The Scandi style in 3 words: Organised, connected and calm.  The Scandi look is an offshoot from the mid-century movement that brought a populist minimal look.  Known for its simplicity, functionality and beauty, the appeal of the Scandi style has spread all over the world.  The use of light is extremely important, and many Scandinavian-styled homes are characterised by the use of earthy muted tones, natural materials, clean lines and minimal ornamentation. These key traits ensure you don’t build up clutter and promote a simple living space and lifestyle. 

Designbx Co-Founder and Head of Interior Design Kerena Berry, shares some basic tips for how you can achieve the Scandi style in your home with Designbx and RealEstate.com

Top tips for the Scandi style

1. Wooden Flooring

The Scandi style features wooden flooring-anywhere from a washed oak, aged dove grey, through to a clean painted white finish.

Image Source: Home Beautiful

2. Scandi style traits

Scandi features flat and soft textures and a strong geometric pattern.  The colours start with a white foundation and often have  muted pastels.  Some other key style traits include: vaporous blues, soft greys, milky whites, soft durable fabrics, resin homewares, craftsmanship, bleached timbers, concealed function, scarcity.

The Scandi style really showcases the beauty of simple objects. 

Image Source: Home Design Lover

3. Designers/Artists

To name just a few….Hans J. Wegner, Eric Buch, Niels Jorgen Haugensen.

Image Source: Interiors Addict

4. Pantone colours

Don’t forget that playing with textures can add that extra simple touch.

5. Brands that fit

Steal the Limelight, Muuto, Koskela, Ikea, Great Dane, Beck Urban Furniture, Morosso (hub furniture),  Nordic Fusion, Satara, RJ Living, Sheets on the Line, Kikki K, Nordik Living Icon by Design, Miss Amara Rugs, Norsu Interiors

Image Source: Norsu Interiors via Realhomes.com

6. A perfect day

Good coffee in bed, a leisurely rise to start the day, shower and dress for the local produce market. Meet friends, chat to the growers and buy two huge sacks of food. Head home to make a minestrone soup and cheese scones, then consume in front of a roaring fire with knitted blankets pulled high.

Image Source: Cox & Cox via Realhomes.com

7. Fragrance or tune

Pigeon & Weasel Candle-lassic Vanilla. Purity.

Image Source: My Scandinavian Home via Airtasker Blog

With its minimalism theme and simple beauty, it is easy to understand why the Scandi style has become one of the trendiest interior design styles in the modern world. Try an Asian-fusion approach with Japandi interior design – a trend that combines Japanese interior design with Scandinavian interior design.   

The Scandi style also peers seamlessly with both Boho Style and Coastal Style.

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Trying to live a clean and simple life can involve decluttering your home. Minimalist interior design is as simple as keeping it to the basics. The style is known to be clean, sleek and sophisticated. Mastering the minimalist interior design trend allows you to dip into the other territories of Scandi and Japanese interior design.

1. Quality over quantity

Minimalism is all about embracing what you have and actually need, so ask yourself whether each piece will withstand everyday wear and tear and whether its built to last.

Not only will you be sticking to the basics, but you’ll be doing a favour for the environment by keeping pieces out of landfill.

2. Let the light in

Also featured in Japanese interior design, natural lighting in a major must for minimalism. Leaving windows bare can highlight and shadow your space beautifully and also add some colour, or alternatively thin curtains and blinds can be used to still let the sunshine seep in.

3. Simple accessories

It’s all about the power of simple objects. For instance, think of naked lights instead of a boisterous lamp shade to add a simple touch to your modern interior design. Indoor plants are an everlasting element of colour and nature, and a focal point to any space.

4. Neutral colours and natural textures

It’s key to restrict the colour palette in your minimalist space. Stick to lighter colours that can reflect light such as whites, bare greys and pastels. Natural fibres and wooden furniture help complement the bright whites and add texture, as popularly used in Scandinavian interior design styles .

If you’re a colour lover, stick to one colour as less is certainly more.

5. One in out policy

For every item that comes into your home, something else needs to be taken out. This is Colleen Madson’s  ‘one in, one out’ policy that can apply to just about any aspect in our lives, but best describes minimalist interior decorating and avoids over cluttering space.

The item you boot out doesn’t need to match the item that’s coming in, but it’s important that each piece holds a purpose and importance in the space.

Check out more decorating styles!  

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Japandi interior design orgins

Scandinavian interior design (Scandi) has been developed on the principles of simplicity, minimalism and functionality. It continues to be popular in Australia, aligning with our relaxed lifestyle, connection to nature and beautiful, diverse landscape. The main characteristics of Scandinavian interiors include clean lines and the use of natural materials such as oak, leather and hemp.

Japandi is a new trend that is taking the interior design world by storm. It draws on the Japanese ‘wabi-sabi’ principle of finding beauty in the imperfect and incomplete, and it blends perfectly with the simplicity of Scandinavian design.

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1. Colour

To achieve a Scandinavian look, focus on featuring a muted, neutral colour palette throughout your home. White is commonly used on the walls to make a room appear bright and spacious. Inject life into your room and make your home reflect your personality by incorporating accent pieces. Try rugs, cushions and artworks in muted colours, such as pastel pink and grey.

To create a Japandi feel, incorporate accent colours with a cool undertone, such as green and navy. Dramatic contrast (a key element of Asian design) can also be created by using a black frame for your artworks or photographs. Next, hang them above the light oak furniture pieces.

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2. Texture

Scandinavian inspired interiors usually have light coloured wooden flooring as opposed to carpet, as wood is closer to nature. Pine, beech and ash wood are the most common, with light stain finishes, to preserve a feeling of spaciousness.

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3. Simple contrast

Ornate and excessive details in furniture are not common in Scandinavian interior design. The style favours clean lined, modern and solid pieces. In the new Japandi style, statement furniture in dark tones such as charcoal, black or dark oak stained tones are used with light Scandinavian furniture. To achieve this look in your home, you could use a light oak dining table with black wooden dining chairs. This creates the dramatic contrast that is the hallmark of the Japandi style.

Introducing simple contrast between key furniture pieces maintains simplicity, while still expressing your personal design style.

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To create visual interest and rhythm, layer different muted natural textures such as a small rectangle hemp cushion with a square, pale pink cushion. To add an eclectic Japandi feel, find a unique statement piece. We love an asymmetric plant or sculpture that embraces the idea of ‘beauty in the imperfect’. By using greenery and plants, the connection to nature is reinforced.

These tips will help you to create the basis of your Japandi interior design. Express your own style and personality throughout your home interior by adding your own unique, personal touches to the ever-popular Scandi look.

The post Interior Design Trends of 2017 – Japanese and Scandi = Japandi appeared first on Designbx.

1. Start with a wooden floor

First of all, start with a clean, fresh base. Wooden floorboards are the ultimate Scandi trademark. Opt for light tones to open up the space and to give as much lightness and airiness as possible. Think about your walls and ceiling colours as well. Your interior will look bigger and brighter instantly — the more white the better.

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2. Use a muted palette

Once you have your base mastered, move on to the big block pieces. For larger items, like your sofa, table, chairs or curtains, try using neutral colours. We especially love using a myriad of greys (avoid a white couch that you’ll be stressing about when the little ones get within a 10-metre radius of it). To master the look, add touches of wood here and there to incorporate warmth.

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3. Add colour by using splashes of pastels

Although a neutral-based style, Scandinavian interior design colour schemes are often infused with soft pastels. Our favourite is blush pink, as it is the perfect complementary colour to any wood. Mint green is also a fun way to add some colour into your Scandi kingdom.

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4. Create a complementary feature wall

So how best do we style our walls in a Scandi home? It can be hard to figure out how to add different pieces of wall art without making it clash with a neutral interior, but by adding pops of pastels you can creating a striking look.

Be creative! Use photos, prints, paintings, quotes or even drawings that your mini-me made! You can create a fun art project for the kids by encouraging them to create, using your colour palette.

By using similar frames throughout and some clever pre-planning, you can ensure your unique feature wall works harmoniously with the Scandi style.

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5. Layers, layers, layers!

The great thing about Scandinavian interior design is you can go wild with textures. As long as the colours are harmonious and neutral, you can mix as many as you like! This is what adds depth and character to Scandi spaces. Use leather, linen, jute, metal, fur, wood…you name it, you layer it!

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6. Get some Scandinavian furniture

The cleans lines, simplicity and beauty of these timeless pieces are undeniable. By adding even just one or two of these beauties, you can completely transform your space. There are so many affordable options to finding Scandinavian-style furniture without skimping on quality and practicality. Try Pop and Scott, MRD Home, Sokol, Eadie Lifestyle, or Mr & Mrs White.

Combinations that are paving the way into 2018 are:

• Woven pastel leathers, featuring in seating, wall hangings and rugs
• Tibetan fur, dyed in striking neutral  or jewel tones is a key trend for children’s bedrooms and playrooms
• Raw hand-crafted materials like pottery and rustic timbers, paired with the traditional curved and clean lines of Scandinavian design – this new style is being echoed as Japandi (a fusion of Scandinavian and Japanese design movements).

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7. Be minimal with the little things (less is more)

The easiest way is to think about what you really need, and forget the rest. Marie Kondo wrote a best-selling book on how tidying up can be life-changing and not only declutter your home but your mind as well. To that we say, yes please! But keep the items you absolutely love. And no, you don’t need those 50 jumpers you haven’t worn since high school.

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8. Use greenery in the right places

Plants are a surefire way to bring texture and contrast to those neutral walls. In spaces that just need a little something, sculptural, oversized and grouped plants will work best. Your pot is as important as the species of your plant, so pick wisely.

A single or dual tone will last the test of time. Our favourite brands include Designtwins, Pop and Scott, Ivy muse, Urban Eden, and Milk and Sugar. To not overdo it, just add one large potted plant to each room. Make sure you use plants that can survive indoors and don’t need much light. If you’re not into big plants, or can’t keep one alive no matter how hard you try (we’ve all been there), then why not add a simple cactus? They’re always a nice, easy way to add some greenery.

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9. Install a fireplace

Living in Australia, we may not all need a fireplace, but if we were to embrace them, either for function or pure aesthetics, they would look a little like this. The Scandinavian ‘staple’ fireplace would be tall, thin and likely to be perched in a corner. We may not ever install one of these but we love these different styles to ooh and aah over. If the real thing is impractical, a faux fireplace creates a setting to do a vignette of artwork, greenery or personal items.

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10. Be meticulous and creative with lighting

Last, but certainly not least, lighting! It’s so important in any space, but the fun thing with Scandinavian interior design is that you can incorporate various sizes and shapes with great success. Try using cool bulbs, lampshades and garlands.

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Scandinavian interior design gets us so excited, and makes us spend way too much time on Pinterest, but we hope this has inspired you to redecorate.

Do you want to find out what your ideal style is? Check out our style quiz and get your dream home project started right away!

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