Styles · Scandinavian
Bright, light and built for everyday life
Shaped by long, dark winters, the Scandinavian look is about catching every bit of daylight and making a home easy to live in. It suits British houses for exactly the same reason.
Eight things that make a room Scandinavian
You don't need all of them. Four or five, and the room starts to feel right.
-
Pale wood, and plenty of itLight ash or light oak for doors, shelves and worktop edges. The grain adds a warmth plain white can't.
-
A soft white, not a bright oneChalk white reflects light without the clinical edge of brilliant white.
-
One gentle colourDusk blue on an island, a utility run or a child's wardrobe. Muted, never loud.
-
Simple doorsFlat slab fronts with clean edges. Nothing ornate.
-
Handles you can seeSlim edge pulls or small round knobs. Practical first, pretty second.
-
A little open shelvingOne run of open shelves for the everyday mugs and bowls, so they're always to hand.
-
Layered, warm lightUnder-shelf LEDs and lamps rather than a single bright ceiling light.
-
Everything else behind doorsCoats, shoes, toys and recycling each get a cupboard. Open shelves only stay pretty when the rest has a home.
Four finishes for a bright room
Pair a wood with the white, then decide whether you want a colour at all.
- Light ash Almost-white timber with a fine, straight grain. Good for: Bedroom or dressing room, Home office, Children's room About light ashTry it in the planner
- Chalk white A soft white that isn't stark. Makes small rooms feel bigger. Good for: Kitchen, Bedroom or dressing room, Home office, Children's room, Utility or boot room About chalk whiteTry it in the planner
- Light oak Pale, Scandinavian-feeling oak with a gentle grain. Good for: Kitchen, Bedroom or dressing room, Living room or media wall, Home office, Children's room About light oakTry it in the planner
- Dusk blue A soft, slate-like blue. Fresh without being cold. Good for: Kitchen, Bedroom or dressing room, Children's room, Utility or boot room About dusk blueTry it in the planner
Light ash is the paler, straighter-grained of the two woods. Light oak has a little more warmth.
Room by room
Where the look works hardest
-
Kitchens Chalk white units, light oak shelves on the back wall and a dusk blue run or island for contrast. We'll put the sink by the window if your pipes allow.Kitchens
-
Wardrobes and children's rooms Light ash doors floor to ceiling, with a desk or reading nook built into the same run. Tall units are fixed to the wall, as they should be in every bedroom.Children's rooms
-
Living rooms and studies Shelving that mixes open and closed, in light oak, around a window or across a whole wall. Books and plants on show; cables and paperwork out of sight.Library walls
Make it yours
Fitting the look to your home
With young children
White doors at toddler height will need wiping, so keep chalk white higher up and use light oak or dusk blue lower down. Open shelves above reach, closed cupboards below. Full-extension drawers beat deep cupboards for finding things in a hurry.
In a small room
This is the style small rooms were made for. Keep the doors pale, run them to the ceiling so the room feels taller, and choose push-to-open so nothing sticks out into a narrow space. There's more in our box room ideas.
In an older North East house
1930s semis and Victorian terraces often have bays, picture rails and chimney breasts worth keeping. Let pale units sit within them rather than fight them: light oak shelving in the alcoves, a window seat in the bay, and a soft white that flatters original woodwork.
Scandinavian style, answered
Anything else, send us a message and we'll talk it through.
What's the difference between Scandinavian and Japandi?
Scandinavian is brighter and a little more playful: more white, more open shelving, a soft colour here and there. Japandi is quieter and warmer, with more hidden away. Both start with pale wood.
Will white doors show every mark?
Chalk white is a super-matt finish, smooth and good at hiding fingerprints. Like any pale door it needs a wipe now and then, which is why we often suggest wood or a colour on the lower units of a family kitchen.
Can a kitchen have open shelves without looking messy?
Keep them short and keep them for things you use every day. One or two shelves on a back wall, with everything else in cupboards, is far easier to live with than a whole wall of open storage.
Does Scandinavian style suit a north-facing room?
It can, but lean towards the warmer side of the palette. Light oak and chalk white feel softer in cool light than light ash and dusk blue. Look at samples in the room at different times of day.
Can I have a wooden worktop?
Yes. Solid oak is warm under the hand and suits this look, though it needs occasional oiling. Worktops are templated and fitted locally once the units are in.
Let's brighten up a room
Send us a photo, the wall sizes if you have them, and the finishes that caught your eye. We'll send a design and a price range, free.
Free guide
Get the free planning guide
Measuring, styles, finishes and how to plan your budget, in one short guide. Then the odd email with ideas worth stealing.