5 easy Danish interior design looks you: a) will love, b) want to copy, c) can afford

Danish interior design is sooo easy to live with, simple to copy and is totally affordable to mimic too. These are our fave takes

Danish interior design
(Image credit: Argos)

We're always on the look out for fabulous living room ideas (and, actually, every other room idea). And anything Scandi style is right up our street. So imagine our delight when we discovered that 'Danish interior design' is trending on Pinterest. We want in.

So, we've created a quick dip gallery of our favourite Danish-style rooms. Not all of them are in Denmark; not all of them are strictly Danish... but they all capture the spirit with simple, timeless, light-enhancing colour schemes, pared back furniture, fabulous accessories that add plenty of character and, of course, bags of comfort.

1. Danish interior design in a kitchen? It's about texture

Kitchen

(Image credit: Ibens and Niels Ahlberg/inagency.dk)

You may think 'oh yes, Danish interior design, it's all about streamlined, shiny surfaces and no character', but actually, the very best Danish homes (or homes emulating that look) have bags of character... which means texture, a neutral (but not monochrome) colour scheme, and lots of great accessories. This room above is our very favourite approach: a colour scheme that features all the shades of grey pebble beaches; lots of reclaimed wood; and antique finds that give the room personality. Love it.

For more kitchen ideas, go to our inspiring gallery.

2. Danish interior design does not = black and white

danish apartment kitchen


(Image credit: Iben and Niels Ahlberg/inagency.dk)

Let's debunk that myth right now. This dining area is the perfect take on how to do neutral: there's grey-green, sophisticated marble matched with rougher rust and old basketwork... and of course, a complete mismatch of furniture and finds to create a perfect fusion of French and Danish styles that's NEVER going to date.

3. Danish interior design in an open plan space? Think blonde wood and grey

Danish interior design

(Image credit: Argos)

LOVE this room by (wait for it...) Argos! The grey and yellow is one of favourite colour combos anyway (grey: easy to co-ordinate with, easy to keep looking clean, timelessly styish; yellow: adds that much needed touch of warmth to the grey)... but what knits the scheme together is all that blonde wood. Put it on the floor to make a room feel light and airy (but not cold), stick it on the ceiling, too, and you've nailed that Danish look. 

4. Danish interior design is a little bit Mid century modern

Danish interior design

(Image credit: Argos)

Okay, it's A LOT Mid-century modern if you'd like it to be. This is another room by Argos, which goes to show that you can get the look without spending a fortune. That said, what REALLY catches our eye is that feature wall, created with nothing more than some lengths of pine cut, pinned and glued to the wall to add character to an otherwise boxy, plain wall.

For more fabulous home office ideas, don't miss our guide.

5. Danish interior design in kids' rooms? Oh yes!

Danish interior design

(Image credit: Argos)

Kids' room furniture Danish-style? Think: white, with simple lines. That doesn't mean, however, that the rest of the room needs to be plain. In fact, having a simple but WOW! paint effect can give your child's bedroom an instant lift that costs almost nothing. We love this take, above – the colours are fab, but you can choose whatever you/your child favours to create a personalised scheme. Just keep the flooring and window treatments as subtle as the furniture. For more kids' bedroom ideas, don't miss our guide.

Lucy Searle

Lucy is Global Editor-in-Chief of Homes & Gardens having worked on numerous interiors and property titles. She was founding Editor of Channel 4’s 4Homes magazine, was Associate Editor at Ideal Home, before becoming Editor-in-Chief of Realhomes.com in 2018 then moving to Homes & Gardens in 2021. She has also written for Huffington Post, AOL, UKTV, MSN, House Beautiful, Good Homes, and many women’s titles. Find her writing about everything from buying and selling property, self build, DIY, design and consumer issues to gardening.