Scandinavian style in interior design: a complete guide to colors, furniture, and paints for decorating in Nordic style
Bright, welcoming, essential. A home in Scandinavian style is not just a matter of taste: it’s a true lifestyle made of functionality, light, and respect for materials.
For decades now — thanks also to some major furniture brands that have spread worldwide — Nordic design has been riding high and shows no signs of slowing down.
For anyone thinking of refreshing their spaces inspired by this style, here is a brief guide explaining its origins, main features and the most current variants, and above all which wood paints to use to achieve perfect, natural, and durable surfaces.
What is Scandinavian style?
Scandinavian style is a design movement born in the early decades of the 20th century in the countries of Northern Europe — particularly Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. In those environments, where natural light is precious and winter dominates much of the year, furnishings took on a crucial role in creating warm, bright, and functional spaces.
The modern concept of “Scandinavian design” took shape in the 1930s with the rise of a simple, democratic aesthetic, heavily influenced by German functionalism and the Bauhaus school. But it was in the 1950s, thanks to the exhibition Design in Scandinavia (organized by the Brooklyn Museum in 1954), that the world truly discovered the essential elegance of the great Nordic masters such as Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, Hans Wegner, and Poul Henningsen.
The philosophy was clear: accessible beauty, natural materials, attention to the human being. No excess, no ostentation. Only what is needed — and built to last.
Even today, Scandinavian style remains among the most loved in contemporary interior design. Its strength lies in its ability to convey a sense of peace, order, and naturalness. It’s perfect for those who dream of a home that “breathes,” that welcomes, that offers visual and mental relief — and that expresses care, even through small details.
Paint stores
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Features of Scandinavian furnishings
- Bright palette and neutral colors
Chalk white, warm beige, light gray: Nordic-style colors amplify natural light and create visual harmony. - Light wood with a natural look
Birch, oak, and ash treated with matte or clear finishes (such as Rio Verde’s Natural Effect Finish RO 30xx) that enhance the grain. - Minimal, functional design
Clean lines, simple forms, and fuss-free furniture. Everything is designed to be useful and beautiful. - Natural textures
Linen fabrics, raw ceramics, matte woods: every surface tells a story of returning to essentials. - Connection with nature
Scandinavian style furnishes with wood and includes plants, organic materials, and tones inspired by Nordic landscapes.
All types of Scandinavian style
- Scandinavian + minimal = Scandi Minimal
All-white rooms, cement-gray floors, crisp lines.
Recommended products: Floor Prestige Cemento or Papiro and Vintage Prestige Cocco. - Bohemian + Scandinavian = Scandi Boho
A mix of Nordic style and bohemian: ethnic textiles, timeworn woods, pastel colors.
Recommended product: Vintage Prestige in Lattementa, Anice, or Frappè shades. - Classic + Scandinavian = Scandi Classic
White + natural wood + soft accents. The most widespread style, often seen in IKEA catalogs.
Recommended products: RO 3000 Finish on furniture and Floor Prestige Tortora. - Japandi
Japanese minimalism and Nordic warmth meet (we dedicated a specific article to japandi). Sand tones, dark wood, and zen décor.
Recommended product: Floor Prestige Tortora. - Industrial + Scandinavian = Scandi Industrial
Perfect for lofts: treated woods, raw metal, lead-gray floors.
Recommended products: Classic water-based stain RM 1610 Pine-Larch and Floor Prestige Piombo.
Nordic colors and ideal combinations
Main tones: pure white, papyrus, cement gray, neutral taupe.
Matching pastels: Vanilla, Lattementa, Anise, Cocco — all featured in the Vintage Prestige palette.
Contrast tones: matte black, black gold, dark gray.
Best Rio Verde wood paints for Scandinavian style
- Vintage Prestige: pastel, textured-effect paints ideal for Nordic-style furniture
- Floor Prestige: paints for Scandinavian floors in wood, terracotta, concrete, or ceramic
- Natural Effect Finish: clear, matte, non-yellowing treatment for light interior wood
- Hybrid Resolve: for Nordic-style exterior wood, with a satin effect and zero sanding
