Decorating for Contentment: How to Live a 'Lagom' Life
Can you achieve contentment and balance in your home by practising self-restraint and moderation?
Rebecca Gross
7 June 2017
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design, and I study cultural history through the lens of architecture, design and visual culture. I have a Masters in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from Parsons The New School for Design, New York. My latest book is called "Ornament is not a crime: Contemporary Interiors with a postmodern twist."
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design,... More
The Swedish concept of lagom is the idea of ‘not too little, not too much’. The opposite of materialism and consumerism, it is about moderation and restraint. What does that look like? To visualise lagom, consider Scandinavian furniture. It’s practical and functional, its components are essential and unadorned, and ultimately it’s comfortable, timeless and versatile.
So how do you foster lagom in your home? By having only what is essential to you. It’s not about being a minimalist, it’s about being considered. Be inspired by these beautifully simple – and simply beautiful – interiors that are lagom all the way.
So how do you foster lagom in your home? By having only what is essential to you. It’s not about being a minimalist, it’s about being considered. Be inspired by these beautifully simple – and simply beautiful – interiors that are lagom all the way.
Find contentment
Contentment is the foundation of lagom. It’s the feeling of happiness and satisfaction with what you have, and that what you have is enough or sufficient for your way of life.
Find a designer near you on Houzz to create the interior you’ve always wanted
Contentment is the foundation of lagom. It’s the feeling of happiness and satisfaction with what you have, and that what you have is enough or sufficient for your way of life.
Find a designer near you on Houzz to create the interior you’ve always wanted
Be quietly confident
With contentment comes quiet confidence. There is no fussiness or pretentiousness in lagom, rather every element has a purpose and a place. As such, spaces are modest and understated but carefully considered.
With contentment comes quiet confidence. There is no fussiness or pretentiousness in lagom, rather every element has a purpose and a place. As such, spaces are modest and understated but carefully considered.
Look on the light side of life
Interiors look and feel light, airy and pared back, while still being warm and inviting. This is due to the lack of ‘stuff’ and clutter, but also the fact that natural light and fresh air are essential and should be taken advantage of.
See more Scandi-style white kitchens
Interiors look and feel light, airy and pared back, while still being warm and inviting. This is due to the lack of ‘stuff’ and clutter, but also the fact that natural light and fresh air are essential and should be taken advantage of.
See more Scandi-style white kitchens
Make sustainable choices
Being considered in your consumption not only means furniture and homewares choices. It can also extend to clothing, food and energy consumption. Make sustainable choices in all facets of your home life, including small and simple changes such as LED light bulbs, recycling, buying only what you eat and considering the environmental impact of the design of your furniture.
Being considered in your consumption not only means furniture and homewares choices. It can also extend to clothing, food and energy consumption. Make sustainable choices in all facets of your home life, including small and simple changes such as LED light bulbs, recycling, buying only what you eat and considering the environmental impact of the design of your furniture.
Have respect for resources
Instead of discarding, throwing away or buying brand new furniture, make a concerted effort to upcycle or source secondhand pieces. They often come with a lot of history and character that new pieces just don’t have, and they are also a sustainable choice.
10 forgotten items to repurpose as a standout feature
Instead of discarding, throwing away or buying brand new furniture, make a concerted effort to upcycle or source secondhand pieces. They often come with a lot of history and character that new pieces just don’t have, and they are also a sustainable choice.
10 forgotten items to repurpose as a standout feature
Simplify and store away
You can have an uncluttered space by keeping only those things that are essential. However, what is essential to you may be different to someone else idea of the necessities; and essential can be interpreted in different ways – it may be practical, functional or nostalgic, or it may be joyful, as Marie Kondo addresses The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.
You can have an uncluttered space by keeping only those things that are essential. However, what is essential to you may be different to someone else idea of the necessities; and essential can be interpreted in different ways – it may be practical, functional or nostalgic, or it may be joyful, as Marie Kondo addresses The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.
Hand in hand with decluttering a space comes investing in smart storage solutions. But don’t think of storage as a place to hide things away or to keep them for a rainy day. Rather, storage is to bring organisation to your home and limit any unused, unnecessary possessions.
Bring the outdoors in
Buy indoor plants instead of investing in decorative objects and knick-knacks. They add colour, vibrancy and life to interiors while improving indoor air quality and providing health benefits. Choose hardy succulents, hanging plants, potted palms or whole vertical gardens.
Buy indoor plants instead of investing in decorative objects and knick-knacks. They add colour, vibrancy and life to interiors while improving indoor air quality and providing health benefits. Choose hardy succulents, hanging plants, potted palms or whole vertical gardens.
Invest in quality
When you do make purchases, invest in good quality objects that will last and/or that do multiple purposes. This will limit what you need while increasing the lifespan of pieces.
The benefits of investing in quality extend beyond the home to the impact of production and waste on the planet. It’s the return to slow consumption: investing in and taking care of goods that are designed and manufactured to go the distance.
When you do make purchases, invest in good quality objects that will last and/or that do multiple purposes. This will limit what you need while increasing the lifespan of pieces.
The benefits of investing in quality extend beyond the home to the impact of production and waste on the planet. It’s the return to slow consumption: investing in and taking care of goods that are designed and manufactured to go the distance.
Master the art of moderation
Moderation is about having only what you need. Before you make a purchase, consider whether you really need it, and if it will complement or improve what you already have functionally and aesthetically.
Or take the approach of one-in, one-out: if you purchase or accrue something new, then it is at the loss or donation or something you already have.
How to embrace the less-is-more trend
Moderation is about having only what you need. Before you make a purchase, consider whether you really need it, and if it will complement or improve what you already have functionally and aesthetically.
Or take the approach of one-in, one-out: if you purchase or accrue something new, then it is at the loss or donation or something you already have.
How to embrace the less-is-more trend
Considered colour
Choose colours that make you happy and that you can live with now and in the future. Don’t be driven by trends and fashions, choose colours that make you feel good and complement your home and lifestyle.
Choose colours that make you happy and that you can live with now and in the future. Don’t be driven by trends and fashions, choose colours that make you feel good and complement your home and lifestyle.
Your turn
Does living a lagom life appeal to you? Let us know what aspects you’d like to embrace in the Comments below.
More
Read up on more interior trends
Does living a lagom life appeal to you? Let us know what aspects you’d like to embrace in the Comments below.
More
Read up on more interior trends
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Such an interesting perspective on design. Great article! We love the timeless and versatile aspects of natural stone in design. It brings texture and a grounding influence that inspires many of the sentiments mentioned above.
While I like the look of some of these spacious half empty rooms I would not achieve lagom that way. I like the things I love around me and I like to look at something pleasing wherever I am in a room. By the same token it needs to be functional as we don't all have heaps of space.
I also find this way of living to my liking …… I will copy some of this and see if I can change what I do…for I have way too much stuff…and I would like the peace that I believe I will find ….