Scandinavian Design Trends for Autumn

Thinking about an autumn home refresh? Look no further than the latest Scandinavian design trends, which will elevate your space in a mindful, sustainable way. With Scandinavian design’s emphasis on timelessness, these trends will continue to look good into 2025 and beyond.

To compile our list of Scandi autumn trends for 2024, we looked at the prevailing themes of two design festivals that took place over the summer: 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Southern Sweden Design Days (SSDD) in Malmö, Sweden. We also scoured the websites of beloved Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian brands to see what’s new for fall.

Emphasis on Sourcing

With increasing awareness of the ethical and environmental implications of sourcing labor and materials, designers have been taking a long, hard look at their supply chains, thinking about how they can be tweaked to the benefit of all. This may mean sourcing locally—but it may also mean extending a helping hand to communities in need. At 3daysofdesign, Swedish brand Vandra Rugs showcased products made by Ukrainian weavers.

At the same festival, Danish brand Mater showed off a range of mango wood furniture sourced from India. While this may appear unsustainable, there was more to it. When mango trees stop producing fruit, they are cut down and the wood usually goes to waste—Mater’s furniture is made from this “waste wood”, providing additional income for Indian mango farmers.

You can emulate this trend by patronizing local and independent businesses, as well as being more mindful about where your home décor comes from. At The Modern Dane, we are 100% transparent about our supply chain for our organic linen duvet covers, which extends from the flax fields of northern Europe to our artisanal textile mill in Guimaraes, Portugal. In fact, you can read the full story of our organic linen bedding in our dedicated blog post. Our products are GOTS- and OEKO-TEX certified, meaning that they’ve been produced in line with rigorous social and environmental criteria. We even offset the carbon emissions from shipping through our partnership with Planet.

Bringing Play Into the Home

Play isn’t just for children; employers have known this for years. Companies such as Google believe that injecting fun into furnishings—such as Broadway-themed conference rooms and “conversation areas” that look like vintage subway cars—enhances creativity. These spaces are designed to boost mood and foster communication—both benefits that you can bring into your home.

Many designers at SSDD explored ways to bring playfulness into the home. The exhibition “Dialogue” by Jonatan Appelfeldt and Carl Martinson featured sand-coated wooden sculptures in bright colors and organic shapes. Recreate this aesthetic at home with hand-molded sculptures or vases—or you could even have a go yourself with some air-drying clay.

Elsewhere, artists Anna Senno and Michel Cayer created wooden swing seats suspended from the ceiling, designed to disinhibit people and get them talking. Though ceiling suspension may be difficult to achieve in your home, you’ll find all kinds of free-standing swing seats online, from the classic “egg chair” to hammock seats.

An installation by the Research Studio for Knit and Architecture explored new ways to use 3D knitting technology, which is typically used to produce garments. Spaces were swathed in soft, colorful knitted furnishings, from knitted window frames to curtains.

While knitted window dressings may not be the most practical look for your home (imagine trying to clean them!), there are other ways in which you can channel this soft, playful aesthetic. Think fabric wallpaper, DIY fabric art, or knitted ornaments.

Our Scandinavian-style duvet covers are made from European linen: a touchable and tactile textile that sits perfectly among wool, ceramics, and other organic home décor. Its beautiful, slightly rumpled texture is perfect for those who don’t take themselves too seriously (though it can, of course, be ironed if that’s your preference!).

Sustainability Comes Full Circle

Several designers at SSDD showcased “circular” design: recycling, in other words. This year, SSDD stalwart Malmö Upcycling Service shared its Airbag Project collection, reusing airbags—which are difficult to recycle—into classy pieces, from jackets and handbags to lighting. At “The Aesthetics of Crushing” exhibition, Nina Erichsen and Jacob Bang mixed crushed discarded bricks with clay particles and molded them into new objects.

Reclaimed wood, perhaps more accessible to the average consumer, also made several appearances—including at Design for Circularity, an exhibition by Swedish design research group Superlab. Their collection of flat-pack furniture is certainly more sustainable than the average big-box store flat-pack.

Look around your home—is there anything that could do with a new lease of life? Old t-shirts can be fashioned into a new quilt; tired cushions can be refreshed with embroidery. If you’re not handy, you can always commission someone else to make it for you.

Recycling is at the heart of what we do at The Modern Dane. All byproducts from linen production are reused: the roots, the short fibers, and the shives. Every part of the plant is used, resulting in zero waste.

Color Trends for Fall 2024

Compared to the color explosion of 2023, the fall 2024 palette is more muted. That doesn’t mean color is going away—only that the saturation has been turned down a bit. Think moss green (like our solid-color Scandi-style duvet covers!), rust red, and powder blue. These colors are easier to work with than the bold tones of last year, so if you’re a color novice, this is a good time to dip your toe in. Pick one of the above colors to accessorize with and see where it takes you.

Colored glass is also in, making this the perfect time to rediscover Finnish glassware brand iittala (technically Nordic rather than Scandi, but their products are beloved across Scandinavia). In 2024, new creative director Janni Vepsäläinen has embarked upon a total rebranding, with a fresh logo and her first collection, PLAY, which debuted at the Stockholm Furniture Fair. The new pieces are aimed at a younger crowd, with fun colors such as salmon, lilac, and mint.

Are you planning a home makeover this fall? Which of these Scandi design trends appealed to you? Let us know on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter!