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Now the clocks have gone back, winter is well and truly on its way. Although the extra hour’s sleep was nice, the lack of daylight in the coming months is less appealing.

To help us cope, we can rework our home interiors to make the most of the limited light at this time of year. What better place to look than to Scandinavia for ideas and inspiration on how to make our homes more bright and welcoming spaces on these darker days.

So here’s our round-up of five ways to add Scandinavian style to your home this winter:

1. Make the space light and bright

Bright, light spaces help lift the mood during the long, dark winters experienced in Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Scandi interiors always make the most of natural sources of light. So whatever size windows you have, avoid having any heavy window treatments. Get rid of bulky curtains and keep window sills free of any clutter. If you need to cover the window for privacy, try using a light, sheer fabric.

Painting walls in white or pale shades makes your home look brighter and bounces the available light around more. Including glossy and polished surfaces, as well as placing mirrors opposite the window, will also help reflect light.

After dark, adding lamps and candles to a room will bring light but also warmth and a cosy ambience to your home interior at this time of year.

2. Use white and light colours

Using light, natural tones on the wall, floors and major furniture items provide a sense of unity, making rooms look bigger and brighter.

A Scandinavian colour palette often consists of whites, off whites and soft greys. Pastel colours can also work well to add softness to a room.
Using white doesn’t mean avoiding colour altogether - this neutral background is a great base to add in pops of bright colour. Have one bright coloured wall, use bright cushions or other colourful accessories that you can change.

Image credit: http://alissainwonderland.com/2013/09/05/simple-scandinavian-style/

3. Keep things simple and uncluttered

Scandinavian interiors are as open and as uncluttered as possible. Functionality is very important to make spaces usable and organised.

Good storage is key to creating an airy and spacious Scandinavian style interior. Built-in furniture will give your home a more streamlined look.
Similarly, the chosen furniture is normally practical and comfortable, with clean lines.

Get rid of all clutter and only keep on display those items that are nice to look at.

4. Use wood to bring the outdoors in

Despite the cold winters, Scandinavians are keen to get out into the fresh air for their health and wellbeing. Nature is an important feature at the heart of the Scandinavian lifestyle and using wood indoors helps to create a connection to the outdoors.

So wood accents are a major feature in Scandi style interiors, particularly the use of beech, birch, oak or pine. The wood helps add warmth and texture in contrast with white walls.

The treatment of wood is usually minimal, which allows to show its beauty and texture. It’s often left natural or brushed with white or grey pigments for a lime-wash effect.
Introducing plants and greenery into your home is another way to bring nature and the outdoors indoors.

5. Add texture with other natural materials

Alongside wood, introducing other natural materials with the soft furnishings and decorative accessories, help prevent a largely white-washed room from looking too sterile.

Wool items - such as chunky textured blankets and cushions are great additions to Scandinavian style living room. Storage in the form of wicker baskets add a rustic touch - great to store those logs you’ll need for the fire this winter.

Animal hides are another key feature in many Scandi-style homes. Using sheepskins or reindeer hides as chair throws adds natural colour and texture to any interior. You can also place them on the floor as a rug to help insulate. Or use them as a throw over the bed to keep extra toasty on cold nights, even if the temperatures are not quite as arctic as they’ll be in Scandinavia!