scandi bathroom guide blog banner

Scandi Bathrooms – The Ultimate Guide

If you’re anything like me, when you think of Scandi bathrooms or Nordic design, your mind is instantly drawn to IKEA and those amazing range names they have for even the smallest of items.

You know the ones – KALLAX, FYRKANTIG, DAGSTORP – they are amazing, aren’t they?

Now, the powers that be here at Big Bathroom Shop will not thank me for reminding you that IKEA is a thing; but, unfortunately for them (and fortunately for you), on this occasion needs must.

Why?

Because, love it or hate it, IKEA is partly responsible for our love of all things Scandinavian.

But why is Scandi style so popular?

Where did the love for all things Nordic & Scandi originate?

And most importantly, how can you create your own scandi-style oasis with the help of Big Bathroom Shop?

Answers to these and a whole Billy bookcase full of questions can be found below.

A Brief History Of Scandinavian Design

Aston & Henley Vanity Unit in a scandi style bathroom space

The term “Scandinavian Design” was first brought to our collective attention in the 1950s – emerging from a travelling international exhibition that was making its way around the good ol’ US of A.

Titled – “Design in Scandinavia: An Exhibition of Objects for the Home”, the exhibition showcased art and industrial design that included works by designers from Finland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden.

Everything from lamps, rugs and fabrics to tables, screens and other furniture were on display with the intention of promoting the idea that beautifully crafted and accessible design can make your life better – sounds familiar, right?

The ethos at the heart of Scandi-style is focused on bringing more light into the home and making the space more practical & functional, with limited materials.

It is simplistic and aimed around beautiful aesthetics; with smooth lines, curves, and a mix of bold colours each helping to enhance the detail and precision in every item of furniture.

This approach can be seen in the truly amazing work of famous and award-winning Scandi-style designers like Hans Wegner and Verner Panton.

Their commitment and hard work helped to create groundbreaking furniture designs that continue to inspire modern designers today.

hans wegner chair in a scandinavian style bathroom

Designer – Aires Mateus e Associados / Photographer – Greg Cox / Courtesy of @est_living

Where To Start With Scandi Bathroom Design

To embrace Scandinavian design, understanding the reasoning behind its inception is important.

In a part of the world where daylight hours are at a premium for a large part of the year, Scandi-style is focused on brightening up a space – be that a kitchen, bedroom or – in our case – a bathroom.

Using light hues in the bathroom is great for compensating for a lack of natural light.

So, if you only have a small window – or perhaps have a bathroom with no window at all – your choice of colours and textures can go a long way to helping you to create a space that feels light and fresh.

Light, natural colours will lift the atmosphere in any bathroom and can help in improving wellbeing and mood too. In Scandi terms, this experience of colourful comfort, cosiness and contentment has a name all of its own: hygge.

The hygge style, is focussed on thoughtful, minimalistic designs that are sensitive to the needs of the user, creating an environment that promotes positive energy and adds an ambience to your bathroom space.

Image courtesy of @hallie_and_harrisons_house

In simple terms, it is practical, looks amazing and makes you feel great!

To embrace this style in your bathroom, teaming light colours on the walls with fresh white ceramics (basin, toilet & bathtub) is a great way to get the ball rolling.

Keeping the walls simple with trendy subway-style tiles is a great base for the Scandi style.

Tiling all the way up to the ceiling will give a more open look to the space, but you don’t have to do that if it’s not for you. To achieve a more design-led look – tiling halfway up is just as effective and takes half the time!

TOP SCANDI HYGGE STYLE TIPS

Keep these top hygge style tips in mind when planning your scandi bathroom –

  • Embrace Wood

    Opt for wooden floors and furniture

  • Introduce Nature

    Look at plants and flowers to bring nature indoors and add an extra decorative element to the space

  • Think About Texture

    Cotton, linen and wool can help to bring a sense of warmth to the room and add an additional natural feel

  • Clean & Simple Is The Way

    Think pale whites, cooler greys and more organic tones in your colour palette

What To Buy For A Scandi-Style Bathroom

With the Scandi style, there really is no “one size fits all” mantra that you need to stick to when it comes to buying furniture and accessories for the space.

Keep in mind that Scandi & hygge style is supposed to be clean and simple and you can’t go far wrong.

So, let’s see what can you find at Big Bathroom Shop to help you achieve the desired Scandi look that you have been dreaming of?

The Scandi Bathtub

scandi style bathroom with freestanding bath

Image courtesy of @hallie_and_harrisons_house

Comfortable & luxurious a freestanding roll top bath is sure to make a big impact on your Scandi bathroom space.

Choose from a selection of more modern styles or opt for a bath that tips its cap to the old-school clawed foot designs that inspired the Scandi-style over 200 years ago.

From double-ended designs to shorter styles, our collection features contemporary and traditional baths that can complement your interior design scheme, perfectly.

Though a classic white finish is often the mainstay of Nordic bathrooms – and more in keeping with the theme – there’s nothing stopping you from being more adventurous and choosing grey or even black to add a touch more drama to the room.

Milano Irwell

Modern Oval Double-Ended Freestanding Bath

Milano Legend

Traditional Roll Top Freestanding Bath

Scandi Bathroom Furniture

Selecting the perfect furniture for your Scandi bathroom is key to creating the somewhat stark and natural look that Nordic design features have become famous for.

Perfecting the combination between older-looking materials and new natural styling will help to enhance the calming effect your bathroom must have to relax and unwind.

Whether opting for open or closed storage, the colour palette of your funriture choice is paramount to creating the desired look. Natural colours like ivory and light & golden oaks are ideal for this.

However, for a more modern twist, you could opt for mid-grey and stone finishes too.

So, because we love the Scandi style so much here at Big Bathroom Shop, we have an amazing collection of bathroom furniture that can help you achieve those scandi-vibe goals.

We’ve picked two of our favourites below, but check out our full range of furniture for some amazing inspiration!

the milano oxley vanity unit in a white bathroom

Milano Bexley

Light Oak Wall Hung Vanity Unit

Milano Henley

Light Grey Vanity Unit

Scandi Bathroom Basin

As a lot of Scandi bathroom furniture is designed to work with countertop basin designs. At Big Bathroom Shop, you’ll find an amazing array of different countertop styles to help you complete the look.

Depending on the number of people in your household, you can opt for single or double basin vanities with either oval or rectangular countertop basins.

Like our friends at @theturnerhouseproject. They have chosen, the Milano Bexley vanity unit and paired it with a striking rectangular Rivington basin.

The clean lines of both the vanity and the basin – paired with the simple tiled splashback – make this Scandi bathroom basin one of our absolute favourites.

The black taps and accessories (more on those later) give it an extra modern edge too.

a small bathroom basin and vanity unit with a black tap

Image courtesy of @theturnerhouseproject

A square basin and a chrome tap in a grey bathroom

Milano Rivington

Modern Rectangular Countertop Basin

Milano Altcar

Stone Grey Countertop Basin

Scandi Bathroom Showers

The shower space is a key component of scandi bathroom design.

Too busy and you lose the relaxing vibe you’re looking for, but too simple and you just don’t achieve a look that inspires.

Balance is key here.

Black goes with just about anything, and the Milano Nero collection – as used here by @our_home_interiors_3 – is great for achieving a clean and stylish look.

For people who favour a more traditionalist approach, black may not be the way to go.

But here at BBS we have a selection of finishes that can help you to maintain a theme or create a striking focal point with your scandi shower.

The Elizabeth brassware collection combines form and function to create an evocative look that enhances a period feel, and this style works to highlight the brassware against the backdrop of the simple lines of scandi bathroom design.

Whether opting for a more modern aesthetic, or going all out with traditional designs, there is something to suit your style and taste in our extensive shower collection.

a scandi bathroom with a black shower and brassware finish

Image courtesy of @our_home_interior_3

A complete black shoer system in a grey bathroom space

Milano Nero

Modern Thermostatic Shower with Multi Function Hand Shower and Shower Head

Milano Elizabeth

Brushed Gold Traditional Triple Exposed Thermostatic Shower with Shower Head and Riser Rail

Scandi Bathroom Brassware

As with the your shower, the options for Scandi bathroom brassware, taps and other fixtures vary considerably from style to style.

Selecting the best brassware can be greatly influenced by the theme of your bathroom space.

If you are opting for a more monochrome look – with white subway tiling and ceramics – choosing black brassware could be the best option, as it helps to further enhance a chic and sophisticated look.

Alternatively, traditional styling with a modern twist is the ideal solution for combining classic styles with more contemporary finishes.

Again, with brushed gold and oil-rubbed bronze options, the natural feel of your scandi bathroom can be enhanced by our traditional brassware collection.

And, as the picture shows, there is nothing stopping you from combining the two styles to create something a little more unique!

Scandi bathroom moodboard showing black and gold brassware on a tiled background
balck brassware laid out on a grey background

The Black Collection

A striking collection of matt black brassware

The Gold Collection

Exquisite vintage style brassware

What Colours Should I Choose For My Scandi Bathroom?

As we’ve already covered, traditional scandi design took into account the lack of light during certain periods of the year in Scandinavian countries.

That means that historically, the design has drawn upon more natural elements that are designed to help you wind down and relax in a simple and harmonious space.

However, we don’t have as many dark days here in the UK, so there have been some tweaks to the style elements that have seen more colour added to scandi-bathroom palettes over the years.

Let’s break down these different takes on Scandi bathroom design to see which colours might suit your space.

Classic White Scandinavian Bathrooms

When it comes to Scandinavian design, white has often been the dominant colour for the bathroom.

It’s not totally uncommon to try for a totally white look. One that dominates the walls, flooring and ceramic ware.

Light colours are a great way to make a small space appear bigger than it is.

White goes extremely well with oak toned counter top basins and light wood details, so look to choose furniture and accessories of that sort – or for an ultra-modern and clean cut look, black brassware and white tiles are just stunning to behold.

If you’re not keen on all white, opt for a selection of slightly bolder pastel blues and greens when choosing accessories and adding additional style elements to the space.

Natural Scandinavian Bathrooms

A large white bathtun filled with bubbles in a wooden scandi style bathroom

Image courtesy of @hallie_and_harrisons_house

Natural materials are considered a fundamental part of Scandinavian design.

Be it wood and stone or something as simple as pampas grass or an ivy plant; each will help to give a feeling of homeliness to a room.

The beauty of natural wood combined with simple ceramic tiles is perfect for creating a Nordic spa vibe with a special ambience.

The effect can be further enhanced by shades beige and cream, achieving a warm and soft feel that is perfect for long soaks and relaxation.

But you don’t always have to choose more traditional paler woods to achieve this.

A darker toned wood, like walnut, can really ground the space against white walls and create a truly modern Scandi vibe.

Colourful Scandinavian Bathrooms

A colourful pink bath in a bright colourful scandi bathroom

Image courtesy of @lisacomforthome

In what some might say is the “New Nordic”, many Scandi bathroom lovers are starting to adjust their tastes and be a little more experimental in their use of colour.

Although the traditional natural palette of Scandi is largely maintained, the use of golds, rusty pinks and emerald greens are replacing the “old hat” pastel colours in some peoples bathrooms.

Whether it is pops of colour adorning different areas of the space, or blocks of more vibrant colouring on a single wall or across the floor, this hybrid style of natural colour meeting more bold accents is something to consider.

Although you don’t want to move too far away from the traditional hygge style – in that natural colours should be the main consideration – adding warmer and slightly more vibrant colours is do-able if you have the nerve.

Get Into The Scandi Bathroom Mood

To summarize, Scandi bathroom design is a surefire style winner.

The bathroom is ultimately a space in which you and your family want to relax and unwind, and the beautiful natural vibes of Scandi are sure to enhance a feeling of calm and serenity.

The decision you need to make now is, do you go for the light or the dark variation?

Golds, rose pinks with light greys, creams and browns are a hygge staple.

However, there is nothing stopping you from adding a touch of your darker side with deeper blues and greens that are finished off with matt black brassware and towel radiators.

It all depends on which mood takes your fancy!

A selection of light coloured scandi bathroom fittings and accessories on a white background

Get Inspired By Scandi Style

So, there we have it. The BBS Ultimate Guide to Scandi Bathroom Designs.

I’m sure you have a lot to think about and are raring to go on creating your own Scandi bathroom oasis!

Don’t forget, you can find lots more Scandi bathroom inspiration on our Pinterest boards and will discover a whole host of Nordic lovers on our Instagram account!

I hope I have given you some Scandi inspiration and food for thought, tell me how you styled your Scandi bathroom space in the comments below.