How To Style a Scandinavian Home Office

Scandinavian decor has seen a huge surge in popularity over the past few years, with certain Swedish philosophies inspiring the way we balance our life, wellbeing and home decor. You may be familiar with the Danish concept ‘Hygge’ which is focal to embracing the feeling of coziness, warmth and comfort. One of the latest Swedish concepts we’re set to see in home decor trends is ‘Lagom’ which translates to ‘enough, sufficient, adequate, just right’ supporting the Swedish mentality of moderation and happiness being intertwined.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SCANDINAVIAN DECOR

“Simple in design, clean lines are often incorporated with understated elegance and warm functionality, which creates a very homely feel,” - Craig Ritchie of Ikea

Scandinavian decor consists of a minimalistic space that is clean, organised, but also warm and inviting, making it the perfect decor trend to implement when styling your home office. It is also focused on earthy pigments, warm and neutral palettes, greenery and a combination of different textures creating a cosy and natural atmosphere.

BENEFITS OF A SCANDINAVIAN OFFICE

► Encourages productivity

► Sleek and organised style

► Light and bright, helping you to focus

► Improves mood and reduces stress levels

► Calm and comfortable working environment

HOW NORDIC INTERIOR DESIGN IMPACTS YOUR WELLBEING

Scandi-inspired decor is often linked to wellbeing and happiness; after all, Nordic countries have always topped the charts when it comes to happiness. From their education, work-life balance and free healthcare - they seem to know how to prioritise their health, happiness and wellbeing. This is something that is also relevant to Nordic interior trends as they contain minimal clutter and feature many other interior elements that are known for their mood-boosting properties. A Scandi-style home office is a great way to incorporate all of these concepts and characteristics into your home decor creating a positive, calm and productive workspace.

A UCLA study also discovered that women with more possessions have higher levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol, while a Harvard professor found that money can buy happiness - only when it’s spent on experiences rather than things. This supports the Swedish concept of ‘Lagom’ and how having ‘just enough’ makes us happier than having too much.

HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT SCANDI-STYLE HOME OFFICE

“Scandinavian style is characterised by three key components; functionality, simplicity and beauty.”

Like with any element of interior design, a home office is something that should be styled to suit you personally. When it comes to creating a Scandi-style home office, there are a few key things to consider to create a stylish, minimalist feel that as a result, should help you to be as productive as possible; after all “tidy house; tidy mind”. However, the great thing about Scandi decor is that it’s hugely versatile and there is no one definitive look but instead there are a number of different influences and ideas that have evolved over the years to become the expansive style we see today.

A bright and open space with natural light
White walls with pops of colour
Lots of greenery and a variety of plants
Natural materials and textures
Sleek and modern furniture
Form, function and organisation
Warm tones and textiles
Metal and wood finishes

NATURAL LIGHT

Although not a decorative element, light plays a huge part in any room or home. Nordic style rooms tend to be light, bright and spacious. When you’re creating the perfect home working environment, natural light is massively important as not only does it fit in with your desired Scandinavian theme, it is also much more beneficial to you and your health in comparison to artificial light which is typically used in offices. Natural lighting has a positive impact on mental health, wellbeing and productivity.

A well lit and well-ventilated workspace improves satisfaction by 24% and productivity by 16% showing that these small yet significant changes can help improve your workflow.

HOUSE PLANTS AND GREENERY

Plants are known for their positive impact on wellbeing in general as well as your physical and mental health due to their healing properties. They can boost your immune system, improve sleep quality and provide a calming effect, making them the perfect addition for your home office. Scandi-style decor is also focal to lots of plants and greenery and there are many affordable house plants that you can easily incorporate into your home office.

How Do Plants Have This Impact?

Plants have airborne chemicals such as phytoncides that work to reduce the level of stress you experience throughout the day. As a result of this, your immune system is naturally boosted. Having plants in your home office will help you feel balanced, calm and stress-free which is essential for helping you to be as productive as possible.

Which House Plants Should You Have On Your Desk?

► Boston Ferns - great for purifying air and removing pollutants

► Snake Plant - improves air quality

► Mass Cane - best plant for removing formaldehyde in the air

► Peppermint - boosts alertness and lowers frustration

TEXTURES AND NATURAL MATERIALS

Introducing texture into your home office is a great way to achieve the perfect balance between comfort and practicality. Nordic interior typically revolves around a lot of wood and a combination of natural textures and materials including wool, cotton, fur, linen and hessian. Furniture made from wood is also popular as craftsmanship and natural materials are a tradition embedded in Swedish, Danish and Norweigan design. Sheepskin rugs on natural hardwood floors are a common theme in Scandinavian decor and work really well when styled in an office as it breaks up the space bringing a sense of coziness and adding a touch of warmth.

AN INSTAGRAMMABLE INTERIOR TREND

Scandinavian decor is making its way into more homes than ever before, and it’s also extremely photogenic. This particularly shows on Instagram with Scandinavian interior-based hashtags having huge search volumes (particularly in comparison to other trends).