39 Scandinavian Bedrooms That Are Effortlessly Chic

Scandinavian bedrooms are calming, uncluttered spaces outfitted with minimal decor and cozy design elements. Characterized by its clean lines, neutral color palettes, natural wood elements, functional layouts, and less-is-more approach, Scandinavian design is the perfect style choice for an oasis-like bedroom.

While Scandinavian design is often associated with a minimalist approach, Scandi-style interiors are not a monolith. Even the most subtle Scandinavian-inspired rooms feature hand-crafted details, varying textures, a balance of old and new elements, and eccentric touches that add character and personality. An ever-evolving interpretation of Scandi style, often mixed with other styles and regional influences, has become popular both in Scandinavia and around the world.

Check out these effortlessly cool and appealingly serene Scandinavian bedroom ideas for inspiration. 

Skip the Headboard

This Scandinavian bedroom from Fantastic Frank takes a less-is-more approach, placing the bed beneath a bank of bay windows with small built-in ledges that sub in for a headboard and nightstands. White walls, wood accents, and a rumpled navy duvet cover that adds a rich note of color complete the serene design that lets the architecture do the talking and doesn't have to try too hard.

Add a Cozy Element

This cozy cottage bedroom from Kate Marker Interiors has Scandi-style influences, with a neutral palette of whites and taupes, painted ceiling beams, an antique armchair covered in burlap, and a working vintage-style wood stove with a pile of wood that adds charm and functionality.

Mix With French Influences

Scandinavian style is one of the most popular interior design trends in France. This Parisian bedroom from Caroline Andréoni Interior Design mixes French and Scandinavian design elements to create a chic and relaxing en suite with graphic details, soft curves and edges, and warm natural wood elements that perfectly complement the elegant bones of the space.

Layer Cool Blues

This Scandinavian bedroom from Fantastic Frank is washed in cool pale shades of silvery blue and gray that creates a chill vibe that invites relaxation. Swapping a formal nightstand for a bentwood chair painted in a similar tone adds a casual nonchalance to the design, while small decor touches like a vase holding a tall plant clipping, and a framed photo over the bed make it feel personal.

Use Sepia Tones

This bedroom designed by Ajai Guyot for Emily Henderson Design is simple and uncluttered, dressed in soft sepia tones of cream, beige, and brown. With rounded pale wood nightstands and brass wall sconces and a pile of soft bed linens and throw pillows, it's a serene space that feels warm and inviting and is built for rest and relaxation.

Highlight Original Features

Preserving and highlighting original features in a room is an easy way to make a space feel lived in and cozy. This snug Stockholm bedroom from Fantastic Frank celebrates the rustic beauty of an original brick wall, adding nothing but the largest size bed that would fit in the small space, dressed with simple linens in shades of white, gray, and blue. A midcentury modern pendant light adds soft light, and a collection of black metal candlesticks on either side of the bed are a romantic alternative to bedside lamps for relaxing in bed after dark.

Create a Gray Cocoon

Limiting your color palette is a simple way to create a soothing bedroom that will help you sleep better at night. Warm gray walls, floor-to-ceiling gray drapes layered with gauzy white curtains, a wall-to-wall dresser to minimize clutter, and bronze globe light sconces make this Scandinavian bedroom from Fantastic Frank feel like a haven of calm.

Add a Bathtub

This white-washed cottage bedroom from Kate Marker Interiors has a Scandinavian feel with its pale palette, vintage elements, and retro-style clawfoot tub with a weathered mint green patina located steps from the bed. The bathtub in the bedroom setup feels like it was imported from another era, giving the room a sense of timelessness and coziness that makes it feel like a private hideaway from the chaos of modern life.

Hang Graphic Wallpaper

Scandinavian design is a versatile style that marries well with other aesthetics. This Paris bedroom from Caroline Andréoni Interior Design has classic French windows, metalwork, and elegant architectural bones. Graphic black-and-white patterned wallpaper, simple black wall sconces, neutral bed linens and drapes, and a woven rattan pendant light add a Scandinavian feel.

Celebrate the Ceiling

The minimal furnishings, extra tall vertical shiplap walls, simple lighting, and neutral palette in this bedroom from Marie Flanigan Interiors allows the soaring vaulted ceilings with their warm natural wood paneling and beams to shine.

Stay Transparent

This Scandinavian apartment bedroom from Fantastic Frank is located off the dining room area, separated by modern black metal and glass grid doors that add an industrial touch while allowing light to flow throughout the space.

Use Coastal Colors

This light and airy bedroom from Desiree Burns Interiors combines a soft coastal palette of whites and blues with natural woven and wood elements to create a fresh Scandi-inspired feel.

Add a Color Accent

This open and minimal bedroom from Cathie Hong Interiors has pale oak floors, white floors, and a vintage-style armchair upholstered in yellow that adds a note of color and energy to the airy Scandi-inspired room.

Float the Bed

This bedroom from Leanne Ford Interiors has Scandi-inspired vibes, with its pale wood floors, white walls, painted shiplap ceiling, gauzy white floor-to-ceiling curtains, industrial pendant light, and cloud-like, all-white bed with built-in nightstands and globe lights floating in the center of the room.

Add Modern Touches

This Scandi-inspired modern bedroom from Jenn Pablo Studio has neutral tones, clean lines, and modern touches like a sculptural armchair and lamp that complement the crisp white bedding and natural color palette.

Don't Skimp on Comfort

This spacious, high-ceilinged first floor guest room from Kate Marker Interiors mixes a Scandi-inspired sensibility with American-style comforts, starting with the king-sized bed and bouclé headboard. Vintage wicker nightstands, a wool rug, a decorative wooden ladder holding extra blankets, and a soft earthy palette makes guests feel comfortable and welcome while remaining minimal enough so they can spread out and make themselves feel at home.

Mix Pink and Gray

This Danish bedroom from Christina Dueholm has a symmetrical layout, simple furnishings, matching wall-mounted reading lights, and a subtle palette of pink and gray that creates a soft minimalist space built for sweet dreams.

Add Some Natural Greenery

This Scandi-inspired California bedroom from Cathie Hong Interiors has a black-and-white palette, clean lines, wood accents, and a tall potted olive tree poised in the corner that adds a soothing natural element.

Add a Bold Pattern

In this cozy, dark-toned Scandinavian bedroom from Fantastic Frank, heavy floor-to-ceiling drapes in a bold green-and-gold floral pattern add an old-world feel that complements the forest green walls and adds contrast to simple bed linens and modern globe lighting.

Choose Black and White

This California bedroom/home office from real estate agent and interior designer Julian Porcino has a minimalist Scandi-style appeal with its black-and-white palette, natural wood furnishings and flooring, and abundance of natural light.

Mix Old and New

Many Scandinavian interiors mix old and new elements to create a sense of timelessness that makes a space feel comfortable and inviting and impervious to trends. This light and airy bedroom from Leanne Ford Interiors has painted white brick walls, vaulted wood ceilings, herringbone patterned wood floors, simple white bedding, statement lighting, and a large antique gilded floor mirror that adds character and a sense of history to the space.

Mix Influences

This Danish bedroom from Christina Dueholm mixes a streamlined Scandi-style sensibility with traditional Moroccan accents like a gray and silver sequined handira wedding blanket at the foot of the bed, and a perforated metal pendant light that creates mesmerizing shadows after dark.

Use Rich Wood tones

While Scandi-style interiors often feature pale wood tones on furniture and flooring, feel free to mix white-washed walls with richer, darker woods like the antique twin bed frames in this picturesque bedroom from Leanne Ford Interiors.

Play With Proportions

This Connecticut farmhouse bedroom from interior designer Kara Mann mixes vintage and antique decor elements and bedding, while a streamlined white canopy bed frame that reaches the ceiling creates a focal point.

Use Simple Finishes

A vintage chic white-washed bedroom from Leanne Ford Interiors celebrates the rustic architecture of this 1906 cabin to create a Scandi-inspired bedroom in gray and white.

Choose an Antique Bed Frame

An antique wood bed frame with a glossy finish adds charm and a sense of history to this airy attic bedroom from Fantastic Frank, while the pale wood paneled slanted ceilings and floaty pendant light keep it feeling fresh and modern.

Mix Patterns

This Scandi-inspired bedroom from Casa Watkins Living has a mix of graphic patterns in shades of black, white, and gray that create interest while retaining a neutral and serene feel.

Incorporate Color in Small Doses

This bedroom from Cathie Hong Interiors is located in a renovated 1956 John Calder Mackay home, and decorated with modern accents like an oval-shaped mirror, a sculptural stool, and notes of color on the wooden wall hooks and vase that give it a modern Scandinavian-inspired appeal.

Use Vintage Bed Linens

This simple, white-washed, uncluttered bedroom from Leanne Ford Interiors includes subtle details that add warmth and character, from the textured wall treatments to the delicate vintage lace coverlet on the bed.

Keep It Tonal

This San Francisco condo renovation from Cathie Hong Interiors was shot through with Scandinavian undertones inspired by the clients' trip to Copenhagen. In the bedroom, a dark and comforting deep tonal palette of greens saturates the space with soothing color while retaining a minimalist feel, while shiny bronze sconces add contrast and a point of light.

Incorporate Natural Materials

This light and airy bedroom from Jessica Nelson Interior Design has white walls, a Moroccan-style rug, and a midcentury modern dresser and rattan and cane headboard that add warmth.

Outfit the Alcove

This light-flooded Scandinavian bedroom from Fantastic Frank leaves the curtains off the windows, adding them to the door frame of the bed alcove instead to create a theatrical element that makes the small space feel grand. Pale blue and white bedding keeps it simple and ethereal.

Add Texture

This Miami bedroom from Calimia Home has an airy, uncluttered feel with pale wood flooring, plenty of natural light, and a palette of soft whites on the walls and textiles. Layering on plenty of cozy textures and subtle patterns in a monochromatic space makes the room feel soft and inviting.

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Layer Patterns

This bedroom from Desiree Burns Interiors has Scandi-style influences that give it a fresh and timeless feel, from the subtle patterned wallpaper to the natural rattan and wood touches and simple pendant lighting.

Double the Effect

This twin bedroom from My 100 Year Old Home has a Scandi-inspired modern farmhouse look with its simple black-and-white palette with touches of pattern on the rug and upholstered benches at the foot of each bed. Painted white shiplap walls and a natural wood ceiling add warmth.

Keep It Open

This spacious, pale neutral-toned bedroom from Calimia Home has all the essentials but leaves plenty of open floor space to create an uncluttered Scandi-style feel that's easy to live with and will stay fresh for years to come.

Embrace Imperfections

Leanne Ford Interiors enhanced the charming bones of this bedroom with white-washed ceiling beams and brick, while layers of floral wallpaper in different patterns and mismatched nightstands give the room a layered look that appears collected over time.

Add Unexpected Details

This Scandinavian-inspired bedroom from Kate Marker Interiors has three walls of windows dressed with woven and linen shades and curtains to regulate the abundance of natural light. The original ceiling details were preserved to highlight the character of the home, and freshened with a coat of warm white paint. A hoofed foot detail on the extra-tall canopy bed is a subtle detail that adds dimension to the seemingly simple design.

Add Warmth With a Leather Headboard

An upholstered leather and wood bed frame and natural woven accents add warmth to this simple Scandinavian-inspired bedroom from Jessica Nelson Interior Design.

What is Scandinavian bedroom style?

Scandinavian bedrooms are relaxing, calming spaces that keep clutter at bay with minimal decor and cozy design elements. Scandinavian bedrooms will often have white walls and wood floors and furniture, but will include plenty of texture, a balance of old and new elements, and eccentric touches that add character and personality.

What makes a room Scandinavian?

Scandinavian design is characterized by its clean lines, neutral color palettes, natural wood elements, functional layouts, and less-is-more approach. Scandinavian-style rooms are generally uncluttered, airy spaces with white or neutral walls, light hardwood floors, simple window treatments to maximize natural light, minimal furniture, and cozy accessories and textures such as knit throw blankets, sheepskin seat covers, candles, and natural elements like dried flowers or plants.

How do you dress a bed in Scandinavian style?

A Scandinavian-style bed is dressed simply. Choose neutral colored sheets in natural materials like sustainable linen. Skip the top sheet and use a duvet inside a duvet cover instead that will make quick work of making the bed. Trade elaborate decorative throw pillow arrangements for a single accent pillow or a cozy wool blanket in a red-and-white pattern instead. 

Read Next: What Is Scandinavian Style?

Read the original article on The Spruce.