Decorating
Styles: 10 Ways to Soften the Modern Scandi Look
Nail the new modern Scandi look with pink, grey and a hint of warm oak
Scandinavian style tends to conjure images of all-white walls, a hint of graphic pattern and oodles of classic, pared-down furniture. We’re still loving this look, but the style rules are bending, and the new modern Scandi buzz is all about fresh pastels, warm timbers and a much bolder use of print. Be inspired by this smorgasbord of schemes and let the Scandi love flood into your life…
Add decorative details
Scandi-style bedrooms really do make for the most restful of sleeping spaces.
For the basics, try pebble grey walls, a no-nonsense metal bed and bare wooden floorboards, but then add your own stamp and a little more life with pretty decorative lighting, a graphic-print blanket and vintage knick-knacks for a space even insomniacs will find serene.
Scandi-style bedrooms really do make for the most restful of sleeping spaces.
For the basics, try pebble grey walls, a no-nonsense metal bed and bare wooden floorboards, but then add your own stamp and a little more life with pretty decorative lighting, a graphic-print blanket and vintage knick-knacks for a space even insomniacs will find serene.
Pick out a few pastels
The Scandi trend doesn’t always have to be all white and wood these days, and by introducing one or two ice-cream pastels, the clean, ultra-modern look becomes something much more liveable. Here, rose pink and baby blue blend in beautifully with grey and pale timber for a harmonious and airy living space.
The Scandi trend doesn’t always have to be all white and wood these days, and by introducing one or two ice-cream pastels, the clean, ultra-modern look becomes something much more liveable. Here, rose pink and baby blue blend in beautifully with grey and pale timber for a harmonious and airy living space.
Try pick ’n’ mix furniture
Really cool Scandinavian style not only mixes up pastel hues, it jumbles up old and new pieces of furniture with aplomb, too. These painted Windsor-style chairs sit happily next to a well-weathered leather armchair and modern corner sofa for an eclectic vibe. And the gold-lined giant pendant shade is the icing on the cake…
Really cool Scandinavian style not only mixes up pastel hues, it jumbles up old and new pieces of furniture with aplomb, too. These painted Windsor-style chairs sit happily next to a well-weathered leather armchair and modern corner sofa for an eclectic vibe. And the gold-lined giant pendant shade is the icing on the cake…
Dip in a toe
The beauty of the new modern Scandi style is that it’s easy just to take elements of the look. Instead of going all out on slick Scandi chic, this charming bedroom has cherry picked a few tips from the rule book (soft pastels, subtle geometrics, wooden furniture, whitewashed floorboards) and worked them in a much gentler way. The result: a cool, calm and collected sleeping den for any age.
The beauty of the new modern Scandi style is that it’s easy just to take elements of the look. Instead of going all out on slick Scandi chic, this charming bedroom has cherry picked a few tips from the rule book (soft pastels, subtle geometrics, wooden furniture, whitewashed floorboards) and worked them in a much gentler way. The result: a cool, calm and collected sleeping den for any age.
Get the blues
If you’ve tried your hardest to fall in love with pastel pink and failed, you can always replace it with another barely there hue to achieve the same new Scandi vibe. A pale, watery blue works just as well, and adds depth and contrast against slick monochrome décor.
If you’ve tried your hardest to fall in love with pastel pink and failed, you can always replace it with another barely there hue to achieve the same new Scandi vibe. A pale, watery blue works just as well, and adds depth and contrast against slick monochrome décor.
Dig dusky pink
This is possibly the perfect dusky pink for working the new Scandi trend. Not too saccharine, nor too sizzling, it’s a grey-ish pastel pink that’s sophisticated and stylish. Painting the skirting boards in the same shade helps to lengthen the walls and tips the entire look into a dapper design statement.
Browse more ways to make your skirting boards stand out
This is possibly the perfect dusky pink for working the new Scandi trend. Not too saccharine, nor too sizzling, it’s a grey-ish pastel pink that’s sophisticated and stylish. Painting the skirting boards in the same shade helps to lengthen the walls and tips the entire look into a dapper design statement.
Browse more ways to make your skirting boards stand out
Go for bold graphic pattern
Don’t be afraid to introduce bold pattern, too. With the walls and floor kept so delightfully neutral thanks to the off-white paint and pale, pink-ish timber, the clash of colour and geometric print on the cushions and rug creates a distinctive and daring look.
Don’t lose the essence of Scandi living, though – stick with classic, modern furniture and graphic silhouettes.
Don’t be afraid to introduce bold pattern, too. With the walls and floor kept so delightfully neutral thanks to the off-white paint and pale, pink-ish timber, the clash of colour and geometric print on the cushions and rug creates a distinctive and daring look.
Don’t lose the essence of Scandi living, though – stick with classic, modern furniture and graphic silhouettes.
Highlight with an icy pink
Tried and tested neutrals such as buttermilk, off-white and straw are all very well, but this wall of pale Turkish Delight pink elegantly softens the classic wooden floor, pale fabrics and rough-hewn coffee table. Sticking to a feature wall within an otherwise white space adds warmth without detracting from the Scandi mood.
Discover 10 non-scary ways to add pink to your interior
Tried and tested neutrals such as buttermilk, off-white and straw are all very well, but this wall of pale Turkish Delight pink elegantly softens the classic wooden floor, pale fabrics and rough-hewn coffee table. Sticking to a feature wall within an otherwise white space adds warmth without detracting from the Scandi mood.
Discover 10 non-scary ways to add pink to your interior
Soften with pattern and print
While grey and pink have long been a hit colour combo in the boudoir, it’s definitely time to widen your decorating horizons with this particular palette.
This open-plan kitchen-diner has a distinct air of the Scandinavian about it thanks to the painted floorboards and clean lines, but it also works in a good slathering of grey and pink to make it look bang on the money this season.
Soften the look even further with a wall of pictures, pretty cushions and a colour-block rug, and that’s new modern Scandi style nailed.
TELL US…
Are you loving or loathing this new take on Scandi for the home? Please share your thoughts and tips in the Comments below.
While grey and pink have long been a hit colour combo in the boudoir, it’s definitely time to widen your decorating horizons with this particular palette.
This open-plan kitchen-diner has a distinct air of the Scandinavian about it thanks to the painted floorboards and clean lines, but it also works in a good slathering of grey and pink to make it look bang on the money this season.
Soften the look even further with a wall of pictures, pretty cushions and a colour-block rug, and that’s new modern Scandi style nailed.
TELL US…
Are you loving or loathing this new take on Scandi for the home? Please share your thoughts and tips in the Comments below.
This simple, sun-filled dining room sums up the new modern Scandi look in a nutshell. The typically fuss-free sofa is given an overhaul with a sweet dusty pink fabric, while the pale grey backdrop is a tad warmer than all-over white. Add in the hunk of a rustic table (still simple and stylish, mind you) and that’s how to do Scandinavian chic for 2015.