Type Scandinavian on Pinterest and you’ll be taken towards a goldmine of Scandinavian interiors in the form of minimal, comfortable and warm chambers.
Scandinavian rooms are some of the most relaxing spaces one can step into. One of the main reasons for this is their philosophy which thrives on minimal clutter, comfortable furniture, shades of nature, and lots of light and circulation.
The Nordic or Scandinavian lifestyle places function and affordability over preciousness and luxury, and still banks high on design and vibe.
Although, before getting into the design-led aspects of the productively comfortable wagon, it is a must to take a deep dive into the art of balance practiced in the happiest country in the world.
What makes Nordic countries high on happiness?
The world’s global index continues to place Sweden, Norway and Denmark as the happiest countries in the world. Balanced working hours, stress leaves, and a focus on family time are some of the ways the citizens balance work and life.
Even if you’re not from Scandinavia and add the concept of balance into your life, happiness would always be your welcome sign.
Although, if you plan to go up there, you can’t turn away from their high tax surcharge to maintain this comfort and happiness. But then again, these taxes are used for one’s own medical hygiene and benefits.
Inspired from this philosophy of balance, you can see this balanced mindset at play in Scandinavian house interiors- a style that has, quite literally, taken the design stream by storm. As the house is one of the most frequented spaces due to the cold temperatures and shorter days, a lot of thought is given to what one places around them, and how.
The Art of Lagom
A meaningful surrounding, according to the Scandinavian concept is one which follows the concept of Lagom.
Lagom means having “Not too little and not too much, Just right.”
It might sound like a twin to minimalism but is actually inspired from different ideologies, which we will be covering in our next blog.
Every Scandinavian interior will have things that are necessary and comfortable. Adding too many things is kept to a minimum as it blocks the circulation of light and air, which isn’t good for a cozy and inviting aura.
Apart from the warm comfort that can be seen in scandinavian inspired interiors, you’ll also see bits of nature. This addition is from the Norwegian philosophy called Friluftsliv which reminds one of the connection with Earth. If you really dig into the life of a human, it was meant to be around nature. As we can’t really camp outdoors each day, getting nature indoors is a nice way of spending more time around Earth’s creations. This not only adds fresh air but is an important element to uplift one’s mood.
Coming to the roots of Nordic Minimalism
Nordic minimalism thrives on less: less of waste, energy and things in general. While many of us use this concept in setting our interiors, it is a life’s philosophy which pays big when executed.
The art of happiness and comfort is when one decides to de-clutter the unnecessary baggage from one’s life and focuses on what is actually required to thrive. This is the start of learning the art of organizing everything around you: from your wardrobe, your study table, and especially your mind’s space.
To bring out the component of balanced light and space, you’ll see a maximum of two neutral colours or tones in a Nordic room. You can play with different tones: black and greys, or tones of cream to make the room look bigger yet cosier. Colour is an important facet of adding a sense of depth to any space.
The two-tone choice of colours, in no way limits the use of colour pops to add bright interiors to one’s room. With the nordic region experiencing short days and long winters, it is essential to have a space that brightens up your mood but is still not on the face.
High on comfort
“We love our home, and that’s why we make it as comfortable as possible. Having practical, comfortable furniture is number one. Making it pleasing, making it visually appealing, making sure that you’re using all those comfortable colors like whites and pale grays and little black and little pastel colours here and there.”- Nordic Mum
The Scandinavian way of living places immense importance on comfort. You’ll see furniture that’s practical, and comfortable above anything else. Hanging closets, sleek glass mirrors, throw pillows are some of the basic elements of every room.
All about circulation
Large potted fig trees, large french windows, and more whites make these rooms spacious and well-lit. Decorative items like throw rugs, paintings add a sense of depth by keeping accessories to a purposeful few.
“Copper light fixtures, ambient lighting and large mirrors that bounce light around the room, rainbow-colored candle-holders for a small, bold accent, and clusters of pop art on the wall” create the atmosphere and vibe that invites comfort.
Focus on texture
Textures also play a very important role in the home’s setup. Pops are not just added with the use of colour. Having a textured wallpaper, chunky throw blankets, or rug helps adds a comfortable and soothing aspect to the space while portraying a sense of peace and relaxation.
How the Scandinavian set-up adds to one’s life
Having a space that’s warm and comfortable does more things than one knows.
- It greatly adds to one’s productivity. No wonder, the Nordic region is high on balance.
- Staying home becomes a vacation in itself, as there is no other place that’ll feel as warm and well, at home
- Sleep and work score equal weightage as lights and windows complement each other to communicate a feeling of relaxation and brightness
- Heavy thought is given to the get-together area in every Scandinavian setting. Called Fika, it means taking time out to relax with your friends around coffee and cakes.
At Poshtel, we have common spaces where people can meet each other over a cup of coffee, and add new conversations into their life. These cafes are open for non-residents too.
Is it possible to set up your own Scandinavian room?
Of course it is, but we would ask you to firstly breathe and understand that you can’t set up your place in one go. Take small steps, make a little change here to one corner, then move to the next.
Slowly and steadily you’ll have your very own Scandinavian setting to make you super charged and happy in the space that you’re in. At Poshtel, we had created our space with a mindset to share this sense of peace and comfort with all our travellers, where they can come over and be themselves. That’s also one reason we created areas which have their own unique offerings across comfort preferences and budgets. Hop on, and see for yourself.