Nordic decor: 6 essential rules to follow

Decorating in Nordic style means being pampered by warmth and purity and living in a muffled atmosphere typical of Northern European homes! Scandinavian-style houses are the triumph of functionality combined with comfort, with a design that favors harmonious shapes and natural colors (as well as materials).

Scandinavian houses have a truly recognizable style that can be declined in various ways, adding vintage details or more modern elements. But if you want to start decorating in Nordic style without making mistakes you have to follow six simple basic rules. Which? Let's see them together in our guide!

1. The first rule for Nordic style furnishing? Give preference to essential and clean design!

Scandinavia is the cradle of essential design and geometric rigor! Hence aiming at harmonious and clean shapes is the first rule to follow to start furnishing in Nordic style.

When you start designing your home, don't forget that Nordic style follows the "less is more" philosophy: choose Scandinavian furniture and furnishings with minimal lines to immediately give a recognizable imprint to your home. To furnish in a Scandinavian style, reduce the decorations to a minimum and avoid crowding the spaces: instead choose black and white paintings and prints to hang or to rest on the ground, and play to alternate solids and voids.

Furnishing a Nordic-style home also means setting up airy and well-balanced environments, therefore combining rigorous geometric shapes with softer and softer shapes to further enhance the North European atmosphere of your home. All this paying the utmost attention to materials and colors!

2. Natural wood, the great protagonist of Scandinavian furniture!

Natural wood is the great protagonist of Northern European houses! It must never be missing when it comes to decorating in a Nordic style and you can use it in many different ways. You can replace the parquet with the usual tiled floor, enhance windows with wooden frames and create wall coverings, without of course neglecting the furniture and furnishings!

Tables, chairs, bedside tables, wardrobes...wood left in its natural state, with all its imperfections and "knots" in plain sight, is an element that gives a unique warmth to the home, making it even more comfortable.

How to choose the most suitable wood for Nordic style furnishing? Well, think of the typical vegetation of Northern Europe: birch, ash, oak, larch...the choices are different, all with their own color features that you can adapt according to your needs.

3. White, desaturated colors and neutral shades to furnish in Nordic style

Let's now see the most suitable colors for a Scandinavian decor in a workmanlike manner: which palette to choose for decorating a Nordic-style home? White, above all, but also neutral and desaturated shades are part of the distinctive features of this interior design trend.

In Northern Europe, the hours of light in winter are very few, and for this reason in Scandinavian homes, bright colors are privileged and able to better reflect natural light (in addition to artificial light, but we will return shortly).

White and light gray are shades that perfectly match the natural wood of the furniture and interiors, a chromatic combination that helps to accentuate even more the clean and rigorous lines of the furniture and that creates a cozy muffled atmosphere in your home in Nordic style.

4. Soft warmth: choose natural fabrics to furnish in Scandinavian style

How to choose the most suitable textiles for a Scandinavian-style home? Let's say right away that you absolutely cannot rely on chance: blankets, sheets, curtains and even cushions are essential in Nordic houses, so much so that they can be considered as furnishing elements in all respects.

A comfortable home cannot do without soft textile elements that can also visually warm the environment. If you want to start furnishing in Nordic style, focus on natural and rough-textured fabrics to create an atmosphere of well-being that keeps you away from the winter cold!

Wool and cotton are the obvious choice, but a fur rug and soft velvet-covered cushions will also make a big impression. Creating a harmonious mix of different textures is a very simple solution to make and will make the appearance of the room even more intriguing. And the colors? Choose fabrics in neutral shades to respect the palette of the home and the essence of Nordic furnishings.

5. Relaxing brightness: Nordic style furnishings with the right lighting

What's better than the enveloping light of a candle to enjoy the home warmth during the long winter evenings? To furnish a Nordic-style home it is vital to choose the right lighting and let yourself be lulled by an intimate and relaxed atmosphere within the home.

The Scandinavian style was also born as a response to the harsh winters with very few hours of light. This is why Nordic houses favor neutral and reflective colors but without neglecting the brightness of the rooms. Having large windows is certainly a nice advantage, but candles should never be missing in a Nordic-style house, as well as artificial light sources.

How to choose the right lighting to furnish in Scandinavian style? Style and functionality must go hand in hand: a metal floor lamp, table lamps or chandeliers with a minimal design...clean and essential shapes to give your home that extra touch of design that characterizes the Nordic style.

6. Nature at home: Nordic decor with plants!

Could the plants in a Scandinavian-style house be missing? Of course not! Think of the great outdoors dominated by woods and forests in Northern Europe: furnishing a Nordic-style home also means letting nature enter the home.

At the beginning of this guide we talked to you about the importance of natural wood for Scandinavian-style furniture, but to complete the work you need a green touch. Choose succulents, bonsai and small long leaf shrubs: they will add a note of fresh harmony and will make the house much more lively and airy.

Have fun setting up a green corner to bring oxygen and color to the rooms, or distribute jars here and there in some strategic points of the rooms. Plants clean the air, cheer up the atmosphere and will transform your Nordic home into a style masterpiece!

Bonus tip: embrace the Hygge philosophy to furnish in Scandinavian style!

After telling you the six essential rules to follow to furnish in Nordic style the moment of a small bonus has arrived, because the cornerstone of Scandinavian furniture is the Hygge philosophy!

If you love interior design you will surely have heard this word. In reality, it is not an exclusive concept in the world of furniture and homedecor: Hygge is a lifestyle, a Danish word which essentially means "well-being" and which translates into a sense of comfort, hospitality and relaxation. And aren't these the feelings that Nordic houses convey to you?

Here: if you really want to transform your nest into a Scandinavian-style masterpiece, focus on Hygge and those details that make you feel good! Lighting a candle, having a coffee at home and chatting with friends and family, getting comfortable on an armchair with a good book...all this (and more) is part of the Hygge lifestyle.

Furnishing in Nordic style following this philosophy of life essentially means adding comfort to your home: a soft beanbag pouf, large floor cushions, a rocking chair...and don't forget that in our online store you will find a selection of comfortable padded footrests that you can place in front of the sofa or an armchair to give you maximum well-being!

Turn your Scandinavian home into a Hygge paradise where you can take refuge after a long day at work or to fully enjoy the intimacy of an evening with friends or with your loved ones!