If you’ve been drawn to the clean lines and cozy simplicity of Scandinavian decor, you’re not alone. The style has long been favored by those looking for an approach to home design that’s both stylish and practical, and the popularity of this calming aesthetic continues to grow.
The basic principles of Scandinavian decor include maintaining a balance of positive to negative space for a tranquil home; creating restful and cozy nooks that nurture your well-being and imagination; bringing the outdoors in whenever possible, particularly through light colors like whites, grays, and earthy blues; adding texture through soft textiles, such as sheepskin or wool throws; and mixing in old with new for a one-of-a-kind look, especially if the mix is done carefully and intentionally.
Functionality is a major component of this style, with smart storage solutions, like bespoke built-ins for curated vignettes or laundry room organizers that double as beautiful wall art, a must. To add warmth and visual interest to a neutral-colored space, Scandinavian designers often use rich wood tones and stone for accents.
Likewise about the Scandinavian style flooring ideas. Wood flooring is a part of the Scandinavian decor. This is the foundation of the whole space and it offers an aesthetic look. Scandinavian-style flooring is even considered the most important element in Scandinavian design, so it is something that is important to consider in this interior design style.
Scandinavian Style Flooring
The Nordic aesthetic has taken center stage as one of this year’s most sought-after trends for homes. The Scandinavian design offers a fresh, airy, natural appearance that pairs perfectly with wood floors. The main characteristic of the Scandinavian style is its natural and minimalist wood. Here are some Scandinavian-style flooring ideas to inspire you.
Natural Materials
The most popular flooring material for Scandinavian-style homes is wood. It’s a quintessential element for this design style because it promotes the open, clean, and fresh aesthetic associated with this minimalist design concept. The light colors favored in this design approach help accent the natural look of wood floors for dramatic visual impact.
Light-colored woods like oak, pine, and fir are the most popular choices for flooring in Scandinavian design. Light-colored woods often come with a white-color finish to better fit the color scheme of Scandinavian design.
White Oak
Wood is a central element of Scandinavian design. You’ll find it in your doors, cabinets, kitchen islands, and even wall paneling. But it’s the flooring that makes or breaks your home’s aesthetic. With the right oak floor, you can create that hygge feeling that is so popular in these regions.
White oak is the most common flooring choice for Scandinavian designs due to its neutral color and natural pale look. It’s one of the most durable hardwood species you can buy and will look great with any furniture style. However, if you want to mix things up a bit and add a hint of personality to your wood floor, try a darker stain like golden brown or smoked oak.
Wide Planks
Scandinavian Design emphasizes the natural architecture of a home, and wide-plank wood flooring highlights this feature. This style of wood flooring is also necessary because of its inherent characteristics that help optimize a room’s natural light.
In addition, the wider planks used in this style of flooring serve to visually expand a room and work well to cover large areas. They also feature minimal seams and interesting variations to create a polished, sophisticated look.
Fir Flooring
For those who are interested in incorporating a little bit of Scandinavian flair into their home, the light and modern look of Douglas Fir may be perfect for you. This type of fir flooring has a matte finish that is perfect for the Scandinavian style, and it’s easy to keep clean. With regular sanding, the appearance of this flooring will remain elegant for years to come.
Pine Floor
Pine is a common choice of flooring for Scandinavian homes because of its light tone and prominent grain pattern. It is a natural material that has a lot of character and looks great with neutral color schemes. It’s also durable enough to stand up to the high demands of family life and is child-friendly.
When it comes to the finish of a pine floor for Scandinavian design, a matte finish is typically the preferred option. This finish shares the same characteristics as many of the other natural textures used in Scandinavian homes and can be blended seamlessly with pale tones. It’s also easy to maintain and will not show dirt or dust as easily.
Patterned Floors
Scandinavian design takes inspiration from nature and the surrounding elements. It aims to maximize the use of natural light and emphasizes simplicity over ornamentation. It also promotes functionality over decoration. In order to use wood flooring for this design, try it in herringbone or chevron patterns for a dramatic effect. These patterns are great for a room that needs to make a statement, and they also work in smaller rooms when mixed with a more subtle wood floor design.