5 Scandinavian-Inspired Holiday Homes We Love

There’s nothing wrong with traditional holiday decor—but we can’t stop swooning over these modern, pared-back Christmas looks. Neutral colour palettes, lots of texture and fresh pops of greenery create a warm and cozy Scandi vibe that just makes sense at this time of year. Want to try it yourself? Let these holiday homes from the WL archives inspire you.

Natural Selection

As a co-founder of Stoops, a front-porch seasonal decorating service, it makes sense that Sarah Duyker would want an organic holiday look. “I really love understated, natural design as an overall aesthetic,” she says. Inside her North Vancouver home, you’ll find felted wool ornaments and wooden beaded garlands on the tree, whole pomegranates on the shelves, and dehydrated orange slices on the table and gifts. Step inside this warm and welcoming space.

Merry Match

If you love red, white and green holiday decor as much as you love Scandinavian style, take a cue from designer Alykhan Velji. With a mix of textures, rustic woods and bold patterns, he seamlessly combined the two. “You don’t need to do a whole lot to decorate for the holidays,” he explains. “It can be as simple as changing out a few pillows and adding holiday greens and small, festive touches.” Tour the rest of this cheerfully decorated Calgary home.

Bough Hunter

White oak, black stained cypress wood, concrete and crisp white drywall provide the perfect foundation for this Scandi-cool look from Denise Ashmore. The designer took a quiet, modern approach to decking the halls—bringing in eucalyptus and cedar boughs instead of evergreen, as well as textured pottery and neutral linens. “Traditions are changing. The world is changing,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be about Santa Claus on towels.” Learn more about this all-natural holiday style.

Homemade Holiday

If it weren’t for the tree, you might not even realize that this Vancouver home was decorated for the holidays. Designer Sophie Burke opted for a simple, fuss-free look. “I hate glitzy Christmas decorations with a passion,” she says. It’s why, instead of bright colours, she incorporated lots of natural and handmade elements—think greenery, wool ornaments and paper angels crafted by her kids. Check out the rest of this festive heritage home.

Nordic Noël

At first glance, it’s hard to tell which items in this room are year-round decorative objects and which are seasonal pieces—and that’s the beauty of it. Aside from a few details (some silver tinsel here, a snow globe there), Designer Sarah Ward’s Christmas fare is subtle. “I prefer a natural, Nordic style, and I like a lot of greenery—firs, eucalyptus—especially because it’s brown and white outside,” she says. See more of this intimate and inviting holiday look.