, Scandinavian style is all about finding perfect comfort.

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7. Choose practical Scandi style accessories

Scandinavian furniture may be clean and pared back but you can still enjoy accessorising your living room or dining room, adding your own personal flair and cosy touches. The trick is to keep things simple. Keep rugs neutral but bring in interesting textures for visual interest. A sheepskin rug in cream or pale brown adds a dash of luxe to a Nordic-look living room or bedroom.

If your colour scheme is starting to feel a little too neutral, bolder contrasting or geometric patterns work perfectly in a Scandinavian interior and will add to the contemporary feel.

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8. Keep the lighting soft

With as little as seven daylight hours during the Nordic winter, the Scandi style embraces light like no other. When you’re thinking of Scandi style furniture ideas it’s important to have several types of lighting.

Look for floor lamps and table lamps with wooden or metal bases and crisp linen shades, and layer lighting – ceiling lights, floor lamps, and table lamps – for an effect that’s warm as well as versatile.

We hope our contemporary Scandinavian furniture style tips inspire you to give your space a loving Nordic touch. And we’d love to see them. Share your Scandi style interior and Scandinavian furniture styling ideas on Instagram with #MYFVHOME.

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