If you're looking to bring a cool relaxed modern feel to your room with some Scandinavian decor, Menu furniture, lighting & decor is a great place to start. Menu is a Danish design company that makes gorgeous furniture, lighting, home accessories and decor pieces that are stunning, simple and modern.
In this article, we'll show you how to bring simplicity and style to your home with some of our favorite Menu products.
The Scandinavian design movement originated in the early 20th century and is characterized by simplicity, minimalism, functionality and natural materials.
The Scandinavian style is also known as "less-is-more" decor as it promotes a lifestyle of less clutter and more space. In this style, you will find a lot of furniture made of wood or metal with organic shapes.
Furniture, lighting, and homeware company Menu has a simple mission: to make the world a better place to live in and to make living places more pleasurable to spend time in.
Menu is a Danish company making hundreds of household products that strive to improve our surroundings and make us appreciate them more. Menu collaborates with some of the world's most skilled and imaginative designers to bring their ideas to life.
All of Menu's products, whether furniture, lighting, or accessories, are made to endure for a long time and become cherished pieces for your home.
Let’s look at how to decorate Scandinavian style and how to do it in style with Menu
1. Consider a Neutral Palette with Pops of Color
The Scandinavian style is a minimalistic and functional design style that has been popularized in recent years. It usually includes a neutral color palette with pops of soft or bright colors on furniture, accessories, and other decor pieces.
In order to achieve this look, you will need to invest in some key pieces that anchor the space in neutral colors and create the cool yet comfortable Scandinavian vibe. This can include a neutral colored sofa with bright blue pillows or a white chair with colorful throw pillows. You can also use pops of color on your walls as well as your furniture to bring a modern vibe to a neutral colored room.
The Menu Houkime Rug in Midnight blue (pictured above) is a great example as it pops against contrasting neutral colors in a beautifully styled Scandinavian living room.
2. Keep Things as Simple as Possible by Decluttering
Decluttering is one of the first steps for most people when going for a simple but stylish Scandinavian look. With Scandinavian decor there is always a desire for simplicity and balance.
The Scandinavian decor style is all about less is more. It's about clearing out clutter and unnecessary items from the home, not only to declutter but also to create a space that's inviting, calming and simple.
When choosing simple products for your Scandinavian decor, the material should be natural or made from wood to match the organic feel of Scandinavian design.
The Menu Taylor Lounge Sofa is by Menu ticks all those boxes and more with its sleek, modern, yet inviting presence. The Taylor Sofa’s simple lines give it a modern feel while being softened up with the leather upholstery and warm wood frame. A perfect sofa for a clutter free living room.
3. Select High-Quality Products that Serve a Purpose
Scandinavians love high-quality, functional products that work great for a variety of uses.
Scandinavian fashion is designed to be practical and not overly flashy, but still attractive.
Scandinavians are known for their practicality, modesty, and minimalism. Scandinavian fashion and decor styles are no different. It doesn't have to be flashy or overly adorned with decorations. The style is both easy on the eye and functional.
An example of an aesthetically pleasing product that serves a purpose is the Norm Bottle Grinder from Menu.
The Norm Bottle Grinder deviates from the standard salt and pepper grinder by surprising expectations.
The powerful ceramic mechanism allows the grinder to be easily operated, making it appropriate for everything from grains to salt and pepper and much more in between. Simply open them, fill them with the needed components, and seal them again.
It's as easy as that.
Another example of a Menu product with purpose is the Menu Rail Desk. This is a simple, sleek and modern piece that could have a variety of uses. This desk attached directly to the wall to save a lot of space. Perfect for a desk that might be used part time in a bedroom or living room.
4. The Right Lightning is Essential in Scandinavian Design
With less than 8 hours of sunlight in the winter in Scandinavia, how lighting is used in the design is critical to traditional Scandinavian architecture.
People in the region spend a lot more time indoors during the winter months since daylight is a rare occurrence.
With this in mind, choosing the right lighting options while designing a Scandinavian inspired space is essential. Not just to help create a welcoming and pleasant environment, but also to increase endorphins and to avoid Seasonal affective disorder.
The Menu TR Suspension Frame Light is the epitome of well-executed Scandinavian lighting.
TR Bulb is the first collaboration between Menu and Tim Rundle. It requires no electrical skills to install because it just screws into pendant sockets found in ceilings all around the world.
The opal glass diffuser provides consistent, harmonic light while eliminating glare, and the spherical shape of the dimmable LED bulb conceals the lamp fitting.
The TR Bulb is a solution for modern city life, inspired by how people are increasingly becoming working nomads, moving between cities in pursuit of new experiences and possibilities.
FAQ
What kind of flooring suits Scandinavian decor?
There are many different types of flooring that can be used in a Scandinavian decor. Scandinavians love natural elements and some popular ones include natural stone, hardwood, laminate, linoleum and cork.
Natural stone is a popular choice for Scandinavians because it offers a natural look and feel. It is usually easy to clean and maintain too. However, it is also more expensive than most other types of flooring.
Hardwood floors are another popular choice for Scandinavian decor because they offer warmth and comfort. They are also durable and relatively easy to maintain with the right care products. But they are more expensive than some other types of flooring too.
Laminate is another option that offers affordability without sacrificing on quality or style in most cases. It can be installed easily but it doesn't offer the durability of other options.
Don't forget to cover those beautiful floors with an equally beautiful rug like the Menu Gravel Rug (pictured above)
Why is it important to add nature to Scandinavian decor?
Nature is a powerful element to add to any home. It brings life and beauty into spaces that are often sterile and cold. Scandinavia can often be a cold place, so it’s important to bring nature indoors to create a warm, inviting space when giving your home the Scandinavian look.
The Scandinavian design style has become more popular in recent years, with the rise of Pinterest and Instagram. You'll notice while looking at a beautifully designed Scandinavian room that there is usually a good amount of natural elements like plants and flowers.
Many of us looking for ways to bring this look into our homes in an affordable way. Adding fresh flowers and plants is an easy way to incorporate this style into your home and can ad balance with the more modern and hard edge Scandinavian decor pieces.
Is Scandinavian Design Eco-Friendly?
Scandinavian design is more than just a style. It's also about caring for the environment, sustainability and an eco-conscious way of life.
Designing in a Scandinavian way is to create a comfortable, stylish and inviting space for your home. Comfort + style + environmental friendliness is key to Scandinavian design.
The use of renewable natural materials like sustainably harvested woods, stone, marble (like the menu plinth pictured above), concrete and other eco-friendly materials are at the center of the Scandinavian design philosophy which has been part of the current appeal of the Scandinavian design trend.
Looking for more ideas of how to decorate your home Scandinavian style with Menu? See here for the numerous beautiful products we sell from this brand.
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