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11 Scandinavian New Home Design DIY Ideas

By Katie

Updated: January 3rd, 2024

Danish and Scandinavian interior design isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Here's how to get the Scandi look on a DIY budget.

The desire to redecorate when you move into a new home is something we all feel, however, the truth is that many of us can’t afford to renovate or splash out at the top designer stores.

Whilst you can’t spend big on furniture, by spending money wisely along with a bit of DIY, you can turn your new home into a place to call your home.

Minimalistic Scandinavian (or nordic) interior styling is all the rage right now with neutral, pastels and natural textures bringing a fresh look yet a warm feel to the home. Better yet, it’s super easy to achieve on a tight budget.

Here are 11 Scandinavian new home design DIY ideas:

1. White

A shade of white should be the base for all three surfaces; ceiling, walls and floors in a Scandi home. Painting wooden floors white with a white wash effect looks great and most ceilings are normally white and may just need a touch-up.

If you’re painting dark walls white it will take a few more coats than usual, so perhaps getting an Airtasker to take care of it will help you get onto other things.

Scandinavian-Design-Light-flooring-and-Ekornes-Stressless-chair
Source: FreshHome

2. Natural Materials

With all that white in a room, it’s important to balance it by adding some warmth. This can be done with natural textures such as wood, rugs and fur. To stay within budget, you could either put it towards one key piece or look at what you can put together yourself, for example; make cushions or even a wooden coffee table.

cb0eb84a5b111544a801cb5fa2b42c2c
Source: Pinterest

Pallets

Pallets are a cheap and affordable way to introduce different textures into your space. You can make just about anything with pallets such as a bed, coffee table or even party props.

What else can you do with a simple pallet… Here are 15 Ideas With Pallet Furniture.

pallet-bed-diy-2
Source: 101palletideas

3. Cork

Cork is the up and rising superstar in home design. It goes way beyond wine bottle stoppers and boring noticeboards. Below are just a couple of DIY ideas that you can easily make.

Coasters

diy-corkboard-coasters1
Source: Craft By Photo

Wall art

diy-pac-man-cork-board
Source: Picsora

Kids room

cork-tiles-wall
Source: Tile Design And Ideas

4. Pastels

Pick a pastel colour, any colour, actually why not pick a few to mix and match. You can pick up statement plates, cushions or paint some of your furniture. Did I mention that pastels are suitable in summer and winter? That means no different colour pallets with the change in season, which saves you money.

e5ec7a12167b65a951349428c52f0c5f
Source: Nordic Days
8-Paint-Dipped
Source: House and Hold
woodspoons41
Source: DigitalSherpa

5. Minimalise

One thing that all Scandi inspired homes have is minimalism. To declutter your space, a good rule of thumb is that for every 5 items you add, take away three (just don’t forget the receipts). And always remember that clean lines are a key pillar to achieve the look. Here are a couple of photos showcasing Scandinavian new home design ideas:

image_title_vl5oe
Source: Hometone
min7
Source: My Scandinavian Home

6. Decorate

With leftover paint, you can change any simple piece of IKEA furniture into an eye-catching centrepiece.

Dip-dyed baskets

Take weaved baskets and dip them in a tub of paint – it can be any colour that takes your fancy.

dipdye13
Source: Real Home Love

Geometric printed furniture

Using stencils (or tape) you can bring a side table or dresser to life.

p2woodbox
Source: tipsaholic
Hitta hem D I Y Lisa 7
Source: Hitta Hem

7. Lighting

In Scandi design, rooms are designed to capture as much natural light as possible. That’s why white is used everywhere to reflect light around the room. However, lamps and lights are a necessity and there are some beautiful minimalistic ones to choose from as seen below.

bupphouse71
Source: Homeditor
Scandinavian-design
Source: Fresh Home

But big beautiful lights can cost a lot. So have a look around for something a little cheaper and then consider changing the lamp shade and consider adding a filament globe.

cat-bulbs-large-770x300
Source: Glasgow Guild
chevron lamp shade
Source: Juneberry Lane

8. Go Green

Adding greenery to your kitchen, living room, bathroom and just about anywhere whether it’s in a pot or hanging from the ceiling, is a lovely way to add life to your home.

You can use old wooden boxes, old pots, make your own terrarium or plant/moss ball.

9. Marble

It sounds expensive but you can cheat with contact paper… Yes, the same contact paper that you used on your school books.

All you need to do is carefully lay it so you don’t get any bubbles.

ikea-lack-refresh-with-marble-contact-paper
Source: Amy Krist
Marble-contact-paper-coffee-table-DIY-project
Source: Decoist

10. Shelves

You can use a bracket shelf and paint the brackets (or turn upside down). If you’re a woodwork master you can make some shelves out of wood offcuts, but if you need a hand hire an Airtasker handyman to get the job done.

k_kristian-vedel-shelves-2 (1)
Source: Martin Glenz
tumblr_na4a2qWBKv1thhuido1_1280
Source: Tumblr

11. Fireplace

OK I admit, a DIY fireplace isn’t really all that easy to do if you don’t have an existing one that you can makeover. However here are some ideas to make your fireplace fit into the Scandinavian styling.

diy-stacked-wood-fireplace-mantel-1
Source: Shelterness
nordic-bliss-scandinavian-style-swedish-apartment-living-room-fire-place
Source: Nordic Bliss
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katie

I've loved interior design for as long as I can remember and I'm currently about to renovate my first home. So as well as being the Content Lead at Airtasker, I'm also on the lookout for the latest design trends, backyard ideas and anything to do around the home. I'm also trying to use low-tox cleaning methods and work towards being more plastic-free!

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Comments

  1. Koh K.

    My studio apartment is exactly in that style, but unfortunately in Australia it is very hard to find the right floor board (it took 6 months for me to find white ash) or furniture in those color schemes. Even at IKEA, I see unpopularity of white oak furniture and they have low stock level or that color cannot be available. Simply the people don’t follow the refined interiors. Patient is required to achieve that. One more shop to recommend is Nordic Fusion.