The hallway is the first impression of the apartment as a whole. And every home owner wants it to be cozy, bright, stylish and comfortable. Nordic style fits this description perfectly. It will add a touch of grace and inspiration to the hallway. It will make the space cozy and spacious, which is especially important for this functional area.
Distinctive features of the Scandinavian style
Scandinavian style is a trend that came to us from the north. And in this climate zone there is a clear lack of light and heat from the sun. These factors have created a need among people for spacious and bright interiors. Let's highlight the main features.
- Lots of free space. This means that it is unacceptable to overload the interior with details and numerous decorations. Furniture also applies to this rule. It should be compact and functional. Simplicity and conciseness are the motto of the Scandinavian style.
- White is the basis of the color scheme. It's no secret that light shades expand the space and make it airy. That is why white is the main color. Additional shades include muted and pastel shades of pure, bright colors.
- Natural materials. They bring comfort and warmth to a cold northern interior. Solid wood furniture, natural stone wall decoration or a leather pouf are what you need for this style.
- Furniture. In order for the furniture to fit into the Scandinavian style, it is made of natural wood. Or they imitate a light wood structure using artificial materials.
Furniture for the entrance area
Since the Nordic style is distinguished by simplicity and naturalness, wooden furniture is installed in the interior of the corridor, which is compact in size and at the same time solid in appearance. The presence of rough designs without unnecessary pompous decor is welcome. You can place open shelving and shelves in the room, and also decorate the room with a bench or stool.
The photo shows the design of a Scandinavian hallway with a corner hanger with open shelves.
A spacious Swedish-style corridor is equipped with a functional hanger or dressing room. Sometimes the furnishings are complemented with armchairs, a sofa, a cabinet, a chest of drawers and a console and a coffee table made of natural solid wood.
Scandinavian style color palette
Scandinavian interior is a light palette of colors and shades. The basis is white or its numerous shades, which makes up 70% of the interior. The second mandatory element is the wood structure, also in light colors, accounting for 20%. The remaining 10% is given to bright color, which sets the dynamics and mood of the hallway. By bright we mean muted pastel shades of bright colors. Remember that pure and acidic colors have no place in a Scandinavian interior.
Scandi hallway in shades of gray
Gray is a noble, strict and calm color. It has many shades. But for a Scandinavian-style hallway it is better to choose a light smoky gray. This shade goes well with wood texture. Successfully emphasizes white furniture against its background.
You will get a visual expansion of the space by making one wall gray and the rest white. And in order to visually make the ceiling higher, use a trick - the lower part of the walls is painted gray, and the upper part is left white. This option is also very practical. After all, the dirt in the hallway will not be noticeable on the gray surface.
Well, in order to make the hallway more lively and cozy, place accents. A patchwork rug or a painting with a geometric pattern that runs like a red thread through the entire interior. Photos in colored frames, vases with flowers, figurines and candlesticks - with the help of these cute little things you will diversify the monochrome of the hallway.
Finishes and materials
To finish the floor in the corridor, exclusively wooden covering in the form of boards is used. They are coated with varnish or white paint. The floor can also be laid with ceramic tiles or laminate with imitation of light wood.
In a Scandinavian-style interior, the surface of the walls is painted, plain wallpaper or canvases with discreet prints are used. The finishing is done in white, milky, cream and other light shades. If there are brick walls in the hallway, they can be partially left in their raw and original form. This design solution will create an original accent in the corridor.
The photo shows the decoration of the corridor in the interior of an apartment in the Scandinavian loft style.
It would be appropriate to paint or whitewash the ceiling. A less labor-intensive method that does not require leveling and additional surface preparation is a stretch ceiling with a matte texture.
Scandi hallway in black tones
Of course, black cannot be made muted, as is necessary for this style. But it still looks interesting in its juicy, absorbing form. At the same time, it completely fits into the Scandinavian style. It is important to stop here in time. Distribute black accents in the interior in very measured doses on photo frames or an entrance rug. It could even be furniture handles. Such a bright contrast will add freshness and novelty to the Scandinavian style.
A very bold idea in this direction is a black floor. In combination with smoky gray and white, it will perfectly refresh and set the dynamics of the entire hallway interior.
Scandinavian style hallway furniture
Simplicity and conciseness - we have already sorted this out. But let's take a closer look at this nuance. Furniture in wood decors with thin legs is what you need for this style. It is important to pay attention to the fact that there should be a minimum of furniture. Only the essentials - a hanger, pouf or chair, open shelving, shelves, table. No pomp. Furniture made without grace, in a rough design is what is needed.
It happens that the hallway is the only area where it is possible to put a closet or organize storage of things. In this case, it is better to make a built-in wardrobe with mirrored doors. The mirror will visually expand the space and will not confuse the Scandinavian style with its appearance. In this case, the mirror will only help in additional perception of the interior.
Arrangement of the hallway
There are no specific rules for arranging furniture in the Scandinavian style. The main condition is that the location of all objects should be convenient for humans and not disturb the lighting.
Furniture
The main feature of Scandinavian-style furniture is its laconic appearance and functionality. The hallway is not cluttered with furniture - space is saved as much as possible.
The hallway is not cluttered with furniture - space is saved as much as possible
Furniture should not be massive, carved, pompous or deliberately expensive. A combination of wood and glass is welcome, and plastic is not excluded. Scandinavian furniture is easy to assemble and disassemble; the simple frame is filled with a large number of shelves, drawers and other useful sections.
In a small studio apartment they get by with the bare minimum. These are coat hooks on the wall and a chair.
Things hung on the wall best reflect the idea of style - saving space. Wooden panels with hooks can be combined with a small cabinet for shoes, drawers for accessories and complemented by hanging shelves on the wall.
Tall cabinets from floor to ceiling are rarely installed, only when necessary.
Choose built-in wardrobes, preferably compartments with sliding doors made of very light materials with a mirrored facade. The interior is completed with a floor hanger and a chair.
Often in a Scandinavian hallway, furniture is arranged in separate and small modules. Chests of drawers, shoe racks, wall shelves and hangers are placed separately. Each piece of furniture is in a place convenient for use.
Chests of drawers and shelves with legs give the hallway more airiness and better suit the Scandinavian style. Open shelving and wall shelves are complemented by straw storage boxes.
There must be a mirror in the hallway.
In a spacious room, a floor mirror with a laconic wooden or metal frame, leaning against the wall, looks good. In small rooms, the mirror is hung on the wall or combined with furniture.
There are chairs and benches in the hallway. In a spacious room, ergonomic chairs are appropriate, and when combined with another area, sofas.
There must be a mirror in the hallway
Lighting
The goal of Scandinavian style is to have as much light as possible.
Chandeliers and wall sconces made of light glass and metal are popular. Lamps with a dark shade contrasting with the walls look original. LED and spot lamps on the ceiling and walls are in harmony with the style. To enhance the lighting, table lamps are placed on the chests of drawers.
Lamps stylized as an “Addison lamp” are actively used.
In a Scandinavian hallway, lamps with shades made of bright glass, or elaborate and gilded forged items are not appropriate.
The location of lighting fixtures for each hallway is individual. Depends on the arrangement of furniture and room parameters. When decorating in a Scandinavian style, it is important to ensure that light penetrates into all corners of the room.
Decor
Scandinavian style does not tolerate unnecessary things and useless accessories. Each decorative element is filled with meaning and plays a functional role.
Glass vases refract and reflect light. If you put aromatic pine needles and wood shavings in them, you get a natural flavor. Glass candlesticks are placed for the same purpose.
A decorative element can be a small warm rug with a bright and eye-catching pattern, or a light flowerpot with a green and unpretentious plant. Often a bright umbrella or hat is hung from a hook as an accent. Table lamps, metal, ceramic and straw products are placed on chests of drawers.
A decorative element can be a small warm rug with a bright and eye-catching pattern
The walls are decorated with paintings in laconic frames. The drawings of the paintings are often done in black and white, less often with small bright inserts. These are images of plants, animals, natural phenomena and abstractions. Posters and photographs are welcome.
Pillows and blankets are laid out in small quantities. They can be muted shades or play the role of a bright accent. A blanket imitating animal fur is laid on the benches.
Light and decorative elements
Although the Scandinavian style is characterized by simplicity and a minimum of details, you still do not have to give up your favorite trinkets. The ultimate goal of the interior is coziness and comfort. Just don’t fill all the free space with accessories and small parts.
Decorative elements will be small pillows on the bench, colored (muted) photo frames, a rug at the entrance with a bright print of a geometric pattern, and ceramic figurines. A vase with bright flowers will also fit harmoniously into a Scandinavian interior.
Lighting in the hallway compensates for the lack of natural light. This means that overhead lighting alone is not enough. Add wall sconces and LED lighting around the perimeter of the mirror. A light floor lamp near the bench will be an additional cozy touch in the interior.
Textile
Carpet with a pattern in the hallway, Scandinavian style.
Like the harsh peoples of the north, the Scandinavian style treats with restraint all manifestations of annihilation with other directions. It’s rare, but it also happens that a window is installed in the hallway; a plain curtain, without lace or bright patterns, is suitable as a curtain; you can also install blinds, but it will already look like an office.
Rich brocade or velvet will look wrong and out of place. Even on sofas and ottomans it is better to refrain from using them. It is better to give your choice to cotton, wool or eco-leather. You can use any material as a rug, except a fluffy carpet.
Small hallway in Scandinavian style
In such conditions, when the hallway is deprived of square meters, it is worth choosing a white background for the walls and ceiling. Now experiment with the floor. Make it woody or light gray. The white color will expand the walls of the hallway, and the warm floor will outline the interior with a neat frame. There should be a minimum of furniture. This, of course, was already clear. But in conditions of a total lack of space, creating space becomes not easy. Therefore, limit yourself to a hanger rack and a shoe rack or a small chest of drawers. The less furniture the better. In addition, the shoemaker sometimes takes on the duties of a bench.
Be sure to use a mirror. A full-length mirror surface or a mirror applique on the entire wall is ideal. Surprisingly, you shouldn’t get carried away with light sources. Let there be few of them, but they should provide comfortable bright light. Overhead lighting and mirror lighting are suitable.
