Your home is a place to unwind, relax, and just be yourself. Of course, this works best when you’re surrounded by furniture and decor that fit your taste and lifestyle to a T. How that may look like is entirely up to you – and might also change over time. For those who could use some inspiration, we’ve created an overview of nine different interior design styles and their special features.
The philosophy behind minimalism can be described in three words: less is more. Rather than making everything bigger and bolder, it’s all about cutting back as much as possible. Anything that doesn’t serve a purpose or distracts the eye? Off it goes! In minimalist living spaces, selected statement pieces take centre stage against a clean background. Monochrome colour schemes of black, white, or grey are accentuated by cool materials such as glass or metal – along with plenty of daylight for an open, airy atmosphere.
Furniture: straight-lined shapes and smooth surfaces
Materials: stainless steel, aluminium, natural stone, concrete, glass
Colours: white, black, grey, beige
Switch designs: Gira E2 in black matt, pure white matt, or grey matt
During the 1960s, many people in big cities such as New York or London were struggling to find affordable housing. Artists and other “free thinkers” within the culture scene thus came up with a clever solution: they turned empty factories, warehouses, and similar facilities into apartments and ateliers. And just like that – industrial interior design was born. Today, the rough appeal of those lofts is more popular than ever. Unplastered brick walls, concrete floors, exposed pipes and wooden beams: all these elements can feel surprisingly homely when combined the right way. In industrial-style living rooms, the rough and unpolished appeal is accentuated by vintage furniture made from wood or metal and accessories such as bare light bulbs.
Materials: stainless steel, aluminium, wood, concrete, glass
Colours: white, black, grey, matt or shiny metallic hues
Must-have: freely suspended light bulbs, metal counter tops
Switch design: Gira Studio in black matt
Another trend that began in the middle of the 20th century and continues to inspire contemporary homes: puristic elegance with furniture in organic shapes and bourgeois accessories in dark wood or (faux) leather. The mid-century modern interior design style works particularly well in huge open spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows. You’ll also find a lot of dressers, sideboards, and armchairs on slim feet. To bring out the nostalgic appeal, you can add vintage elements such as newspaper racks or chromium-plated lamps. Many design classics from the 1950s and 1960s are still being reproduced to this day.
Furniture: functional and organic
Materials: dark wood, (faux) leather, velvet
Colours: brown, beige, and other warm earthy tones
Must-have: classic pieces from the 1950s
Switch design: Gira Esprit in aluminium brown or glass umber
Similar to Scandinavian interior, nordic-style living rooms are all about those “hygge“ vibes. Natural materials, earthy colours, and rounded shapes will make you feel right at home. The decor leans more toward a minimalist approach: playful accessories take a backseat against functional furniture pieces and a clean, reduced aesthetic.
Furniture: wooden or painted white
Materials: larch, pine, fir, cherry, walnut; (faux) leather, cork
Colours: earth, creme, and pastel hues
Must-have: a huge lounge area, f.ex. with the Moss sofa by COR
Switch design: Gira Esprit in linoleum-multiplex
You love spending time in the open air, surrounded by lots of green? Then this might be just what you’re looking for: the new natural style turns indoor spaces into an outdoor experience. Needless to say, it includes sustainable materials only. Woven baskets and untreated wooden surfaces speak of long hikes through the woods and dinners cooked over a campfire. In terms of colour, light earthy tones and any shade of green are a great choice for this interior design style. Decorative stones, twigs, or reed – anything you might have picked up during your latest adventure – further accentuate the rustic, pristine appeal.
Furniture: simple and functional
Materials: light untreated wood, natural stone
Colours: all shades of green, bright earthy hues
Must-have: souvenirs from your walks through the woods
Switch design: Gira Esprit linoleum-mulitplex
When people hear “boho style“, they often think of the hippie era during the 1960s and 1970s. But the term “bohemian“ actually refers to a movement that began more than a century earlier: originally used as a pejorative for Roma gypsies, it came to signify the romantic ideal of “free spirits” who sought a life outside of the bourgeoisie. Today, the Oxford Dictionary defines “bohemian” as “a person, often somebody who is involved with the arts, who lives in a very informal way without following accepted rules of behaviour”. Boho interior design reflects this sense of avant-garde with a bright mix of colours, patterns, and textures: vintage armchairs and embroidered pillows meet oriental ornaments and Beni Ourain carpets. Bohemian-style decor celebrates unique and handmade creations – with patchwork blankets as the cover for an old sofa or an antique suitcase turned into a coffee table, for example.
Motifs: mandalas, tribals, geometrical patterns
Materials: wood, cotton, linen, (faux) fur, (faux) leather, rattan
Colours: bright, earthy tones with splashes of orange, turquoise, or violet
Must-have: vintage finds from the flea market and handmade pieces
Switch design: Gira E3 in umber soft touch or sand soft touch
Geographically, Japan and Scandinavia are around 8,000 kilometres apart. But their cultures have more in common than you might think – and their differences complement each other perfectly. No wonder that the Japandi interior design style, a fusion of Nordic and Asian elements, has found its way into contemporary homes. Minimalist yet homely, it invites us to take a breath and regain a sense of calm amidst our busy lives. Bright colours and simplistic shapes create a clear aesthetic that helps us clear our minds just as well. Japandi interior also draws inspiration from wabi-sabi – a Japanese philosophy rooted in Zen Buddhism that celebrates the beauty of imperfection.
Patterns and motifs: none, the interior is kept as clean as possible
Materials: soft, single-colour textiles and dark wood
Colours: light earthy tones, beige, black
Must-have: large wall paintings with abstract motifs
Switch design: Gira E2 in black or grey matt
Imagine you spent a day hiking across alpine mountains and now you’re looking forward to a cosy evening in front of the fireplace: that’s exactly the feeling that modern farmhouse-style interior design evokes, with handmade wooden furniture and quaint, cheerful details. The ideal backdrop would be a setup reminiscent of a traditional log cabin or ”chalet“. Neutral tones such as creamy white or grey, along with lots of fluffy blankets, round off the warm ambience. For the final touches, you can add a few rustic accessories: a pair of antlers on the wall, (faux) furs, or lanterns, for example.
Materials: beech, spruce, oak, pine; natural stone
Colours: shades of brown, bright creamy hues
Must-have: (faux) fur on chairs or floors, alpine accessories on the wall
Switch design: Gira Esprit linoleum-mulitplex