When it comes to interiors, “Scandi style” conjures up a particular aesthetic – bright yet calm, clean-lined yet cozy pieces all realised in linen, leather, jute and pine. It has, over the past two decades or so, become a near-universal benchmark of good taste. But its ubiquity does mean that it can feel a little lacking in personality.

So much so that even the Scandis have moved things along. A recent visit to Stockholm – in particular a stay at Stockholm Stadshotell, a meticulously restored mansion on the archipelagic city’s southern isle of Södermalm – opened my eyes to a more personality-filled riff on Nordic chic’s sparing restraint.

My colleague Dee Acharya, British ’s entertainment director, dubs it “Scandi whimsy”. It’s a mood characterised by the melding of a pared-back tonal palette with irreverent, character-filled pops that express the perspective of the person occupying the space. “I’ve been taking cues from Sibbjäns, a beautiful Swedish farm hotel on the island of Gotland, that distils the spirit of stylish eclecticism,” she says. “The key is a sparing approach to colour, prioritising natural finishes (I love St Leo’s Bell Green Bio Paint), and decorative accents seemingly pilfered from your granny’s attic – like Devol’s Dolly Toggle Switch and MG & Co’s Fish Swing Arm Hook. French Bedroom’s Gustavian armoire perfectly anchors your space, as do Carl Hansen & Søn’s leather-seated Wishbone chairs or an exquisite Minotti Lilliam armchair – especially against Josef Frank’s Svenskt Tenn wallpaper. The final flourish? Nordic Knots’s clever Cardigan collection, which is as cosy as it sounds.”

Think of Scandi whimsy as a way of bringing welcome splashes of eccentricity into a space otherwise defined by orderly calm – whether they come in the form of a one-of-a-kind, painterly centrepiece rug by Deidre Dyson or Édition 1.6.9, a Sophie Cooney runner filing down the stairs, a vintage Ripples brass mixer tap, or whichever peppy soft furnishings are on your Barker & Stonehouse wishlist. After some inspiration to get you started? Below, dive into our edit of must-have pieces below.

The Heirloom Wall Light with Milk Glass Shade