Ideal v Great Deal – get a rustic Scandi look for less

We've found our ideal Scandi buys and some great-value lookalikes. Can you tell the difference?

As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, it's a good time to take some interior inspiration from the Swedes. They know just how to make a home look simultaneously bright and airy and warm and toasty – a perfect combo for a British winter.

Make this approach work for you by using rugged textures and vintage treasures, and combine with clean contemporary lines for a relaxed feel. We've chosen a few key pieces that will get you started on the road to rustic Scandi chic. And we've also done our homework and tracked down some budget alternatives to our ideal picks.

More great deals: We've found low-cost doubles for cool, Scandi-style homeware

The rattan chair

fabulous woven chairs

(Image credit: TBC)

Outdoor furniture that can be used indoors is going to be BIG in 2018, so jump on the trend bus early with one of these fabulous woven chairs.

Buy now

Ideal: Bloomingville rattan chair in Natural, £365, Out There Interiors
Great deal:
Pia natural rattan armchair, £149, Tikamoon

The pendant light

pendant light with pair with its polished aluminium and etched glass finish

(Image credit: TBC)

A simple industrial pendant suits a Scandi scheme, particularly in silver. Our ideal is probably the more glamorous of the pair with its polished aluminium and etched glass finish, while the great deal keeps it real in raw steel.

Buy now

Ideal: Titan size three pendant light, £295, Original BTC
Great deal: Stourton raw steel pendant, £69.99, Dowsing & Reynolds

Light the way: Kitchen lighting – everything you need to know

The silver sheepskin

silver sheepskin versatile rugs

(Image credit: TBC)

If you don't already have a sheepskin in your home.. well, who even are you?! But seriously, these versatile rugs can be used on the floor, draped over a chair sofa or bed, or for performing Jon Snow impressions.

Buy now

Ideal: Silver sheepskin rug, from £59, Modern Rugs
Great deal:
Grey sheepskin, £34.99, Dunelm

The glass goblet

goblet style wine glasses

(Image credit: TBC)

Drink and be merry with these goblet-style wine glasses. Buy the Ikea version and you'll have cash left over for a bottle of red wine – maybe even two.

Buy now

Ideal: Retreat wine glasses, £25 for four, Marks & Spencer
Great deal:
Pokal wine glass, £1.50, Ikea

The festive wreath

little frosted foliage festive wreath

(Image credit: TBC)

Add a little frosted foliage to an interior or exterior door with either of these beauties.

Buy now

Ideal: Frosted Finley wreath, £45, Amara
Great deal:
Linea Eucalyptus wreath, £32, House of Fraser

The kitchen table

dining table with heat and scratch resistant laminate

(Image credit: TBC)

Loaf's reclaimed timber table is extendable, so you can quickly create extra space for last-minute dinner guests. Our Ideal is from John Lewis, and has a wipe-clean top made from a heat- and scratch-resistant laminate. If you've got young children, it's a no-brainer of a choice.

Buy now

Ideal: Toaster kitchen table in Vintage White, £795, Loaf
Great deal:
Clayton dining table in cream, £199, John Lewis

The decorative stag

decorative stag

(Image credit: TBC)

Let's decorate... Best Christmas garlands to invite festive cheer into your home

Pretty up a mantelpiece or windowsill over Christmas with these fine fellows. Our 'ideals' come as a pair and are made of a smooth white cast that looks a lot like porcelain.

Buy now

Ideal: Doe and stag pair, £21, Eclect Design
Great deal:
Sparkly stag, £2.50, Wilko

Whether you go for our ideals or great deals is up to you – either way, you'll be creating a very stylish and easy-to-live-with new scheme.

Amy Cutmore
Contributor

Amy Cutmore is an experienced interiors editor and writer, who has worked on titles including Ideal Home, Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, GardeningEtc, Top Ten Reviews and Country Life. And she's a winner of the PPA's Digital Content Leader of the Year. A homes journalist for two decades, she has a strong background in technology and appliances, and has a small portfolio of rental properties, so can offer advice to renters and rentees, alike.