How to Style Plants for Scandinavian Design

Minimalist style. Black and white palette with grey accessories. Rugs and candles. These are some of the first things that come to mind when we think of the Nordic style of decorating a space. For a while now, this has been growing in popularity leading some folks to wonder how to add a splash of color to this setup while maintaining design integrity. Indoor plants are the answer.

Understanding Scandinavian Design

For best results, you must understand the basic elements of this style. And they are so logical, you might want to incorporate these in your existing spaces even if it means you’ll have to break patterns.

Has No Clutter

This whole style is based on minimalism. It allows a lot of ventilation but you must be efficient with the space and know how to make functional items look pretty. They are also big on functionality so you won’t find unnecessary items lingering around. A lot of work is done on furniture to keep it utilitarian and beautiful. That’s why their sofas and tables come with storage units. 

Has a Neutral Color Palette

This is for those of you who like to keep it low key. Most palettes in this style come with muted colors like beige, white and grey with a dash of color. The trick is to balance patterns with backgrounds. It’ll take some work but the result is worth it.

Uses Natural Light

The best part about this style is how it integrates natural elements into your space. The design is all about white walls and little to no window dressing. This allows a lot of natural light that bounces off the walls giving you a brighter room. That is because the Nordic countries see long winters and they can use all the light they can get.  

Is Inspired by Nature

It’s not just about allowing natural light, their homes have large windows through which you can enjoy trees and the sky. It probably helps that their air quality is pretty much excellent all the time. They are big on nature.

These design qualities make their homes eco-friendly and sustainable. But also, on a practical level, they provide a great environment for indoor plants.

Introducing Plants to Scandinavian Decor

Now, finding indoor plant decor ideas for a Scandinavian design is quite easy. And whether your walls are dark in blue Hague or bright in white, you can place a variety of indoor plants against them without worrying about the aesthetics.   

A little plant in the mix provides relief to the muted backdrops popularly seen in these settings. Greens and flowers make them really warm and bring them to life. Botanical decor is a great addition to these almost monochromatic designs.

Work a Contrast

These are perhaps the easiest to style because the color palette will be limited to three colors. All you need to do is pick (utilitarian) furniture to go with the walls or the floor. A potted plant will be the third color and you’re done. Here are some examples.

The setup in these pictures illustrates that above point very well. Since the walls are white and the floor is light wooden, all one needs to do is match the furniture to the floor and keep the linens white. This limits the color palette and a plant will provide just the much-needed splash of color to the room.

Play with Furniture Color

You can get visually stunning results also by adding a dash of color with one piece of furniture. You can choose to match the furniture with the plant’s green or its pot. Or you can pick a contrasting color and place the plant strategically. Let some pictures illustrate it.

Here, the color of the sofa and its cushions work with the colors of the plant and its pot.

  Here, the color of the pot is in the same palette as the furniture.

And here, the plants are in complete contrast with the blue of the sofa. So, they are placed strategically to avoid a clash.

Triple Threat: Indoor Plants, Long Winters and Nordic Decor

You must get something like a money plant that you can keep alive and if you need help deciding on some plants to use, read Rooms Solutions’ guide to the most popular houseplants. For instance, if you experience tropical weather, get some earthy energy with the ficus lyrata fiddle-leaf fig. But the best plants to have for a Scandi-inspired decor are also the ones with limited colors.

If the room is designed in lighter shades, you can pick a nice and bright floral plant. The Campanula or bellflowers plant is a good option. But if the room is of darker shades, you might want to get something like a Golden Faux succulent or an oriental lily for a mellow shade of white or yellow. You could also just get a green plant and make sure the pot matches the room’s light-colored furniture. 

Now, if you are looking for plants that will survive winter in your apartment or home here are some options. And you can easily find popular Scandinavian indoor pots and planters online to go with your plant. 

Orchids

These can be a bit expensive but are easy to grow. You only need to water them weekly, keep them in direct sunlight and they will flower for years. If they are bare, that’s only because they are prepping for a bloom. They release oxygen into the room, keeping you fresh and healthy. Since Nordic designs allow a lot of light, you can keep them at the windowsill.  

Philodendron

This one needs a little more care but it’s not hard to figure it out. They do great in indirect sunlight. So you can pair them with furniture like coffee tables. If they get too much light or grow old the leaves turn yellow. They need very little water during winters. Make sure the topsoil is dry before you water them.  

Chain Cactus (also called Rhipsalis Paradoxa)

This is a flowering cactus that hangs beautifully. You can use the cuttings to grow more in a different part of the house too. It needs indirect sunlight and little water. It is known for promoting good vibes and is low maintenance.

Ficus Robusta (Rubber Plant)

These are shiny plants with deep green leaves that are great for light backdrops. They need indirect sunlight and intermittent watering. Give them more water if the leaves are falling off but try less water if they are turning brown.

Sansevieria Trifasciata (Snake Plant)

This is a popular indoor plant in many parts of the world. But you can see why this goes great with this design, right? It’s the world element of the decor. It doesn’t need a lot of sun or water. So plonk it in a corner and it will quietly cleanse the air in the room.

Conclusion

Nothing reflects the Scandinavian decor ideas of simplicity and pureness like a lovely little plant in the corner (or amidst furniture). With houses in bigger cities getting smaller by the day, there is a growing demand for indoor plants. And the good news is, you don’t exclusively need Scandinavian indoor plants to make it work.

Whilst Scandinavian decor may not be your thing, with lots of minimalism and pastel colors, you could try reading about lots of others. Interior design styles is an article which gives you the basics on other styles out there.