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If you’re wondering why you’re suddenly seeing deer head silhouettes adorning everything from throw pillows to vases, wonder no more: it’s because Scandinavian design has finally hit the mainstream.
This classic style of decor is easy to love – it consists of functional, sophisticated, simple touches that add personality and elegance to your decor. But my favorite aspect is that you can add Scandinavian accents to your current decor bit by bit, and the look translates seamlessly. These simple design hacks are quick, cheap, and can be entirely temporary if you want to try them out for only a short while. Most importantly, the amount of money you need to shell out to tap into the decor du jour is as minimal as the style itself.
Introducing Scandinavian-style modern furniture into your home doesn’t have to mean spending thousands of dollars on new furniture, or spending your weekends hunting down vintage pieces (although that’s not a bad idea!). You can actually make your own modern furniture, or modify your existing furniture with a few updates.
Tapered, or hairpin, legs are inexpensive to buy and attach to your furniture. If you already have a coffee table that is smooth, flat, and unadorned, it would make a great candidate for attaching tapered or hairpin legs. You can find them online; a set of four will run you less than $100.
If your coffee table is of a completely different style that wouldn’t suit this look, consider purchasing an inexpensive table to modify, such as the Lack model from IKEA.
Copper accents have always been a stylish addition to a kitchen in the form of kettles and saucepans that serve as functional display items, but there’s no reason that every other room in your home can’t benefit from a hint of copper as well. Whether it’s copper leaf, spray paint, tape, or tubing, there are various ways to accent your decor with copper.
Easy ways to introduce copper accents into your home:
Bringing elements of the outdoors inside has long been one of the key tenets of Scandinavian decor, particularly in its more rustic forms, hallmarked by tree stumps and furs. One great way to do this is by creating a small bedside table out of a section of tree stump, affixed with the aforementioned hairpin legs. But for a less-advanced wood project, try starting with wall art made from balsa wood strips.
These strips are similar to copper wire tubing, in that you can find them at your local hardware store (or craft store), and they are malleable enough to work with that you don’t need many tools. Because the wood is soft, light, and flexible, you don’t even need to follow this plan exactly. You could use it to create whichever shapes you desire, such as spirals or flowers.
Materials you will need for a DIY balsa heart:
Decide what color you’d like the final product to be. If you prefer the look of the bare balsa wood, you won’t need stain at all. If you’d prefer a richer color, stain one side of each strip of wood, or both, and leave to dry fully.
Gently bend each strip into a teardrop shape, lining up the edges until they reach your desired shape. Secure each end with a dab of hot glue. Line the ends of each teardrop up until they form a heart shape. Secure the ends together with more hot glue. Cut off any rough edges using scissors, and lightly sand the edges if needed.
After the heart is completely dry, you can hang it on the wall with a small nail, or by using temporary wall adhesive. Or, you can simply lean it up somewhere in your home, like on a bookshelf or side table.
Another way to bring the outdoors inside is by literally foraging for fallen tree branches that can be used to make functional coat hooks or racks. For a series of coat hooks, search for several short branch fragments with a hook shape and sturdy enough to hang a jacket. For a hanging rack, look for a relatively straight branch to be hung lengthwise. Don’t discard any branches that are too “wild” in shape completely, as they could become wall art despite their lack of function.
If your branch is going to come in contact with clothing, be sure to sand it down and remove any bark that could snag. You can paint it white for a more bone-like look, or leave its natural color.
Start with one of these projects and then take some time to consider how many other elements you want to introduce into your home, as you strike a balance between your old and new home style. Like using salt when cooking, your decor is entirely up to your own taste!
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