7 Scandinavian living room ideas for minimalist coziness

When the outside world seems extra harsh, you need an extra cozy space to escape it. Winters in Scandinavia — a region that includes Sweden, Norway, and Denmark — have always been harsh. So Scandinavian homes became the ultimate retreat.

Scandinavian style is the epitome of “calm.” It creates spaces that are not only comfortable but comforting. And in a hectic world, we could all use more comfort and calm. So even if you’re escaping the constant ding of work notifications, instead of a Scandinavian winter, this style can be your sanctuary.

Learn how to design a Scandinavian living room so you can transform your household into a space that’s completely hygge. (That’s the Danish concept for a sense of coziness, comfort, and well-being — all things we want to get out of good design.)

Essential elements of Scandinavian interior design

Scandinavian decor is built for comfort and functionality. Throughout the Nordic region, they use natural materials to make practical furniture and home decor. As a result, their homes bring nature indoors, feature an organic color scheme, and show off an unpretentious style that’s easy to relax into.

The Scandinavian, or Scandi, interior design style embraces minimalism. It embodies Lagom, or the Swedish concept of balance and moderation. Roughly translating to “just right,” it encourages you to add what you need and leave what you don’t.

If you want to include a few extra elements, they should be pieces of hygge decor — or pieces that make the room feel more comfortable and cozy. It could be candles or extra pillows. Maybe it’s a sheepskin throw to warm up a wooden bench or additional rugs to cover cold floors.

You can and should personalize your space with elements that feel cozy and “just right” to you. But to ensure your Scandinavian living room design stays Scandi, keep these concepts in mind:

Minimalist furniture and decor: Look for sturdy pieces with clean lines, solid craftsmanship, and minimal adornment. Keep your room clutter-free, and leave a little space between your furniture or your wall art.
Functional design: Every piece in your living room should serve a purpose. Get rid of things that have no function or don’t perform their function well — like an uncomfortable sofa — unless having them around brings you a sense of contentment (think family photos or childhood treasures). Making you feel happy counts as serving a purpose.
Natural elements: Bringing nature indoors can promote a sense of calm, and it’s an essential element of Scandinavian interior design. Seek out light wood furniture. Add natural textiles like cotton, linen, or leather. Include sheepskin or faux fur throws. Incorporate greenery and wall art or sculptural elements inspired by nature.
Neutral color palette: Nature also informs the color palette, which is traditionally made up of neutral tones, like ivory, tan, and slate. Most Scandi living rooms feature white walls and any pops of color tend to be softer and more soothing, like blues and greens.
Soft lighting: Scandinavian home design prioritizes natural light. If you don’t have a lot of windows, you can amplify the light you do have by including mirrors as wall decor. Add different light fixtures for different purposes, like uplighting for a softer, more diffused light, down lighting for reading and tasks, and candles for ambiance.

7 Scandinavian living room ideas to add to your space

Now that you know what to look for in Scandinavian-style living room decor, take a look at these pieces of Scandinavian furniture and home decor. These decorating ideas will inspire you to reimagine your living space as a peaceful escape.

1. An overstuffed sectional

Your sofa is the focal point of your living room furniture, and it’s where you’ll spend most of your downtime with friends and family (or simply curled up with your favorite book). An overstuffed sectional is extra comfortable, but it’s also an extremely functional design. You can choose the pieces you want and create the perfect layout for your space.

Look for a sectional with neutral upholstery. We like the Blaine Upholstered Reversible Sectional Sofa in Sand. For a lighter look, the Lakeview 5-Piece Upholstered Modular Sectional Sofa comes in Ivory. And for a darker look, the Barton Upholstered Tufted Sectional comes in Toast and Brown.

2. A rectangular coffee table

There is no look as streamlined or as Scandi as a simple, rectangular coffee table. Add a natural element to your Scandinavian living room by choosing a wood coffee table, like the Benton Rectangular Solid Wood Coffee Table. Straight sides or simple tapered legs — like you see on the Radley 3-Piece Rectangular Coffee Table Set — will give you a clean-lined silhouette.

3. Simple side tables

Keep the minimalism coming by adding wood side tables anywhere they’re needed (and nowhere they aren’t). If you have any seats that are out of reach of the coffee table, that’s a perfect place for a side table.

For a streamlined look, you can choose side tables that match your coffee table, like this Benton Rectangular Solid Wood End Table. Or you can mix and match. For example, you could pair a round side table, like the Ixia Round Solid Mango Wood Accent Side Table, with your rectangular coffee table. The neutral tones will ensure a harmonious design even if your Scandinavian living room furniture isn’t part of a matched set.

4. An ergonomic TV stand

In addition to natural wood and clean lines, a TV stand can add more comfort to your Scandinavian living room. By choosing a piece that sits a little lower to the ground — like the Elkton 2-Drawer Engineered Wood 59” TV Stand at 19.75 inches tall — you can create a more ergonomic viewing experience. It’s minimalist furniture that’s both functional and comfortable, so it checks all of the Scandi design boxes.

5. A torchiere floor lamp

A floor lamp can add task lighting for reading, knitting, and other close-up work, or it can add ambient lighting. A torchiere-style floor lamp, like the Gianni 70-Inch 3-Shelf Frosted Torchiere Floor Lamp, is all about ambiance. These lamps point up toward the ceiling and away from you, so the light they produce is always soft and flattering. It creates the ideal cozy atmosphere for your living space.

6. A rotatable table lamp

A classic table lamp with a lampshade provides soft, diffused lighting. It’s bright enough to light the pages of your book and allow you to read, but it’s not too harsh at night. Plus, you can add any lightbulb you’d like to create your ideal atmosphere. (We recommend warm white light and no more than 40 watts to make your home feel hygge.)

The Colombe Rotatable Frame Table Lamp brings extra functionality to your living space because the swing arm allows you to pull the light closer to or further from you. You can get more or less direct light depending on your needs.

7. A minimal mirror

If you want understated wall art, there’s no better option than a mirror. This piece is just as functional as it is beautiful. Hang your mirror on a wall opposite your windows, and it will reflect natural light around the room and make your space feel lighter, brighter, and more open. In addition to lamps and candles, this simple piece of decor can add more mood lighting to your space.

Look for a mirror in a geometric shape, like round or rectangular, to stick to the clean lines of Scandinavian design. We like the simplicity of the Gwyneth 30 x 35 Inch Round Wall Mirror.

Get your Scandi design just right

With its emphasis on comfort and functionality, Scandinavian style can make your living room feel more livable. You can use the above seven design ideas to add coziness to your living space and create a hygge home.

And before you go, we have one final decorating idea to share: Try shopping in person. When you visit a local furniture store, you can avoid the buyer’s remorse that often comes with online purchases.

We’ve all had that “it’s not what I imagined from the pictures” moment. And it just doesn’t go with Scandi style. This interior design style is all about comfort and contentment. So make sure every element is just as comfortable and comforting as you imagined. Find your perfect pieces to get your Scandinavian living room design “just right.”