Top 5 Scandinavian style trends of 2013

  • 10 years ago
  • Views : 7770
  • Ellen Ripa

What defines Scandinavian style this year?

We have identified 5 top style trends that we would like to share with you:

1. A white base – walls and often floors are painted in a stark white paint. The great thing about this is that you don’t need to spend a fortune on Farrow & Ball paints, you can simply use a brilliant white from Dulux or a similar brand. One of the reasons why we Scandinavians use so much white in our interiors is the lack of natural light during the autumn and winter months. This trend is therefore well adapted to the UK conditions as well, so start painting over that cream colour of yours!

2. Bright accent colours – on this white base you will often find Swedes like to add various textiles in bright funky colours. One of our absolute favourite textile designers is Josef Frank who created a vast range of unique bold patterns in all colours of the rainbow. These sporadic hints of vivid colours add joy and happiness to most Scandinavian homes.

3. Mix of new and vintage furniture – it is all about the charm of antiques mixed with modern comfort. Scandinavians like to invest in sumptuous beds (see Hastens), mattress toppers and duvets that one never wants to leave. On the other hand, we stay away from the sterile look that ‘all modern’ creates by mixing in various vintage pieces, such as our grandmother’s chest of drawers or beautiful Rococo desk chair. This brings character and charm.

4. No need for thick curtains, or any at all – us Swedes like to get in as much natural light as possible for the same reason described in (1). We choose uncomplicated clean lines over cluttered overwhelming looks and don’t like to overburden a room with heavy interlined curtains, stealing some of the light and creating dust! If the window gets direct sunlight, a see-through voile curtain or a Gustavian blind can be used.

5. Fuss-free, clean lines – despite the presence of some decorative vintage pieces here and there, Scandinavians like to keep their homes as clutter-free as possible. For us, ‘less is more’, be it in our interiors or fashion choices.

You can now start creating your own Scandinavian home!