Clean, bright, serene, and balanced, Nordic style never goes out of fashion. Quite the opposite: more and more people are choosing it for its minimalist, elegant touch. It’s one of the biggest stars of interior design—not just thanks to Ikea—but Nordic-design fabrics are increasingly making their way out into the world, and it’s amazing what they can do for your style and your little ones’. Reference sites like Ministyleblog are going all in on this style for little ones, and the truth is that if you take a look at their Instagram, you’ll absolutely fall in love.
Since we always get pretty Nordic around this time of year when the weather turns cold, just as happened last winter with crosses and triangles, quintessential Nordic fabrics, we’ve brought a little Scandinavia back into our latest order. Want to see it? We warn you, you’re going to love at least one of them, so start thinking about what you’ll make with it and whether you’ll use it to make new cushion covers for the sofa, a teepee for the bedroom, a super-cool sweatshirt and pants for your little one, a pencil skirt or a turtleneck sweater for yourself… We can think of so, so many things, and we don’t have time for all of them!
But we’re going to show you our favorite Nordic-design fabrics so you can make the most of yours ;)
Nordic-design fabrics for interior design and outfits.
Black X – Organic knit.
Elvelyckan Design is a Swedish company—where else!—that we fell in love with for the freshness, creativity, and high quality of its fabrics. Founded by two sisters, its Nordic-design fabrics are a relaxed and playful reinterpretation of traditional Swedish motifs, like this Black X. It reminds us a lot of Pia Wallen’s cross blanket, but with a bold twist that challenges the perfect harmony of this design with excellent taste.
Gold X – Organic knit.
We tend to think of Nordic design as being based on black and white, and that’s only partly true. Spaces in this style tend toward bright pops of color that break up the monotony. White is a constant because of its direct relationship with light: it amplifies and reflects it in an area where the hours of sunlight become very scarce in winter, even nonexistent in the northernmost regions. Gold X is the perfect break from the norm: gold + white + black is a winning equation.
Panda Mint – Organic Knit.
Another great one from Elvelyckan Design. Animals are also a very common motif in Nordic-design fabrics, just like geometric shapes. When colors are introduced, they choose soft, pastel, non-strident shades, as in this Panda Mint, where white, black, and gold, just as we promised you a few lines ago, create a perfect combination. This one is gorgeous for little ones, isn’t it?
Canvas Buck Forest – Canvas.
This design is by Art Gallery Fabrics, and it isn’t organic knit but canvas. Still, it retains the basic, 100% recognizable elements of Nordic-design fabrics: black on bright white and animal motifs, in this case more understated but just as lovely, in an even print that’s perfect for interiors or accessories. This canvas is perfect for upholstery, for making a teepee that will drive little ones wild, or for sewing a strong, durable travel bag, for example. But I’m sure you’ll think of even more things to make with Canvas Buck Forest.
Woodland Friends Navy – Cotton.
And finally, another must for Nordic-design fabrics: trees. Specifically, firs and pines, iconic Scandinavian species known for their resistance to cold. In this case, it’s a Riley Blake print on 100% cotton fabric that we’ve used in many of our projects because it’s so versatile and combines so well with other prints and colors, especially with its siblings from the Woodland Spring collection. It was one of the stars of our latest tutorial (rigid basket with lid) and another one, the roll-up sleeping bag. You can also buy it in the shop, just like all the others.