The bedroom is about more than simply a place to sleep—it’s a sanctuary where we can connect with our innermost selves, escaping the stresses and demands of life. Getting deep, restorative rest helps us present our best selves, for our own sake and the benefit of others (because there’s almost nothing worse than sleep-deprived gremlins). For those trying to create a peaceful, functional retreat without feeling overwhelmed by design choices, you’re not alone. Finding the right balance between style, serenity, and practicality can be tricky. So, let’s draw inspiration from the Scandinavians, who mastered the art of creating a cozy indoor haven despite their often dark, dreary weather.
This bedroom style guide offers a simple, fun, step-by-step approach to transforming your space with Scandinavian bedroom ideas that promote restful moments while beautifully reflecting your personal taste.
How Scandinavian Bedroom Design Can Work For You: Function Meets Tranquillity
Embrace Simplicity with Purposeful Design
Life is complex enough, so the fundamental principle of Scandinavian design focuses on simplicity, where each element serves a purpose. It’s all about steering away from visual clutter that can overload our minds. Start with a fresh, blank slate and adopt the mindset of choosing only practical elements that enhance both form and function—items that are visually serene while still offering practicality.
This mood board showcases the types of pieces you might want to incorporate into your Scandinavian-style bedroom design, offering inspiration for creating a calm, functional space that works for you.
Scandinavian-Inspired Bedroom Mood Board
Soft Japandi Aesthetic for a Modern Bedroom
Natural Materials for a Calming Atmosphere
The Scandinavians have mastered the art of bringing warmth to their homes during their often-gloomy climate. Their secret? Natural materials like light wood, linen and cotton. These materials are staples in Scandinavian design for good reason. They promote a sense of tranquility and create a grounded, reassuring ambience that is especially well-suited to bedrooms. So, as you put together your own Scandinavian bedroom with new furniture, bedding and décor, be sure to also incorporate natural textures to create warmth and comfort so you can bring this peaceful vibe into your own space.
Lots of Light, Neutral Colours for a Serene Space
To complement the natural materials in a Scandinavian-style bedroom, a neutral colour palette is essential. Think soft whites, warm greys, subtle beige and brown tones, and gentle pastel greens. These calming colours can be woven through accessories like cushions, wall art, and throw blankets. Even if your bedroom doesn’t get much natural light, these light, neutral shades will work their magic to create a sense of brightness, spaciousness and peace. By embracing the calming effects of nature and bringing those muted hues into your room, you’ll create an environment that’s conducive to rest and relaxation.
Enhance Function with Thoughtful Furniture Choices
While serene and beautiful, Scandinavian furniture is designed to be functional and space-efficient, with a particular emphasis on multi-purpose pieces that make the most out of your space. Think of a floating dressing table with drawers that provides ample storage and pivots out to double as a desk—or bedframes that come with storage headboards that help to keep your space clutter-free. Even mattresses inspired by Scandinavian design offer adjustable firmness to suit your preferences, ensuring your comfort is always a top priority. By investing in quality furniture, you’re bringing style and practicality to your bedroom, creating a versatile space that will keep you comfortable for many years to come.
Bring Scandinavian Style to Life with These Bedroom Ideas
1. Small Bedroom Design Ideas to Keep Things Organised
Scandinavian style is ideally suited to small bedrooms, allowing you to make the most of the limited space you have. The furniture pieces mentioned earlier help keep visual clutter to a minimum with smart storage solutions. Their multi-purpose design gives you more versatility using fewer furniture pieces, and the light colour palette naturally creates a roomier feel in your bedroom. This is also the case for other areas in your home, including small space living rooms.
2. Large Bedroom with Space to Play With
If you’re lucky enough to have a larger-sized bedroom, don’t feel like you have to hold back on the furniture. Leaving too much space can actually make a room feel a bit too empty. Instead, use your extra space to create additional zones where you can relax and enjoy your bedroom retreat. Depending on your room, choose furniture and décor that are proportional to your space and cohesive with the rest of the design.
A great way to do this is to carve out a chill-out zone with comfy armchairs, side tables and footrests; perfect for winding down with a good book or enjoying a warm cup of chamomile tea or cocoa before bed. You can differentiate the sleeping (bed) zone from the relaxation (armchair) zone by using two separate floor rugs beneath each one. This not only defines the spaces, but adds an extra layer of warmth and texture to your Scandinavian bedroom.
3. Layering Textures for a Cosy Scandi Bedroom
Take a leaf out of professional interior designers’ bag of tricks to create a luscious, super-cosy space by layering textures. By incorporating subtle contrasts in textures (such as smooth versus rustic, soft versus hard, and pattern versus plain) and colours (lighter versus darker), you create a calming, inviting atmosphere.
This includes using soft rugs that are lovely to walk on barefoot when you get out of bed (even if your bedroom is already carpeted). Natural, breathable linen bed covers in soft pastel colours are as beautiful to look at as they are lovely to the touch and will contribute to your peaceful night’s sleep. Knitted throws will add yet more warmth, comfort and visual appeal to top off your welcoming, Scandinavian-inspired bedroom.
Styling is Key to Bringing Your Scandinavian Bedroom Together
Now for the fun finishing touches!
Focus on Simple, Yet Personal Décor
While Scandinavian design embraces simplicity, it also promotes personal touches in your space. So go ahead and include family photos, favourite artworks and décor items that are meaningful to you.
But as with anything, moderation is key, so incorporate items that bring you joy without overcrowding your space. If there are simply too many cherished items to choose from (we get it), you could store some of them in a storage cupboard and rotate the items displayed on a monthly—or seasonal—basis. This is an excellent way to keep your space feeling fresh, too!
Try Not to Undermine How Lighting Can Make a Room Feel
When it comes to creating a dreamy, relaxing ambience in your bedroom, gentle lighting is a must. Use soft ambient lighting as a lead-in to your nighttime routine, signalling to your busy mind that it’s time to slow down and relax. Create a warm, inviting bedroom atmosphere with Scandinavian-style lamps and pendant lights. As the evening wears on, gradually switch the lamps off one by one so it’s increasingly darker. It’s a great way to create a prelude to a deep, relaxing night’s sleep.
Add Plants to Connect with Nature
The finishing touch for creating a stunning, Scandinavian-style, nature-inspired bedroom is to bring real nature indoors. Incorporating plants into your bedroom enriches its serene, natural atmosphere. And as a bonus, plants also improve the quality of the air you breathe throughout the night!
Bringing Scandinavian Style Home with Urban Sales
Everyone deserves a beautiful and functional bedroom, and at Urban Sales, our Scandinavian-inspired furniture collection is thoughtfully curated to cater to all tastes and budgets, combining the perfect blend of form, function and comfort.
Each piece is designed with quality and longevity in mind, ensuring your Scandinavian bedroom remains stylish and functional for years to come. We have everything you need to create a bedroom that brings you peace, comfort, and a sense of connection.
Ready to transform your space into a serene sanctuary? Explore our collection of bedroom furniture and find the ideal pieces to bring your vision to life!
