Scandinavia is a part of Northern Europe. Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are the primary countries of this region, with arguments for Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands to be included as well. In this article I will review how you can be preparing for a Scandinavian-Style home rebovation.
There will come a time when you’re ready to revamp your home. Whether you want to upgrade your entire house inside and out, tackle a few rooms, or spruce up small things like accessories and paint, renovations require thorough planning.
This is especially true when you’re hoping to adhere to a specific style, like Scandanavian-style. Researching what the style is, what materials and accessories represent it, and how to best incorporate them in your home are the core of your style-specific preparation responsibilities.
Sound like a lot to do? Maybe. But approaching planning in an organized fashion will help make your renovation project much more manageable. This guide will walk you through how to prepare for a Scandinavian-style home renovation.
Let’s start with defining what exactly constitutes the Scandinavian style.
What is Scandinavian Style?
Scandinavia is a part of Northern Europe. Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are the primary countries of this region, with arguments for Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands to be included as well.
Homes in this region have a specific style. Minimalism, sleek lines, neutral colors, natural woodwork, and an intimate, warm atmosphere are the foundation of the Scandinavian style. The goal is to keep things simple and functional without sacrificing beauty.
White, black, pale colors and gentle neutral colors should make up most of your color palette for a Scandinavian-style home. Woven baskets, fresh greenery, a wood-burning fireplace, furs, and sheepskins are textbook Scandinavian home accessories. Lots of natural light and comfy areas are also key traits of a Scandinavian-style home.
If your heart is set on a Scandinavian-style home renovation after researching what the style entails, start with these best practices for preparation.
Best Practices for Preparing for a Renovation
Proper preparation for a renovation might be the most important step you take in the process.
Accounting for as many details and potential problems as possible before you start making physical changes makes a huge difference in your vision for a Scandinavian-style home actually coming to life.
Prepare for your renovation by implementing these best practices.
Related: How to Decorate Your Home with Flowers Like the Scandinavians
Define why you’re doing a renovation
You want to define why you’re doing this renovation for a couple of reasons:
- It helps you create a plan, accurate budget, and timeline
- Your why will keep you motivated to continue when challenges arise
Let’s say you want to complete a Scandinavian-style renovation because you want to help preserve and increase the value of your home, as you plan to sell at some point.
Your renovation plan should include renovations that help build your property’s value, like increasing your interior lighting, improving the look and function of your bathroom, and updating the floors, appliances, and countertops in your kitchen.
Also, because you’re doing your renovation to increase your home’s value, your budget and timeline will be a lot more strict than if you were doing the renovation for fun or personal enjoyment.
And when you’re in the thick of the renovation process, challenges like unexpected expenses or an unanticipated shift in design will happen. Going back to your why (increasing your home’s value for when it’s time to sell) will motivate you to find solutions and keep moving forward.
Defining why you’re doing this renovation will help you keep your plan, budget, timeline, and motivation on point.
Determine your renovation budget
One of the most important elements of any renovation is your budget. How much money do you want to spend on completing your Scandinavian-style renovation? Without a definite number, the likelihood of spending way more than you can afford increases dramatically.
When you know how much you can spend on your renovation, you can tailor your plans to fit that budget and keep your expenses in check.
Audit your current financial situation. What are you making, what are your expenses, and what’s left over after those expenses are paid? Based on your answers to these questions, determine how much you can realistically afford to spend on renovating your home.
Also, think about the cost of materials and accessories for a Scandinavian-style renovation to accurately plan for the financial burden of this specific kind of renovation.
Create a mood board for inspiration
Part of the reason home renovations can be so chaotic is that people will go off of a vision they have in their head, adding things here and there and changing things on a whim.
If you want your Scandinavian-style home renovation to be cohesive, you need something to refer to that keeps you focused on your vision. That’s where a mood board comes in. A mood board helps you visualize the complete picture of your renovation, from the colors, furniture, wall hangings, flooring, and other accessories.
You can go the traditional route, pasting newspaper and magazine clippings on a poster board. Or, you can use a digital alternative, like Pinterest, which gives you access to even more ideas, pictures, and digital art for inspiration.
Whenever you get lost in your renovation you can refer to your mood board. You can also refer to the detailed plan you create in the section below.
Lay out the details of your renovation
A mood board is good for inspiration. But you need something a little more concrete to guide your renovation and keep you on track to completion. Lay out the details of your Scandinavian-style upgrades in a comprehensive renovation plan.
You can physically document these details by handwriting them in a dedicated notebook. You can also use a downloadable home renovation planning template or create one from scratch. Choose the option that’s most accessible and keeps you organized. Next, start filling in the details of your renovation.
Decide what season you want to start your home renovation in. Spring and summer offer the best weather and more daylight to work on your renovations. On the other hand, you may have challenges with the weather in winter and fall, but costs for labor and materials will be significantly less than in spring and summer.
You also need to determine whether you’ll stay at home during your renovations. You’ll have a lot more control over the process if you do. You can keep costs down and save time and effort as well. But if your renovation projects are big and require heavy machinery and hazardous materials, staying home probably isn’t the safest option.
In addition to the above, lay out the following details for your Scandinavian-style home renovation:
- Which rooms you’re renovating
- Your renovation vision for each room
- Solutions for challenges that may occur
- Who’s involved in the renovation process
- What permits and approvals you’ll need
- When you want to complete all of your upgrades
- How much materials, accessories, and other expenses will be
Add any other details you can think of to ensure your renovation blueprint is one you can rely on.
Preparing for a Scandinavian-Style Home Renovation – Conclusion
Preparing for a Scandinavian-style home renovation requires time, effort, and intention. But covering all of the pertinent details beforehand will make the process much more manageable and enjoyable. Implement the planning advice above to ensure your vision for a Scandinavian-style home comes to fruition.
Preparing for a Scandinavian-Style Home Renovation, written by Ainsley Lawrence. Ainsley is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She is interested in better living through technology and education. She is frequently lost in a good book.
Feature image (on top): © Laurie Shaw/Pixels