Scandinavian Christmas decorating can create a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere in your holiday home. We all have some typical style for decorating our homes for Christmas each year, but why not try something totally new this holiday season? In the past, we have featured Scandinavian-style Christmas homes such as Beautiful Scandinavian Christmas home, Beautiful Norway home with Scandinavian interiors and School house converted into fabulous family home, where you can find some additional inspiration. We have gathered together for you a vast collection of an assortment of Scandinavian-inspired holiday interiors that will help you emulate your own Nordic Christmas.
For a classic holiday with a fresh twist, go Scandinavian with homespun touches in red, white, and wheat. Create a pleasing mix of creams, whites, silver, gold, and reds, offering a clean approach to holiday decorating. It feels fresh, yet comfortable in a way that simply modern style can struggle with.
Scandinavia is comprised of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (and usually Finland and Iceland) and thus has a wonderful European flair intertwined with deep-rooted history. There is a definite focus on nature and the use of greenery, candlelight, and handmade treasures.
Where it differs from homespun decorating is, again, the use of light colors and keeping accessories to a minimum. Simplicity is the key to carrying off a true Scandinavian decor scheme, nothing too flashy or glitzy.
Tell Us: Which one of these ideas do you find most inspiring? Let us know in the Comments below!
Deck the table with sprigs of green. Looking for super simple table decoration ideas? Try this: Snip branch tips from your Christmas tree (or use rosemary branches) and place one in a clear glass votive at each place. Sprinkle a handful of small vintage ornaments in silver and gold randomly down the center of the table, and ground the arrangement with a few tall candles.
Decorate a mini Christmas tree. When you put up the big tree, snip off a piece of branch (from a place that won’t be noticeable) and place it in water to create a pint-size Christmas tree for the tabletop. It could be placed in the guest room to welcome holiday visitors.
Recycled Cardboard Reindeer. Create this playful reindeer project with a couple of corrugated cardboard boxes and a handy template found here. Materials needed: cardboard boxes, scissors, pencil, craft knife, glue, large red pom pom (or just paint it red), and a black marker pen.
- Step 1 Enlarge the reindeer head, and antlers, print, and cut out.
- Step 2 Flatten your cardboard box, and place the templates on top. Trace out the patterns onto the cardboard. Cut out two heads, a large antler, and the smaller antler pieces.
- Step 3 Cut slits in all the pieces as shown on the templates. Apply glue to the slits in the large antler and slot the smaller pieces in place. When dry, attach the antlers to the two reindeer head pieces.
- Step 4 Use a black marker pen to draw an eye on each head piece. Glue the heads together at the nose and affix a red pom pom with glue (or red paint).
- Step 5Mount the reindeer head securely on the wall or the back of a door with picture hanging strips.
- Step 6 Add a wreath around the neck of the reindeer’s head and a collar with a jingle bell on it.
Make a scrap-wood Advent calendar. Feeling crafty? Try creating a Nordic-style tree out of small wood scraps. It would look beautiful on its own, either painted or left bare, but you can also attach small packages to turn it into an Advent calendar.
Embellish branches. Another way to bring in a touch of the woods is with an armful of bare branches. Simply plunk them in a nice big vase (no water needed) and attach ornaments, holiday cards, or any embellishments you wish.
Dress the table in red and white. If you already have a set of basic white dishes and table linens, all you need to re-create this look are a few red accents. If you use items that are not too holiday-specific, you can reuse most of the items throughout the year.
Hang delicate window wreaths. Welcome visitors in from the cold with candlelight and simple green wreaths hung from each window. You can create these quite easily using wreath forms from a local crafts supply shop and greenery snipped from the trees outside.
Set the scene with a smorgasbord of cool, crisp trimmings — from store-bought straw stars to mock “cross-stitched” ornaments (get the how-tos). Completing the look: a tree skirt of sheepskin and gifts in solid-hued paper.
A row of sweater stockings — stitched up quickly from secondhand cable knits — are ready to be stuffed with presents, while silver glass holders glow on the mantel (for safety, use LED candles). Store-bought and homemade wheat wreaths are staggered on the wall above. To make these clever stockings, use old sweaters from your basem*nt or a consignment shop.
Plant paperwhites. Any sort of blooming flowers are most welcome in winter, and the delicate white blooms of paperwhites look especially fitting alongside natural holiday decor. Cluster pots are full of blooming bulbs in the center of the dining table or along a buffet or entry table. Just be aware that paperwhites have a strong fragrance once in full bloom, so if you are sensitive to flower fragrances, you might want to choose a different plant.
To make this no-fuss natural centerpiece, loosely cinch craft-store wheat stalks with red and white ribbon. Place faux snow inside clear glass vases and nestle stalks on top. Surround with almonds in the shell and evergreen cuttings for easy organic elegance.
Use twinkle lights liberally. Don’t limit yourself to the tree — white Christmas lights (with white cords) can be draped on shelves and mantels, coiled inside glass vessels or wooden birdcages, or hung vertically in the corner of a room. Covered twinkle lights make lovely accents, too, so keep an eye out for interesting versions.
Bring in the woods with potted tree cuttings. Cluster a group of vintage containers and fill them with fresh tree cuttings for a display that will last for months when cared for properly.
Throw a Scandinavian-inspired holiday fete. Are you looking for something different to spice up your holiday party this year? Get inspired by Scandinavian traditions and serve spiced cookies along with warm glogg instead of eggnog, or light real candles on the tree — just be sure to use a fresh tree and have someone standing by to douse flames if need be!
When in doubt, add a sheepskin. Whether you choose faux or the real deal, sheepskins are incredibly effective at cozifying any space. Place one where you can sink your toes into it upon waking in the morning, drape one over your sofa, or place one at every seat around the dining table. Just looking at them will make you feel warmer.
Stick with a simple palette. Much of the appeal of the Scandinavian approach to decorating comes from the pared-down, neutral palette. Putty gray, natural wood, and white plus a metallic hue create a peaceful mood; red, white, and wood are cheery and fun.
Decorate with cut wood. Wood in all its forms is an essential element of Scandinavian decorating at all times of the year, and even more so during winter. f you have a working fireplace or woodstove, you can make an attractive and useful display with the logs you plan to use, such as placing them in a large basket.
Make an ice wreath. This unique Scandinavian tradition would be the perfect project for a snowy day, and it would look splendid outside at a holiday party. Just fill a container with water, then place a second smaller container inside it. Use a few rocks in the smaller container to displace water until the top is roughly at water level, then gently arrange leaves, berries, and acorns in the water below. Set the containers outdoors to freeze overnight, then unmold them.
Photo Sources: 1. Founterior, 2. ACHICA, 3. Ikea, 4. Fresh Interior Ideas, 5. Decorators Notebook, 6. Pinterest, 7.Flash Decor, 8.Pinterest, 9. Founterior, 10. Good Housekeeping, 11. Founterior, 12. Lantliv, 13. An-Magritt Moen, 14. Lantliv, 15. Pinterest, 16. -17. Flash Decor, 18. Good Housekeeping, 19. Lantliv, 20. Flash Decor, 21. Lantliv, 22. Good Housekeeping, 23. Flash Decor, 24. The Contemporary Home, 25. Pinterest, 26. Highland Homes, 27. Good Housekeeping, 28. Not on the High Street, 29. Retreat Home, 30.Petra Boase, 31.Founterior, 32.The Relaxed Home, 33. Furnish Burnish, 34. Pinterest, 35. Lantliv, 36. An-Magritt Moen, 37. The Relaxed Home, 38. – 39. Founterior, 40. Home&Cottage, 41. Lantliv, 42. Nina Holst for Stylizimo Blog, 43. The Contemporary Home, 44. The Relaxed Home, 45. Founterior, 46. -47. House to Home, 48. The Relaxed Home, 49. House to Home, 50. Flash Decor, 51. Vita Ranunkler, 52. Lantliv, 53. Pinterest, 54. Home&Cottage, 55. Pinterest, 56. The Relaxed Home, 57. House to Home, 58. Flash Decor, 59. Pinterest, 60. Vita Ranunkler, 61. Tine Kjeldsen, 62. Flash Decor, 63. Vita Ranunkler, 64. Lantliv, 65. Pinterest, 66. Vita Ranunkler, 67. The Relaxed Home, 68. Pinterest, 69. Vita Ranunkler, 70. Lantliv, 71. My Scandinavian Home, 72. Songbird Blog, 73. Pinterest
