Lagom – the interior of Swedish wellbeing

Not too long ago, our tips site introduced you to the Danish hygge style. At the beginning of this year, a new trend emerged – lagom-style interiors, which became the Swedish answer to the Danes. Well, let’s tackle this new design direction together..

The word Lagom simply means “just right”, “enough”. Informally, Sweden is sometimes called Lagomlandet, which means “the country in which there is enough.” Generally, Swedes are considered very moderate people. During the time of the Vikings, there was a tradition to pass a thicket with a drink in a circle. Everyone at the table drank as much as they wanted, but did not forget about the next guest.

Most likely, according to historians, this is where the Swedish philosophy of lagom moderation arose. Vogue magazine wrote about the fashion for this style of interior at the beginning of the year..

The philosophy of the Swedes concerns, of course, not only interior furnishing. This is moderation in everything, including attitude to work, portions of breakfast. It is important to be in harmony with yourself and the surrounding reality, according to the inhabitants of Sweden. This also manifested itself in the design of houses and apartments..

Of course, like the hygge, the lagom took a lot from the Scandinavian style of the interior, Our site sovetov.ru devoted a separate article to it. This is not surprising, because the Scandinavian style arose due to the fusion of the traditions of the Swedes, Finns, Danes, Norwegians. However, each Scandinavian people retained their own characteristics, so similar, but still different interior styles arose..

The main principle of the interior in the lagom style should be the phrase of the Swedes: “Lagom ar bast”. This means “the golden mean” or “the right amount is the best.” What does this mean in practice? It’s simple – you only buy what you really need. For example, a second bed in a nursery, because the youngest child has already grown out of the cradle. Or an extra three chairs, because guests often come. Lagom is not a rejection of something pleasant, not a limitation. It is a rejection of frills, but maintaining comfort.

Another important difference between the lagom style is that it is timeless, created for many years. Swedes are not chasing fashion news, buying furnishings that will be in trend for decades.

A striking example is the Bertoia Side chair shown in the photo above. It was created back in 1952 by Harry Bertoua and has not gone out of fashion to this day. Or the round, sweet Tulip dining table. Or a classic gray sofa with soft pillows.

By the way, the most famous Swedish brand IKEA organized the Live Lagom project, helping its customers to choose the best products for the home, focusing on balance and environmental friendliness..

So, we list everything that needs to be done to organize the interior in the lagom style:

• Get rid of unnecessary things. According to the designers, everything is simple – the principle is “one in, one out”. That is, for each purchased piece of furniture, you need to get rid of one thing. So you definitely won’t be able to litter the house with things that will not actually be used;
• Choose a neutral wall color. Lagom is white and gray, very calm and serene shades. You can choose beige, other pastel colors. Bright shades, of course, can be present, but only as separate inclusions, pointwise and very selectively;
• Home to nature! Houseplants are welcome. And often it is not just a palm tree in a tub, but a vegetable garden on the windowsill with fresh herbs. In addition, there must be natural materials, wood, natural textiles;
• Windows should let in as much sunlight as possible, so the curtains are usually transparent, very lightweight. At night, you can lower the roller blinds, which are completely invisible during the day. You also need to provide effective artificial lighting, given the long winter evenings;
• Furniture should not clutter up the space, objects are placed at a distance from each other, so that each plays its role and is noticeable in the interior;
• Rugs are welcome. Not huge carpets, but rugs. In Sweden, trasmatta are popular – “rag rugs” woven from old fabrics and scraps of clothing. A vivid example of an economical approach and love for handmade products;

• The furniture, as you remember, is solid, timeless. You can use vintage items that are carefully tidied;
• There are few decorative details. Usually they are all dear to the hearts of the owners, with a history, they evoke pleasant memories..

It’s easy to create a lagom-style interior. It is unassuming, no frills, but homey and cozy. Follow the Swedes’ wise rule of moderation, “There is a Benefactor” to enjoy the ideal amount of things and give up the culture of consumption.