Scandinavian Design Is The Perfect Base For Style Blends That Work Effortlessly

Two years ago, just after buying her first apartment, my sister said “I want to decorate my new place, but I have no idea where to start”. Buying an apartment was a major milestone for her and she wanted to get it right. All she knew at this point, is that she wanted to create a beautiful interior she would be proud of. She asked for my help and together we worked on defining her vision. Her personal taste and vibrant personality were part of the brainstorming process for I see interior design as the ultimate expression of one’s creativity, a human quality that exists in every single one of us. I invited her to seize this opportunity to reflect who she is and what she loves.

However, when it came down to execution and because of her busy schedule working as an OB-GYN, it was important to prepare a clear, executable design theme she could easily implement herself, as I relocated to France during that time.

This is a clear example of how Scandinavian style can come to the rescue and be part of a creative solution.

We are all quite familiar with the Scandinavian/Nordic style as we easily recognize its clean lines and minimalist beauty and I am, personally, a big fan. Not only is it modern and sleek but there is a social dimension, based on equality, that is attached to Scandi design (yes, I pay attention to this kind of stuff). Since the 1920s, Nordic designers have relentlessly worked on creating well-designed, qualitative everyday products that enhance daily life, believing it should be the birthright of all. Yes, we are all entitled to own beautiful furniture without having to spend big bucks.

This principle particularly resonates with me. I grew up in Casablanca and for decades, choice was limited and basically, outside the traditional Moroccan style, only two very frustrating routes were possible: relatively affordable furniture – supposedly aimed at a struggling pseudo-middle class – with poor designs and terrible quality, or unjustifiably expensive items pandering to a privileged minority. After an agonizingly long wait, IKEA finally opened a branch in Casablanca in 2016 and that was literally a game changer. We finally managed to furnish our apartment and enjoy the “luxury” of choice at a fair price.

Enough ranting. Back to our post.

My sister’s design journey kicked off with a simple strategy: elevating Scandinavian furniture with chic French style, a testimony to her love of French culture and her many travels to France. This simple approach can be applied to any home design project. Scandinavian style is not only available across a wide variety of price ranges, but its minimalism and timelessness give it a surprising ability to coexist with almost any other style. The opportunity to express one’s own individuality is within reach. Choose one or two styles and integrate them to Scandi. Anything is possible as long as elements are brought together within specific themes and cohesive color palettes.

I have selected below 5 examples that show how Scandi can perfectly fit different styles. I hope this selection inspires you to develop your own style blend.

1- Scandi meets Elegant French country style: Photos Credit Hello Lovely