Unsuitable finish The first thing that immediately “kills” the atmosphere of the Scandinavian interior is the wrong finish. If you want to see a restrained northern style at home, then you will have to abandon wallpaper with a fashionable tropical print. There is no need to completely go into minimalism either: just choose the same accents that are used by Danes, Swedes, or Finns. For example, instead of wall murals with a variegated floral pattern, it is better to add a couple of posters with northern forests and rivers to the interior.
Furniture of a different style If, for example, all the furniture in the room is made in a classic style, then the fact that you add a couple of recognizable Scandinavian accessories to it, the desired atmosphere in the apartment will not appear. The same applies to modern products with chrome and plastic parts. If it is not possible to buy authentic Scandinavian furniture, use a simple rule: look for items made of natural materials (or their high-quality imitations), and simple shapes, without decorative elements.
Lots of plastic The Scandinavian style implies proximity to nature, so plastic does not fit with it in any way. This applies not only to large interior elements like chairs but also to decor: flower pots, decor, and bathroom accessories. Walk around the apartment and remove all such items. Replace the plastic with wood, ceramics, clay, and other natural materials. You will immediately see how housing will be transformed.
Badly thought-out palette The modern Scandinavian interior went beyond the usual color frames and ceased to be black-white-gray, but its palette is still based on neutral shades. Use achromats in decoration and large furniture so as not to miss. For accents, you can take any colors, but remember that they should look natural and noble. For example, a neon-light green or aquamarine shade will not fit into the Scandinavian aesthetics, but a muted grass or gray-blue shade will not fit completely.
Visual noise If all the basic canons of the Scandi style were observed, but the feeling of the interior is still blurred, just look around. Northern apartments are famous for their minimalism and clean lines. Perhaps in your home in plain sight, there are too many small things, decor, and household items. Put everything in place, declutter if necessary, and add baskets and boxes for closed storage of trifles.
Little air Too dense arrangement of furniture, window sills, and walls filled with decor, shelves, and racks clogged to capacity – all this also prevents you from perceiving the Scandinavian interior as intended. Make a rearrangement and remove part of the decor, letting the apartment have more light and air. If the finish, furniture, and colors were chosen correctly, then the empty areas in the apartment will look harmonious, and not as a flaw.
Everything new Another reason why the Scandinavian interior can look playful and not really is that everything is new in it as if it had just come from a store. Comfort in the northern apartments is created due to the feeling that several generations of the family lived here. Therefore, do not forget to enter something beautifully aged to the interior: wooden chairs with slightly worn paint, an old chest of drawers, and vintage decor.