How To Design A Scandinavian Inspired Living Room
Looking to design and style a living room in the Scandinavian aesthetic? You’ve come to the right place.
At Batten Home, we’re all about authentic Scandinavian design. Today, we’ll guide you through each and every step to design the Scandinavian living room of your dreams that combines function, durability, and aesthetics.
Start with a cozy couch
“The Rest Sofa brings a warm and inviting appearance to modern spaces through its deep comfort and friendly lines,” explains design duo Anderssen & Voll, who collaborated with Scandinavian design brand MUUTO on this classic Scandinvian style sofa. “With its ultra-soft cushioning and subtle details of its folded armrest and modern outline, the design brings new perspectives to the modern Scandinavian sofa for spending a whole day in.”
The minimal Oslo Sofa is another design from MUUTO, also in collaboration with Anderssen & Voll. Crafted on the west cost of Norway, the Oslo Sofa has a true Nordic touch!
“We wanted to make a sofa series with a light and inviting appearance, without compromising on comfort,” the duo explains. “The horizontal division in the seat is important, as it allowed us to add extra comfort in the lower part of the furniture while maintaining an airy overall expression.”
The popularity of the Oslo and Rest inspired MUUTO to collaborate with Anderssen & Voll again for another sofa design.
“With the Outline Sofa, we wanted to create a visually light and elegant design with lots of comfort, translating aspects of modern architecture into the design through juxtaposing elements,” explains the Norwegian design duo. “Outline is created with slim proportions for a simple and elegant look, complemented by its generous seat and slender legs. There’s a calm serenity about the Outline Sofa, having a soft and deep seat with clean lines and a strong architectural presence, brought forth by its overlapping forms that bring a refined touch to the expression of the design.”
The Connect Sofa is one of the newest sofa series from MUUTO in collaboration with Scandinavian design duo Anderssen & Voll.
Here’s what they say about the design:
“The Connect Soft Modular Sofa is a seating system, rooted in the idea of uncovering the perfect proportional connections between the different components within a sofa. Designed with a deep, low seat, loose upholstery and an inherently soft filling, the Connect Soft Modular Sofa is at once elegant and contemporary—a sentiment that is echoed through its small feet underneath for a hovering expression while its box stitching infuse it with a modern touch. The design adds a geometric and elegant perspective to the archetypal modular sofa, paired with an ultra-soft comfort for hours of lounging.”
For a modern approach rooted in Scandinavian design ethos, turn to Kristina Dam’s stunning Modernist Sofa. We love the contrast of the beige bouclé (or grey wool) with the stainless steel frame, softened further by the organic curves that make up the sofa’s silhouette. We love how its modern yet warm and neutral, making it a design that withstands trends and is durable enough to last for years to come.
Add accent seating
Upholstered Scandinavian Lounge Chairs
Scandinavian design values comfort, and the Doze Lounge Chair perfectly embraces comfort while preserving aesthetics. “The visual references of the Doze Lounge Chair are derived from the modern and clear lines of the Golden Age in Danish design, while at the same time being informed by some of our favorite designs of the 1970’s,” explains Anderssen & Voll. “To us, the characteristically large and sheltering back that embraces the soft seat creates a combination of the Scandinavian design ethos and the lines of 1970’s objects in a way that we find truly refreshing.”
The Oslo Lounge Chair takes all of the thoughtful attributes of the Oslo Sofa and fits it into a roomy and comfortable lounge chair. It’s minimal enough to pair with just about any sofa, while also looking nice when paired with the Oslo Sofa.
Complete the Modernist look with Kristina Dam’s Modernist Lounge Chair. We love the idea of pairing it with a leather couch like the Outline Sofa to mix up the textures.
Normann Copenhagen’s Hyg Lounge Chair is inspired by the Danish concept of hygge. “The moments where we sit down together, immerse ourselves in conversation and share a meal – for me this is where the feeling of hygge really peaks,” explains designer Simon Legald. “Thus, it seemed only natural that the Hyg range should also provide the setting for moments like these.”
Solid Wood Scandinavian Lounge Chairs
A solid wood lounge chair adds warmth, while thoughtful design ensures comfort. “The Cover Lounge Chair came from a desire to create a comfortable lounging design in wood that was at once modern and timeless whilst deeply rooted in the traditions of Scandinavian craftsmanship,” explains Copenhagen-based designer Thomas Bentzen. “Shaping its backrest, seat and armrest covers in a form-pressed veneer made for a crisp and contemporary expression, paired with the elegant sentiments of its base in solid wood. The Cover Lounge Chair has a large, embracing seat while taking up little space in the room, joined by a refined yet durable appearance.”
“The idea for the Visu Lounge Chair was to create an elegantly simple interpretation of the archetypal plywood chair,” shares celebrated Finnish designer Mika Tolvanen. “I wanted for the design to have a subdued and timeless character that would add feelings of modern familiarity to any room together with a comfortable seat in form-pressed veneer. Visu Lounge Chair is designed with elegant curves and grand comfort for a new perspective on the traditional wooden chair, echoing the ideas of Scandinavian design together with a modern expression."
Danish design brand Form and Refine equally values aesthetics, function, and materials. The Origin Lounge Chair is the perfect representation of their fresh interpretations of Danish design. This special statement chair is made with a very rare ash wood sourced from the Damsbo forest in Denmark.
Choose a properly sized coffee table
Ferm Living takes a completely different approach to rounded coffee table design with the Insert Coffee Table. A usable work of art, the Insert Coffee Table plays with geometry through its oval top and heavy cylindrical base. Both the natural Ash and black-stained Ash options are a durable, functional, and beautiful addition to any Scandinavian-style living room.
If you appreciate Japanese minimalism and want a way to bring it into a Scandinavian living room, then the Solid Coffee Table is an ideal option. Lars Beller Fjetland based the design on Torii, a 1,000+ year-old Japanese structure that served as the entrance to Shinto temples.
“My basic philosophy as a designer is to design furniture that achieves a sense of both timelessness and durability,” says Fjetland. “With its simple appearance, clean lines and natural materials, Solid is a good example of a product that I think and hope will last for generations."
The XL Around Coffee Table is distinctive thanks to its wooden veneer that runs along the edge of the table. We love this extra large table in spacious living rooms. The Large Around Coffee Table may be a better fit for an apartment living room, while the Small can serve as a compact coffee table or an accent table.
A graduate from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Cecile Manz has been with the MUUTO family from the very beginning, bringing new perspectives to Scandinavian furniture, lighting, glass, and ceramics. Here’s a glimpse at the Workshop Coffee Table in her own words:
“The Workshop Coffee Table s a design that is pared down to the essence. Deliberately simple in its expression, the table has an almost archetypical appearance that comes from a wish to make as little noise as possible—the details and joints are doing all the talking."
For an engaging piece of furniture that sparks conversation, the Turning Coffee Table invites you to turn the top to access hidden storage! We love the stark look of the black Ash veneer tabletop complemented by the brass elements in the base.
Function, aesthetics, and a sprinkle of playfulness come together with Normann Copenhagen’s Tablo Table. Assembling this table is just as simple as its pure and minimalistic appearance. “For me, it is paramount that function, materials and aesthetics all come together. The design needs to both be useful and solve a basic need - without compromising the visual expression,” remarks designer Nicholai Wiig Hansen. “Being easy to assemble is therefore part of Tablo's function.”
Whether playing host to drinks or home to the remote control or of-the-moment reads, the versatile design of the Large Passage Lounge Table brings a feeling of soft serenity to spaces thanks to its calming round shape and traditional Danish cabinetmaking touches. One of its best features can’t be seen in the photo: the table arrives as a flatpack, simple self-assembly kit that leaves a smaller footprint. There is a smaller size that invites you to blend the tables into a nest-like formation. Contrast the natural and dark laquered oak for a dimensional look.
The Low Plinth Marble Table is part of an entire series of Plinth tables from MENU and designed by Norm Architects, with this particular table being an incredible sculptural statement while remaining a functional coffee table that you’ll love and use every single day.
Haven’t found the perfect coffee table yet? Discover more options here.
Bring in one or two side tables
The Turn Table is one small table that reaches new heights––literally. The name Turn refers to the rotational movement used to adjust the height of its round tabletop, gently raising it up from its bell-shaped steel base. Beyond acting as a visual ballast to the light tabletop, the distinctive base also serves as a stabilizing center of gravity and reflects the way in which Turn has been clearly designed around its function. Adjust the table to your surroundings and enjoy the lovely neutral color options: grey, black, and white.
Kristina Dam’s Curved Side Table is a sculptural side table that complements any living space. With black, beige, and stainless steel finishes, use the curves of the legs to store items, or leave it open for an airy look.
The Insert Side Table is the epitome of functional art for the modern home. It uniquely brings a different form depending on the angle in which you view it. We love the natural ash wood! Pair it with the matching coffee table for a complete sculptural set.
The Androgyne Side Table was Copenhagen-based Norwegian architect and designer Danielle Siggerud. Siggerud explored androgyny in furniture design by contrasting a strong and masculine laser-cut steel base with a femine refined marble top.
MUUTO partnered with Toronto-based MSDS Studio to introduce an artful side table made with an acrylic stone composite.
“The Halves Side Table is youthful and informal in its aesthetics, but represents more traditional values of durability and practicality simultaneously,” says MSDS Studio. “We were inspired by the unique properties of the solid surface material which led to the specific exploration of form with an emphasis on planes and intersections. We further wanted to pursue a form that was practical, yet somewhat abstract, and therefore played with asymmetry: Halves presents different aspects of itself over time, depending on the position of the observer.”
Did you notice how the Level Side Table has a frame made from a single continual line? We love its solitary geometric form that offers two surface levels for storage or display.
Looking for something softer? Here’s a subtle table option for you.
“I wanted to create something that was subtle yet characterful with the Soft Side Table, making a world of softened surfaces and understated functionalities come together into one,” says Jens Fager, described by MUUTO as one of Sweden’s most interesting designers. “Referencing the archetypal center table, the Soft Side Table has a quiet presence that allows for it to complement any atmosphere while echoing a modern elegance through its refined lines and slender form.“
The Building Table comes in two sizes and shapes, inviting you to build your own creation by styling them together or apart. Similar to building blocks, each table embraces a box-like form. Style one on each side of a couch, or together––the choice is yours!
Made with 100% Bianco Curia marble, the Mineral Sculptural Table is truly a sight to behold. This statement piece contrasts beautifully polished surfaces with hand-chipped rough edges.
The neutral Arch Table from Kristina Dam is such a modern and timeless side table. Made from powder-coated steel, it’s easy to care for, so you can keep styling it in different ways throughout your home from one season to the next, for years to come. The cool tobacco color is neutral enough to work in a variety of spaces––use it as an accent table to showcase artwork, as a side table next to a cushy sofa, or as a gorgeously minimal bedside table.
Find a neutral + durable area rug
Rugs add warmth to your space and can also serve as a way to visually divide large open spaces. We tend to lean towards neutral rugs made with durable materials to ensure longevity.
The Crease Wool Rug from Ferm Living is made from 100% New Zealand wool. The pattern is an ode to the clean lines of modern architecture, while the asymmetrical fringe adds a touch of interest.
The Ply Rug from MUUTO is also made from 100% New Zealand wool and woven by hand. “With its broken twill structure that enhances the vibrant and almost three-dimensional pattern of the design, Ply Rug is at once modern and timeless,” says textile designer Margrethe Odgaard. “Ply Rug comes with tassel finishes that subtly hint towards traditional craftsmanship, echoing the new perspectives on Scandinavian design.”
For the Pebble Rug, textiles designer Odgaard chose to work with jute. "Pebble Rug is inspired by the sensuous feeling of a pebbled beach with its diverse and tactile surface, inviting you to take off your shoes and walk across it barefooted,” she says. “Pebble Rug brings a new perspective to any space through its woolen loops, popping up from the ground like sprouts in a bed of moss, joined by the distinct woven texture of its surface."
Make it cozy with soft accent lighting
Verner Panton designed the Panthella Floor Lamp and Panthella Table Lamp in 1971. Years later, the Panthella Lamps remain one of his most popular designs. The organic shapes are typical of Panton’s designs. His intention was to create a light fixture where both the foot and shade served as a reflector. We love the fluid look of each Panthella piece for a living room lighting option.
Stockholm-based Whatswhat took a classic Scandinavian + silhouette and added a playful touch with the Pull Floor Lamp. “It brings a new perspective to the traditional floor light through its playful personality and warm, Scandinavian materials,” they explain. “With its partially hidden cord connecting the elements of the design and allowing for adjusting of its shade, the Pull Floor Lamp can be tweaked to the mood and needs of any space, enhancing the expression of the design as well as the ambience of the room.”
American-born and Rotterdam-based Earnest Studio embraced flexibility and freedom with the Post Floor Lamp.
“The Post Floor Lamp came from the idea of exploring the flexibility of the magnetic joint, giving the user the freedom to position and dim the lamp’s light units according to individual needs,” explains Earnest Studio. “Designed with a sculptural expression, simple lines and a refined finish, the Post Floor Lamp represents a new perspective through its graphic character and forward-thinking functionality. Configure up to three lighting units on the Post Floor Lamp for an elegant ambient or task light." (also available: the Post Wall Lamp)
Originally introduced in 1962 by FLOS lighting, the Arco Floor Lamp has been in production ever since, featured in numerous movies and TV shows thanks to its impressive silhouette. The base is made with a beautiful Carrera marble with beveled corners to soften its edges. The hole makes it manageable to move the fixture when you want to clean or rearrange your space.
Are you limited for lighting due to poorly placed outlets? Try the Porta Table Lamp, a portable and rechargeable lamp ready to be styled on shelving systems, sideboards, side tables, or a mantel.
Finishing touches: decor objects, cushions, throws, and aromatics
Cushions + Throws
Cozy cushions and throw blankets are a must! Here are a few of our favorites
Calm Cushion by Ferm Living
Architecture Cushions by Kristina Dam Studio
Crease Wool Cushions by Ferm Living
Loop Cushion in Mount by Ferm Living
(For a neutral option: Kelim Cushion with Black Triangles)
Architecture Throw by Kristina Dam Studio
Gradient Throw by Kristina Dam Studio
Decor Objects
No room is complete without a few thoughtfully designed decor objects. Discover 29 neutral home decor ideas here.
Aromatics
Aromatics add warmth and comfort in a way that awakens the senses. Explore our aromatics collection, including incense holders, incense, and carefully crafted candles with unique scents.
Ready to start designing righ away? Shop our Quickship collection.
More Like This: Discover Scandinavian design living room furniture that you’ll enjoy for years to come
Batten Home carefully curates Scandinavian furniture designs and minimalist decor objects for the modern home. We are inspired by a Scandinavian aesthetic and Danish design philosophies with a new modern design feel we like to call new Nordic design.
Have any questions for us? We’re family-owned and independently operated, and we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line at hello@battenhome.co or find more inspiration on Pinterest.