We could all learn a few lessons from our Nordic cousins at this time of the year.

Their homes always look so light and bright and cheerful whatever the season but they also know how to capture the few daylight hours they have in winter.  And they know how to do this without compromising comfort or cosyness.

• Lesson 1 Use a white on white colour palette.  It doesn’t have to be brilliant white on every surface.  The trick is to use different shades of white.

• Lesson 2  Keep the wooden floors as simple as possible.  Natural wood or white are both beautiful and always warm underfoot.  A few simple rugs or animal skins will add interest, pattern and texture.

• Lesson 3 Use painted furniture.  Wooden furniture painted white or in shades of grey is another nordic trick for maximizing the light in a room.  The result is no dark corners and if there does happen to be one piece of furniture in its simple natural wooden state, it creates more of a beautiful statement.

• Lesson 4  Keep the windows unadorned.  No fussy curtains or blinds to obstruct the flow of light.

• Lesson 5  Create vistas from room to room.  A bit harder to achieve if you don’t actually live in a swedish home where each room leads to another without any draughty corridors, but use your imagination.  Consider the view from other rooms when you place your furniture and then leave the doors open.

• Lesson 6  Use artificial light.  Swedish homes always have lamps and candles burning, creating pools of welcoming light.

• Lesson 7  Bring the outside in.  Spring bulbs or house plants provide welcome bursts of colour, smell divine and remind us that spring is just around the corner.

And think how much easier it will be to spring clean!

Image credits: 1 Skona hem 2 Me and Alice 3 The Style Files 4 Little Blue Deer 5 Exquisite Banana 6 Hemnet 7 Little Blue Deer 8 Alvhemmakleri