How do you decorate Scandinavian style in a small apartment?

Pick three spots, such as the window, the table and one shelf. Hang a paper star on the curtain rod, put a candle bridge on the sill, and leave the rest of the room as it is.

9 Scandinavian Christmas Decor Ideas for Small Homes

Q: What are traditional Swedish Christmas decorations?

A paper or metal Advent star in the window (adventsstjärna), an Advent candlestick (adventsljusstake) with four candles or a window bridge with seven lights, a straw Yule goat (julbock) and the tomte, a small gnome-like guardian of the farm.

Q: What colors are used in Scandinavian Christmas decor?

White and warm neutrals with natural wood, then red as the accent. A modern version uses two or three soft shades plus one accent color, often deep green or red.

The Scandinavian Christmas decor ideas that work best in a small home are the plain, old Nordic ones: a paper star in the window, a row of candle lights on the sill, a straw goat on a shelf and a few woven paper hearts. Keep the colors to white, red and natural wood, use warm candle-style light, and leave empty space around each piece. That is the classic Scandinavian holiday look, and it asks for very little floor space. The Swedes have a word for that last part, lagom, which means not too much and not too little, and it is why the look fits a small living room so well.

Styling idea: a paper star, a candle bridge and a sheepskin, all in white and natural wood.

Every Christmas decoration below comes with its real name and where it comes from, so you know which things are Swedish customs, which are Danish and which are just a nice look. Pick three or four. A window, a table and one shelf is plenty, and the Nordic Christmas aesthetic leans on natural materials like wood, paper and straw, so much of it is cheap or handmade.

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9 Scandinavian Christmas decor ideas for a small home

1. Hang a paper Advent star in the window

In Sweden a star in the window is close to a rule. Nordic Nest, a Swedish home store, says it traditionally goes up on the first Sunday of Advent and stays lit until well after New Year. The Swedes call it an adventsstjärna. It started with the Moravian church in Herrnhut, Saxony, and spread north. In 2026 the first Sunday of Advent is November 29.

To do it at home, choose the window you see most, either from the sofa or from the street. Hang the star from the curtain rod or a small adhesive hook, put a warm white light inside it and set a timer so it comes on at dusk. One large star is enough. If you want more, hang two or three at different heights.

This set of three paper star lanterns (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. has one 24 inch star and two 18 inch stars, made of 300gsm paper, with warm LED strings, a remote and a timer. Batteries are not included. Use an 18 inch star in the window and keep the 24 inch one for a corner or above the sofa.

White paper star lantern lit from inside, hanging from a curtain rod in a dark window with a few tall pine sprigs on the sill — Styling idea: one lit paper star in the darkest window.

2. Put an electric candle bridge on the windowsill

Swedish windows often hold a candle light that looks like a small arch. The traditional adventsljusstake is a candlestick for four candles, with one more lit on each Sunday of Advent. The electric version usually has seven lights in a pyramid shape, and Nordic Nest sells them as candle arches and candle bridges. The electric kind goes back to the 1930s. Nordic Nest says people place them on the sill as a quiet welcome for neighbors and visitors.

For a small home it is the easiest idea on this list. Set it on the sill, run the cord behind the curtain and plug it into an outlet timer, so it comes on at dusk without you.

This white wooden candle bridge (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. has seven flameless tapers and runs on a 3 meter USB cable with a switch on the cord. If there is no outlet near the window, this white wooden candle bridge with warm white LEDs (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. runs on two AA batteries, which are not included.

White wooden candle bridge with seven lit candle lights on a windowsill, a pine sprig beside it and a dark winter window behind — Styling idea: a seven-light candle bridge on the sill.

3. Set out a straw goat (julbock)

The Yule goat is a Scandinavian Christmas symbol, and today it is mostly made of straw bound with red ribbon. In Swedish it is the julbock. People set one under the tree or on a shelf, and many are handmade. The giant version is the straw goat built each year in Gävle, Sweden, which started in 1966. A small one is a festive ornament that does the same job on a bookcase.

Put one goat where the eye lands, such as the end of a shelf, the entry table or the middle of the window sill. Tie a fresh red ribbon on it if the old one is faded. Straw is an old Nordic material for Christmas. The Vesterheim museum says Norwegians shaped it into animals, crosses and people for good luck.

This set of small straw Yule goats (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. is about 4 inches tall each, so they hang on a branch or sit on a shelf. For one big piece, this 17.7 inch straw goat (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. can sit under the tree or on the floor beside the fireplace.

Small straw Yule goat tied with a red ribbon on a pale wooden shelf next to a white candle and a sprig of spruce — Styling idea: one straw goat with a red ribbon on a shelf.

4. Weave paper hearts (julehjerter)

Danish woven paper hearts are called julehjerter. It is a simple paper craft: two pieces of paper folded and woven together in a checkerboard pattern, often in red and white. The oldest known one was made by Hans Christian Andersen in 1860 and is in the Hans Christian Andersen Museum in Odense. The first printed instructions followed in 1871, and by 1901 a Danish manor house tree was pictured with them on its branches.

Hang three of them from a branch, the curtain rod, cabinet handles or a wall hook. They also open into little baskets, so you can slip a clementine or a few nuts inside.

This red and white kit (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. has the pieces precut for 12 hearts on light cardstock, in a 3 by 3 checkered pattern. Each finished heart is about 4.5 inches across. Instructions are included, so it works for a kitchen table evening with a child.

Three red and white woven paper hearts hanging from a bare branch beside a window, one heart holding a clementine — Styling idea: three red and white woven hearts, one holding a clementine.

5. Stick to white, red and natural wood

Traditional Scandinavian Christmas decor is mostly red and white with natural, rustic touches, according to DigsDigs. The modern version, from Nordic Nest, picks two or three soft shades such as white, cream and warm wood, and adds one accent color.

For a small room that means a simple recipe. Keep the furniture, walls and curtains as they are, and swap one sofa pillow cover for red and white. Choose white or cream linen, one wooden tray or bowl, and red in just three places, for example a ribbon, a napkin and a hanging heart. Put away anything in a third color. In the Nordics Christmas comes in the darkest weeks of the year, so the calm look is partly about light and warmth, and Swedes call that cozy feeling mys.

Corner of a small living room with a cream linen sofa, a wooden tray on the coffee table holding a red ribbon and a white candle, and a red and white woven heart on the wall — Styling idea: cream linen, wood and red in only three places.

6. Set up a sparse tree, real or in a pot

A Scandinavian tree is thin on purpose. The Spruce describes them as having sparse branches and minimalist decorations. A tree skirt is less common in this style. Erin Francois, a home blogger quoted there, suggests a woven basket or a galvanized bucket as a tree collar over the tree stand, or just leaving the stand bare.

In a small home, pick a tree about 3 to 4 feet tall and set it in a basket on a side table or the floor. A living spruce in a pot works too, but plan to move it back outside after about a week to ten days. A cut tabletop spruce in a bucket of water is the simpler choice if you want it up all of Advent. Nordic Nest also suggests a few large branches in a floor vase in place of a tree.

Hang only a few things: woven hearts, small straw ornaments, wooden ornaments such as stars, and white lights. See small space Christmas tree ideas for measurements.

Slim three foot spruce tree in a woven basket on a wooden floor, hung with a few red and white paper hearts and wooden stars and warm white lights — Styling idea: a thin spruce in a basket with only a few ornaments.

7. Layer a sheepskin and a wool throw

Sheepskin and wool give a pale, bare interior some texture and warmth. Erylin suggests layering cream linen, a wool throw and a sheepskin as the base of the room, and Homenish shows a sheepskin laid under a tree. Drape a sheepskin over an armchair or a bench, and fold a wool throw over the arm of the sofa.

This genuine New Zealand sheepskin (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. is a single pelt, 2 by 3 feet, in ivory. Each pelt varies a little, from creamy white to warmer tones. For a throw, this cream Aran blanket (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. is 100 percent Irish merino wool and measures 40 by 66 inches. It is Irish rather than Nordic, but a cream wool throw fits the look. The listing says to hand wash it gently or dry clean it.

Wooden armchair with an ivory sheepskin over the seat and a cream cable knit wool throw folded over one arm, a small white star hanging in the window behind — Styling idea: an ivory sheepskin on the seat and a cream wool throw on the arm.

8. Group candles in plain holders

Candles carry most of a Scandinavian Christmas, and the warm glow is the point. Two or three also look good on a fireplace mantel. Nordic Nest suggests grouping them in odd numbers at different heights, and says Advent candles are lit one per week for the four weeks before Christmas. The holders do not have to be fancy. Plain wood or white ceramic is enough.

Put three on the dining table or four on a tray, and light one more each Sunday if you want to keep the Advent custom. On days when you are out, use flameless ones.

These wooden taper holders (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. come as a set of three, 4, 6 and 8 inches tall, in solid rubberwood with a metal cup inside, and they hold tapers up to 0.87 inch wide. These ivory flameless tapers (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. are 9.6 inches tall and come with a remote and a 2, 4, 6 or 8 hour timer.

Three ivory taper candles lit in wooden candle holders of different heights on a pale wooden dining table with a linen runner and a few spruce sprigs — Styling idea: three tapers in plain wooden holders of different heights.

9. Hang ornaments on a bare branch

If a tree is too much, a branch will do. DigsDigs shows branches in vases and jars hung with paper and felt ornaments, pinecones and cinnamon sticks, in place of a tree. Take three or four bare branches about 3 feet long, stand them in a tall jar filled with stones to keep them upright, and hang a handful of ornaments from them, about a hand apart so each ornament shows: paper hearts, a few straw stars or a dried orange slice.

This set of straw snowflake and star ornaments (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. has 45 pieces, sold as Scandinavian-style straw ornaments. You only need ten for a branch, and the rest can go on a wreath or a gift.

Three tall bare branches in a clear glass jar of stones on a wooden table, hung with straw stars, red and white paper hearts and dried orange slices — Styling idea: bare branches in a jar with straw stars, hearts and orange slices.

What makes Christmas decor Scandinavian?

Mostly light, natural materials and a few symbols with a story behind them. Nordic Nest says candles and stars brighten the long winter nights, while playful figures such as the tomte and the julbock remind people of old traditions. It is less about filling every surface and more about creating a feeling. DigsDigs calls minimalism the motto of Scandinavian Christmas design, and in interior design terms the aesthetics are simple shapes, natural materials and plenty of space. As holiday decor goes it is quiet and a little nostalgic for handmade things. People often call the Nordic Christmas look Scandi for short.

The tomte is a small gnome-like guardian of the farm and home from Nordic folklore. In Norway and Denmark he is called a nisse. Use one or two, not a shelf full.

Is Finland Scandinavian?

Not strictly. Pillar Box Blue explains that all Scandinavian countries are Nordic but not all Nordic countries are Scandinavian, and Finland is Nordic. Most people use “Scandinavian” for the whole look anyway, and Finnish homes use the same stars, candles and straw, so the decor ideas are close across all of them.

What are traditional Swedish Christmas decorations?

The classic Swedish pieces are the Advent star (adventsstjärna) in the window, the Advent candlestick (adventsljusstake), the straw Yule goat (julbock) and the tomte. Nordic Nest also lists angel chimes, where the warmth of candles sets small angels turning and ringing bells, and ceramic village houses lit from inside. Ideas 1, 2 and 3 above are the three easiest to copy at home.

What are the Christmas traditions in Norway?

The big night is Christmas Eve. Across Scandinavia that is when the tree is decorated, dinner is eaten by candlelight and presents are opened, as Pillar Box Blue puts it. Two Norwegian decorations are easy to copy. The julenek is a sheaf of grain put out on a pole or by the door for the birds at Christmas, and the Vesterheim museum says that it began as the first bundle cut in the fall. Julekurver are small paper baskets hung on the tree to hold nuts and candy, and they are close cousins of the Danish hearts in idea 4.

What colors are used in Scandinavian Christmas decor?

White, warm neutrals and natural wood, with red as the usual accent. DigsDigs describes traditional decor as mostly red and white or white and neutrals. The modern version from Nordic Nest picks two or three soft shades and one accent, such as deep forest green, burgundy or brass. Black candle holders or a black tree show up in modern versions, but you can skip them.

How do you decorate Scandinavian style in a rental or small apartment?

Choose three places and leave the rest alone. Erylin’s small-apartment plan is a slim or tabletop tree by a lamp, a star in the window, a garland on removable hooks, and one tray of three candles on the coffee table.

If you rent, use adhesive hooks or a tension rod for the star and the garland, and flameless candles on every surface. Our guide to Christmas window decorating ideas for renters covers hanging stars with no holes in the wall.

How do you set a Scandinavian Christmas table?

Use a plain linen cloth or runner, white or one-tone dishes, and a low line of greenery with candles. Nordic Nest’s minimalist guide keeps the table tone-on-tone so conversation is the focus. A sprig of spruce or a name card on each plate is all the extra decoration it needs. For a small table, our Christmas table settings for small tables gives the sizes: about 24 inches of table edge per person and a centerpiece under 10 inches tall on a 36 inch round.

How do you do Scandinavian Christmas decor outside?

Keep it small. A simple spruce wreath with a red ribbon, a lantern with a flameless candle on the step and a sheaf of oats for the birds, in the Norwegian julenek style, are enough. Nordic Nest notes that lit windows already do the work of decorating for people walking past, so the paper star or candle bridge in a street-facing window counts as outdoor decor too.

Can you do Scandinavian Christmas decor in a small kitchen?

Yes, and keep the counters usable. Lindi and Russ, who do their kitchen in this style, put a little greenery on the counter and swap the shelf decor for a few holiday pieces, because they cook there every day. Add a bowl of clementines, a gingerbread cookie on a plate, and a straw goat on the windowsill, and leave everything else.

How do you make Scandinavian Christmas decor on a budget?

Make the paper things yourself, and collect the rest outside. Paper stars and woven hearts cost almost nothing, bare branches and spruce clippings are free, and dried orange slices cost a few oranges. Our post on how to make a dried orange garland gives the slice thickness and oven time. Buy only what is hard to make: a candle bridge, a straw goat and maybe a sheepskin. The small changes in our hygge home checklist fit this style well.

What mistakes make Scandinavian Christmas decor feel cluttered?

Too many colors, too many gnomes and too many shiny ornaments. Erylin puts too many colors first on its mistakes list. Stay with white, red and wood, use each idea once, and take away one thing before you add another.

What to buy

The products from above, in one place. Check sizes and colors on each listing before you order.

Paper star lanterns, set of three: one 24 inch and two 18 inch, with LED strings (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Wooden candle bridge, 7 flameless tapers: white, USB powered (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Wooden candle bridge with LEDs: white, battery powered (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Straw Yule goats, small: about 4 inches tall (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Straw goat, large: 17.7 inches (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Danish heart kit: red and white, 12 hearts (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Sheepskin: genuine, ivory, 2 by 3 feet (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Wool throw: cream merino, 40 by 66 inches (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Wooden taper holders, set of three: 4, 6 and 8 inches (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Flameless taper candles: ivory with remote and timer (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Straw ornaments, 45 pieces: stars and snowflakes (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.