As someone who admires detail and is passionate about cozy, clean, and airy spaces, I believe Scandinavian designs in decor have always been my number 1 go-to.
Like me, I’m sure it’s a goal to upgrade your space to look its best and there’s no better way to do it than adding that touch of Scandinavian flair to your apartment.
If you’re someone who has always been freaky about minimalistic but homely interiors, I say you should keep reading.
Table of Contents
- Minimalism With a Twist
- Incorporate Plants Into Your Scandinavian Home
- Combine Timeless With Contemporary Scandinavian Pieces
I get sick of seeing blank white or beige backgrounds with just some brown furniture, I get it’s a style but it all looks so cliche and less accommodating.
There are so many ways to make your apartment look modern with light colors while making it look more like a home. More times than not I see blank walls, basic tiles, and little to no furniture all because of the strive for minimalism.
I get it you want a neat space, neat spaces are so damn worth it but there’s a better way to go about it. we want a touch of home, coziness, nostalgia, and whatnot.
We want a place to come back to after a 9-5 or 6-9, we want a place that displays care and happiness. What we don’t want is a plain basic background and some bare furniture. Yes, I said it.
Minimalism With a Twist
One of the best ways to do right with a minimalistic aesthetic is by adding a touch of Scandinavian flair because it has a knack for minimalism and simplicity. Your apartment doesn’t have to look sterile and cold or look like it came straight from a book. You can give your home its personality by giving it a nice twist.
Declutter Your Space
You can start by properly decluttering if you have lots of things packed into a particular area. Most times, we hoard things we do not need or use. It’s best to let go of those things, you have to par down your belongings to the essentials only.
Once you start decluttering, you’ll find out you have so many clothes that you surely haven’t women for over a decade, some that aren’t your right size anymore, and some that can never be repaired even if they were sent for amendments. Now, you gotta let go of all that., find them a new home, or send them out for recycling, I think they do that.
You can donate or sell clothing that no longer fits or suits your style, and organize the remaining pieces by category (e.g., tops, bottoms, outerwear) to make getting dressed easier.
You should check out your kitchen area for utensils, gadgets, or cookware that isn’t functional. Put those away as well. Keep stuff that serves a specific purpose, also make sure there’s space for storage of the stuff you decide to keep.
Books and the library area of the house have a way of being deceitful when it comes to decluttering. it’s important to clear out books, magazines, papers, documents, and files you’re sure serve no purpose at present or in the future. it can be a mess clearing out papers, it could be stressful too but with the right steps you’ll be able to do it in a short amount of time.
Make use of numbers to digitize them and organize them for easier location.
Also, I’ve found that paperless billings come in handy in this day and age and also help to prevent over-accumulation of unnecessary papers and files.
There are so many books and magazines you don’t like that could serve as a good donation, auction, or sales material, select them, label them, and keep the ones that look good and come in handy at the right times.
In simpler words, get rid of books you no longer use.
We want it to kinda look like this;
Digital decluttering is essential too. I used to have a lot of cords, wires, and old smartphones lying idly in my drawers, I’m almost sure you do too. You should check that out and organize your digital drawers.
You definitely won’t be needing those broken cords in the next few years.
Get rid of unwanted or old decor, ugly ones too.
I’ve found that it’s good to take out bulky old furniture that might have mold or smell. Or send them out for revamping. Bulky old furniture might ruin the overall aesthetic of the new space you’re trying to create.
Know that decluttering never ends, it goes on and on. However, the goal is to create a clean, organized, and harmonious environment for your items and yourself.
Introduce Warmth
The purpose of introducing warmth in a Scandinavian-inspired apartment is to home-ify the apartment. Warmth gives the apartment its personality, it removes the plain and adds the charm.
You might be wondering how to but it’s not as hard as you think, it might be a bit expensive but It’s worth it once you see the outcome of your apartment.
Start by purchasing textured throw pillows, plush area rugs, refined curtains and tinge of fine wood and leather. The secret to this is purchasing them in warm colors.
Since detail is key, it’s smarter to highlight the space with tiny bits of home accessories like throw pillars and even lights.
The plain background instantly lights up with the tiny bits of colors coming from accessories. The texture of the pillows and rugs adds a character to the room. I prefer to think of it like makeup. Those simple patterns on the rug tell how lively the environment is. it’s so much better than a plain, cold rug with no pattern or texture.
Warm and cozy is the look!
Boldly take that step in incorporating pops of color in unexpected places, such as a vibrant accent wall or a collection of patterned throw pillows.
Invest in Timeless Furniture Pieces
Investing in timeless furniture pieces is essential in crafting Scandinavian minimalist apartments, no doubt about it. A bit costly like I said earlier, but totally worth it.
Beautiful, elegant furniture ups the game of your apartment it can take your apartment from zero to 100 in an instant.
I say forget cash, get the furniture now…haha!
Jokes aside, furniture plays such an underrated role in elevating living areas, when picking furniture for your apartment, pay attention to the type of wood, the color, the smell, the design, and the finishing, we’d dive into how to properly invest in timeless furniture pieces in another blog post.
The first thing is choosing quality over quantity. avoid cheap, basic designs because they’ll get damaged in a few years if not months. It’s better to fill your space with durable wood, metal, or leather, it looks much better.
Focus on the practicality and functionality of the furniture. Dont just choose furniture because it looks moderately pretty. Access the functional design of the furniture.
Embrace minimalist aesthetics by choosing furniture pieces with clean lines, simple silhouettes, and neutral colors. Avoid ornate detailing or excessive embellishments, as these can detract from the clean, streamlined look of Scandinavian design.
Instead, opt for timeless pieces that have a timeless appeal and can easily adapt to changing trends. This is so important. No to trendy, yes to adaptability.
Go for iconic/classy furniture like the Eames Lounge Chair, the Wegner Wishbone Chair, or the Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair.
These designs have been a blueprint for Scandinavian-inspired furniture.
Allow for uniformity and harmony of colors. This creates the balance between the home accessories and the furniture.
Look for furniture made from renewable materials, such as FSC-certified wood or eco-friendly textiles, and support brands that prioritize sustainable production practices and fair labor standards.
Never forget, that less is always more.
Incorporate Plants Into Your Scandinavian Home
Bringing the outdoors in is a great way to add to the cozy feel of your home. There is no Scandinavian without a bit of nature.
Incorporate nature into your apartment by placing easy-care and pet-friendly plants around. Plants add to the warmth and calmness of the apartment, purifying it and also ventilating the area.
Not only are they pretty and appeal to the visual sense, they also bring a sense of peace and coziness to the area.
Consider placing potted plants on windowsills, shelves, and side tables, or hanging them from the ceiling for a dramatic effect.
Combine Timeless With Contemporary Scandinavian Pieces
Your vintage decor can come in handy when adding Scandinavian flair to your apartment. Don’t throw away good-looking flower pots, wall clocks, and even wall art.
Mixing these vintage designs with modern ones really helps to add that touch of Scandinavian aesthetic to your apartment.
Run to the thrift store, flea markets, and estate sales for unique vintage finds that speak to your personal style. Look for mid-century modern furniture, retro accessories, and one-of-a-kind artwork that will add character and charm to your space.
Then, pair these vintage treasures with sleek, modern pieces to create a balanced and eclectic look.
Balance these collections and personalize it, and don’t be scared to get creative with designing your apartment.
Adding Scandinavian flair to your apartment is supposed to be fun, it’s supposed to allow you to be creative, and this allows the outcome to be unique and personal. Play around with stuff and see how it turns out!