11 Scandinavian New Home Design DIY Ideas

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.

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.

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.

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

Wall art

Kids room

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.

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:

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.

Geometric printed furniture

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.