Design Battle: Typical Bedroom in Scandinavian Style

With Leroy Merlin, we asked Marina Sarksyan and Olga Rudakova to design a bedroom in Scandinavian style for a family couple who prefer working from home. Who do you think did a better job?

Project BriefRoomBedroom8.6 sq. mOwnersFamily couplefreelancersPreferencesPlenty of lightScandinavian styleRoom layout of 8.6 sq. m in a 2-room apartment of 41 sq. m in a panel house series 1-335Solution by Olga Rudakova

Olga RudakovaDesignerPrefers simple, functional and cozy interiors that will last for years

About the layout

Our heroes are a couple of freelancers who work from home or in cafes. Their day is irregular — they can sleep during the day and work at night. I know this lifestyle well, so I designed the bedroom for myself.

Scandinavian style interior is not only simple but also affordable. Once the base is set, such an interior can be enhanced with various cute details. In our case, the apartment is both a home and an office, so it's important to be able to change its appearance.

About the stylistic solution

The most budget-friendly and effective way is to decorate walls with unconventional decor. In our case, the bedroom walls are painted in four colors, where the workspace area is highlighted with a calm green tone, and the contrast is created by white moldings and door. The floor is finished with solid wood planks of light oak, which is a natural material perfectly suited for the Scandinavian style.

It’s not desirable to clutter such a small room with furniture. On the left side of the door is a tall mirror, and on the right is an open clothing rack. I chose a comfortable 1600×2000 mm bed with low headboard, complemented by several decorative pillows — the Scandinavian style assumes a lot of decor and cozy little things. These are purchased gradually and can change depending on the season or mood of the residents.

On one side of the bed is a stool that turned into a bedside table. Not everyone needs a nightstand by the bed, sometimes even a small shelf is enough to put a book, phone or a glass of water. The workspace in the room is suspended with shelves for books and decor — laptops don’t need much space. If desired, the workspace can be replaced with a dresser, but it’s a matter of priorities.

And, of course, flowers in pots, a large poster with nature views and light curtains. Roller blinds with blackout function can be used for window panels, which is especially valuable when you fall asleep only before sunrise.

You will need:

• Stool Pillow Minsk
• Satin Bed Sheet Seaport
• Wall and Ceiling Paint Trend Farbe Color 'Moss Green'
• White MDF Floor Molding
• Blue Glass Vase
• White Interior Door 'Royalty'
• White Wall Clock with Dots
• Solid Oak Plank 'Prime PF'

Solution by Marina Sarksyan

Marina SarksyanDesignerWhen working on an interior, she immerses herself in a new look to create a harmonious and cozy space for the client based on her knowledge and experience

About the layout

I envisioned a young couple of freelancers who love to travel and have a soft spot for Scandinavia, so the bedroom interior is styled in calm gray tones, with parquet flooring in a warm natural oak color. A small amount of green was used as an accent in the decor.

About the stylistic solution

Although our heroes’ bedroom is quite small, we still wanted a full-size bed and two neat 30 cm wide nightstands. On both sides of the door, storage systems were built: one side has a wardrobe, and the other has a vanity table. Above are suspended shelves with a small mirror with backlight underneath.

The gray carpet on the floor with a subtle graphic pattern balances the overall color palette. The bed and nightstands, on the other hand, are chosen in contrasting colors — white and black. Above them are pendant lights with transparent drop shades that I associate with the color of the sky in Finland, pebbles on the Baltic coast, and raindrops. Plants on canvases and a flower pattern on the pillows harmoniously support the style.

The mood of such an interior can be easily changed: just add a pink tone to the pillows, hang a Roman curtain in a matching color, and replace the green blanket with a white one.

You will need:

• Single-strip Parquet Board Artens 'Family'
• Prestige Microfibre Blanket
• Wooden Veneer Floor Molding, Color - Oak
• Wall Clock 'Grand'
• Clima Rug
• Oil Canvas Painting 'Monster Leaf'
• Blackout Roller Blind 'Letter'
• Wall and Ceiling Paint Trend Farbe Color 'Pea Grey'