DIY the Scandi Look - 6 Window Furnishing Ideas
From light filtering roller blinds to wide-louvre Plantation shutters, here is how to borrow the calm, light-first thinking that Scandinavian interiors are loved for, and build the look yourself, one window at a time.
Windows do a lot of heavy lifting in a room, and they are also one of the easiest things to get wrong. A one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. Blinds need to be made-to-measure, curtains have to be hemmed and hung just so, and the hardware usually needs a little fine-tuning to sit right. Get it wrong, and a space can look bare and unfinished, or fussy and overdone.
For window furnishings that feel calm and considered, look to the Nordic countries. Through the long, dark winters, every bit of daylight counts, so their interiors are designed to maximise natural light rather than block it. The result is the pared-back, grounded look that Scandi design is loved for, shaped directly by the region's light and landscape.
Here are six custom window furnishings that will create a Scandi look in your home.
1 / Light Filtering Roller Blinds
If light is the thing Scandi interiors care about most, rollers in a light filtering fabric are built for exactly that job. The translucent fabric lets daylight through as a soft, diffused glow rather than a hard glare, which is precisely the calm, even light Nordic homes are designed around.
A good roller also frames a window rather than dominating it, which makes it endlessly flexible, working just as well on a large picture window as a small one. Keep everything tonal and understated for a calm, elevated look: a white or soft neutral roller filters light beautifully and lets the architecture and materials take centre stage.
One thing to keep in mind: light filtering softens the view in through the day but isn't a full privacy solution, especially after dark with the lights on inside. Order a few fabric samples and hold them to the glass before you commit; it's the easiest way to find the exact quality of glow you're after. Shop the Look: Jersey LF in Opal (pictured) Linesque LF in Lily
2 / Plantation Shutters
Shutters might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you picture a Scandi interior, but they belong here for the same reason Venetians do. With adjustable louvres, a set of shutters gives you precise control over light and privacy, and the wider the louvre, the more architectural and less fussy they look.
The key is colour and restraint. Keep them crisp white or a soft off-white so they read as part of the architecture rather than a feature in their own right. A heavy dark stain pulls in a different direction, so save that for a more traditional scheme.
Shutters are also one of the smartest choices for a bathroom or ensuite, where you need dependable privacy and light control in one. The spaces feel bright and clean, and the moisture-resistant shutter will handle humidity far better than fabric. Shop the look PolyLux Shutters in Pure White (pictured)
3 / Venetian Blinds
In a Scandi scheme light is the priority, and Venetian blinds earn their place by giving you control over it. Lift them to reveal the full window, close them to block the light out, or tilt the slats to land anywhere in between as the day shifts.
To make them read as a design choice rather than an office leftover, go for wider slats. They feel more architectural and less corporate, and in the right neutral tone they almost become part of the wall, giving the room a calm, ordered rhythm. Timber and timber-look or white Venetians lean especially Scandi. Shop the Look Purewood-Urban Timber Venetian Blind in Birch Purewood-Pastel Timber Venetian Blind in Aspen (pictured)
4 / Soft Roman Blinds
Keep window furnishings simple, natural and tactile, and you're most of the way to the Scandi look. Soft Roman blinds do this well, adding softness and texture without overwhelming the window. Choose a lightweight fabric in a neutral shade: a slubby, slightly rustic linen diffuses light gently and keeps everything calm.
Soft Romans aren't about turning your window into a statement. The focus stays on the light and the view. A sheer Roman is a lovely middle ground if you want daytime privacy without losing the brightness. They are available via a Design Consultant, who can talk you through the Soft Roman style for your windows.
5 / Linen Look Curtains
Sometimes the simplest option is the best one. The trick with Scandi style is knowing the difference between basic and beautiful. Basic is a neutral curtain you choose without thinking. Beautiful is a neutral curtain you chose on purpose, after weighing up every other option, so the fabric reads as a continuation of the wall rather than a separate object in the room.
For that soft, diffused daylight, a linen sheer is the move, and it's worth choosing a shade close to your wall colour so the effect is quieter and reads as a continuation of the room rather than a separate object in it. But Scandi doesn't mean giving up a good night's sleep: in a bedroom, a textured, neutral linen-look blockout blocks the light you actually need blocked while keeping that same tactile, understated feel. Stick to a light, soft tone rather than anything heavy or dark, so the room still reads calm and Scandi rather than closed-in. Choosing the exact shade and drop yourself gets either option far closer to your wall than any ready-made curtain allows. Then hang the track as high as the window frame allows: it's the single move that makes a room feel taller and more considered, especially in a home with generous ceilings. Shop the look Pasadena Blockout in Snow Burleigh Sheer in Pearl
6 / S-Fold Curtains
Scandi is about simplicity, and with curtains, the heading matters. An S-fold heading, also called a Wave, is clean and airy, with an even ripple that softens large expanses of glass without dressing it up. A pinch pleat or other traditional finishes fold more fabric in, which reads heavier and more formal.
That ripple earns its place functionally too. On a big window, which can feel cold and stark after dark, the fullness of an S-fold adds texture and softness to the room, and the extra layer of fabric helps with insulation and acoustics as well.
From maximising light to balancing privacy with practicality, there's a lot to borrow from the way Scandinavians dress their windows. The real luxury of made-to-measure is that nothing has to be permanent. As your taste shifts, you can swap a fabric, change a colour or layer a sheer over a blockout, and keep your home feeling current without starting again from scratch. Every option at DIYblinds™ is custom and affordable, so you can create a truly custom Scandi look, exactly to size, and change it up whenever you like.