I don't truly have Seasonal Affective Disorder but I've self-diagnosed myself with its milder cousin, Seasonal Cranky Disorder. It's only September and I'm already bemoaning the earlier sunsets and later sunrises. This is all probably compounded by my railroad-style apartment which gets a small amount of light in the front and back rooms leaving the middle rooms cavelike, including my son's room, especially in the fall and winter. All this is to say that my eyes and brain have been drawn to the bright, white interiors associated with Nordic countries and wondering how I can bring a bit of that look and feel into my own home.
"Nordic", of course, refers to Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden situated in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic where winters are particularly dark. To compensate, residents tend to paint their walls and often their floors bright white to best reflect the light they do have and to make their homes feel more cheerful and alive.
The vivid white of Nordic interiors is a huge part of their appeal to me, but they tend not to be overwhelming neutral either. To balance out all that white, residents often use accents of black and also tons of pops of bold color. This is especially true in Nordic children's rooms which are typically playful, art-filled and characterized by the Danish word hyggelig which means welcoming and inviting.
We're about to buy my son a new bed, perhaps a bunk, and these rooms have inspired me to buy one in white or else to paint it. I'm also considering more lights and lamps, perhaps also white ones. Essentially, I'm looking for ways to brighten up his space and these rooms above - from Nordic countries, inspired by them or that I felt embodied Scandinavian and Nordic decor trends - are inspiring me at the moment.
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(Images: 1. Tracy Nors 2. Isabella Waldenmaier 3. A Merry Mishap 4. Time of Aquarius 5. Frederikke Heiberg, Tia Borgsmidt and Rikke Graff Juel 6. Ninainvorm 7. Jenny Brandt/Dos Family 8. Jeannette Bauer 9. Heather/Restless Oasis 10. Patrik Engquist/Sköna HemStefani P. 12. Christopher Stevens Interiors 13. Nicci/Icci Design 14. Kajsa of Syko 15. Jane Foster)
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How wonderful that your first foray into bringing about this white lightness that your heart currently craves will be manifested in your sons room! I've been craving a white aesthetic lately too, but I think for different reasons. I love the simplicity of it, the way it can be played up or down with just a little alteration. I've generally always considered white to have no personality, but am coming to realize that its the canvas for a truly creative one.
I absolutely love these! They're fresh fun full of colour and yet simple. White walls always allow for fabric and pattern changes easily. We're in the process of changing our kids rooms and I'm trying incorporate some of this to the "big kid" room.
These are great! I especially love Israel's, Polly's, and Indigo's rooms. Having white walls is great, since it will grow with the children and transition easily into their teenage years with just a swap of furniture and finishings.
You can tell who the americans are, the secret lies in the details and the commitment