Bathroom Design Ideas: Tips for Designing a Scandinavian Bathroom 

The base of any Scandinavian bathroom design is a light, neutral color palette. This can include just about any shade of white, tan, beige, or light gray you prefer. The key is to create a color palette that maximizes and softens the light in your bathroom and creates a look that is easy on the eyes. This of course includes your primary paint colors, but can also impact the type of wood you use in your cabinetry, the shower wall colors you pick, and the countertop on your vanity.

The good news for lovers of color is that unlike some other design styles that stick closely to neutrals, Scandinavian design also embraces soft blues and greens, particularly shades that you’d find in nature. You can incorporate your secondary color palette with an accent wall, painted trim, or linens. You can also bring color in through some well-placed artwork, which we’ll discuss more below.

Continuing the theme of pulling inspiration from nature, Scandinavian design includes natural materials and textures. This includes things like:

• Soft wood (e.g., birch or ash) cabinetry
• Wicker baskets for laundry or supplies like extra toilet paper
• Shower walls that resemble natural stone (acrylic walls are a great balance of aesthetic and ease of maintenance)
• Teak bath mats
• Teak shower seating (built in for safety)
• Linen shower curtains or a glass shower door

Whenever possible, replace synthetic materials like plastic toothbrush holders and soap dispensers with sturdier materials like wood, glass, and stone. These materials will instantly elevate your bathroom and create the grounding, Nordic-inspired aesthetic of Scandinavian design.

Scandinavian design tends to go in one of two directions: modern and minimalist or traditional and cozy. If the latter calls to you more than the formal, you can embrace a traditional Nordic look with artwork featuring nature-inspired geometric patterns.

Popular subjects in Scandinavian folk art include flowers and other plant life, as well as animals like rabbits, bears, and birds. You’ll often find these patterns in color combinations like red and blue or yellow and blue.

If you want to add some folk art to your Scandinavian bathroom without losing that overall modern vibe, consider getting one or two prints in frames that compliment your bathroom hardware. If you’re looking to bring that colorful whimsy to the forefront of your bathroom design, consider a Nordic-inspired shower curtain or geometric-print countertop accessories.

In order to maintain that soothing, put-together look that you associate with Scandinavian design, it’s crucial that you have an organizational system that actually works. Not only does that mean decluttering your medicine cabinet and vanity drawers, but it also means creating a clutter-free shower space.

One of the fastest ways to make your bathroom look messier and more overwhelming is to crowd your showering essentials, like soap and shampoo, on the tub ledge or shower floor. If you’re ready to invest in a bathtub replacement or walk-in shower installation, make sure to include built-in storage accessories in your design. Some of the most popular choices with ZINTEX customers include:

• Grab shelves: 20” - 30” shelves that can double as accessibility-focused grab bars
• Recessed shower caddies: Shelves designed for bar soap or shampoo bottles that are set in your shower wall, taking up no interior space in your shower
• Corner shelves: built-in shelves with a 14” depth and a triangular shape that fit directly into the corner of your shower wall surround

Even just a few built-in shelves can create a tidy space for all of your daily-use shower and bath products.

Looking for some quick and simple ways to add a Scandinavian touch to your bathroom ASAP? Try these small upgrades:

• Unify your color scheme: Go light and neutral with your bathroom linens, opting for white, tan, or grey or bringing in a soft pop of color with light blue or green.
• Frame and hang a Nordic pattern: Use the frame of your choosing to create wall art out of a nature-inspired geometric pattern. Bonus points if the frame matches your hardware and the print matches your overall color palette.
• Ditch the single-use plastic: Try reusable hand soap dispensers made of glass and pair it with a matching toothbrush holder, a wicker waste basket, and wicker bins for extra towels or bathroom supplies.

If you’re looking for ways to give your bathroom a Scandinavian makeover, this guide has you covered. From shower remodeling tips to small design hacks, you’ve got the information you need to approach your bathroom design from the scope and budget that works for you.

Realizing Scandinavian design might not be the only style that catches your eye? Take a look at our guide to matching Jacuzzi shower walls to your design style.