Almost immediately after its final formation, the Scandinavian style quickly broke out beyond the borders of its native region. Its thoughtfulness, practicality, elegance and aesthetics were appreciated all over the world. Such interiors are laconic and functional, but at the same time bright, warm and cozy. Sounds perfect, doesn't it?
History and origin of the style
Scandinavian designs naturally and organically fit into our latitudes, as well as into the entire middle zone. After all, they take into account such familiar and familiar problems: lack of light, gloomy autumn and long winter, limited space. That is why the characteristic ethnic style has already turned into an international classic.
Color solutions
Scandinavian interiors are solidity, calm, restraint and unconditional love for nature. Basically, they are designed in white, gray, blue and other cool light colors. Accents and home decor create atmosphere and personality.
The period of formation of the Scandinavian style can be called the end of the nineteenth century. Local designers have tried to find a delicate balance between functionality and aesthetics. The whole world saw the results of their many years of work in the 1930s at the International Stockholm Exhibition, and another 20 years later the definition of “Scandinavian style” received official recognition.
Black and white tones
Black and white interiors are calm, strict and laconic, and Scandinavian comfort is created by textures and materials. All shades of gray are actively used: from the palest to the darkest graphite. Black contrasting lines on a solid white background allow you to visually adjust the geometry of space and expand the room.
Beige-brown tones
If white is too boring for you, gray is cold, and black is gloomy, choose a beige-brown color scheme. Contrasting dark wooden furniture looks good against a neutral cream or sand background. And light wood in the decoration visually increases the space, creates a feeling of light and warmth.
Bright accents
Accents in Scandinavian interiors are details, not solid bright spots. The main colors for them are yellow and mustard, red and terracotta, turquoise and deep blue. Sometimes thick green, purple, orange or other clean and rich shades are used.
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Distinctive features of a Scandinavian style interior
Restraint, frugality, and the ability to appreciate the moment are characteristic features of the inhabitants of Scandinavia. Of course, they could not help but affect the stylistic features of the interior.
- Scandinavian style furnishings tend towards minimalism, straight lines and functionality.
- The color palette is light, natural, with a predominance of white and light gray.
- Using predominantly natural materials, relying on wood for decoration.
- The emphasis is on the decor: numerous blankets and pillows, posters, designer items - not a single Scandinavian interior can do without them.
Photo: bloglovin.com
Photo: bloglovin.com
Photo: Clive Tompsett
Photo: Clive Tompsett
Materials and design
Scandinavian interiors are based on strictly natural materials and textures: from walls to textiles and decor. If you need a more budget-friendly and practical imitation, choose only a high-quality and believable one. Plastic, acrylic and synthetics are not appropriate in such an interior, and glass and metal are used mainly only in details.
Floor finishing
A rough and wide board with minimal processing looks best on the floor in a Scandinavian interior. But if you still have old parquet, it’s enough to restore it, leaving its noble old age. When choosing a laminate, choose collections that imitate wood as accurately as possible.
In the kitchen, bathroom or hallway, use more practical and durable materials. Tiles and porcelain tiles fit perfectly into the Scandinavian style. Natural or artificial stone is used less often, but it will come in handy where wear resistance is in the foreground.
Wall decoration
If you use wallpaper for covering walls, choose plain collections without patterns. But most often such materials are an excess in a Scandinavian interior. Regular paint of a neutral pale color is enough, but areas covered with textured plaster will add originality. If you still have untreated brickwork, you can safely leave a fragment of it.
Ceiling design
In traditional Scandinavian homes, plain whitewashed ceilings are adorned with contrasting wooden beams. This solution is suitable for cottages, but is almost inapplicable in standard apartments. If you don’t like regular painting or the base is too crooked, pay attention to stretch ceilings with a delicate satin texture.
Features of renovation in Scandinavian style: what do you need to know?
A functional and laconic living space filled with light and air - this is what a Scandinavian-style apartment looks like after renovation. This interior perfectly reflects the views of the inhabitants of northern countries on home comfort and guarantees maximum comfort to all family members. And in order to achieve the desired result, you need to remember the features of this interior style.
Lightness and comfort
In the photo: Scandinavian-style renovation in the living room of an apartment on the street. Planetary
The color scheme of the Scandinavian interior is based on light colors: white, gray, sand, sky blue. They combine perfectly with natural wood, create a feeling of lightness and have a calming effect. And you can add color to a living space with a Nordic character using accent details in red, burgundy, green, mint, lemon or blue.
Maximum openness
In the photo: Sliding partition in the interior of an apartment in the Grunwald residential complex
Modern Scandinavian style requires open space, so rooms should not be cluttered with furniture and non-functional decor, and instead of blank partitions it is better to install sliding glass ones. And in order to visually unify the space, the designers of the Fundament Group of Companies advise using the same floor covering in all rooms.
Close to nature
In the photo: Living room with wooden trim
To decorate Scandinavian interiors, natural materials with a well-defined natural texture are used:
- finishing stone;
- slate;
- lining;
- parquet board;
- marble and wood panels;
- mineral plaster;
- acrylic paints.
They emphasize the closeness to nature and create a comfortable atmosphere in the premises. At the same time, during repairs, special attention should be paid to leveling and preparing all surfaces, because any flaw will be noticeable on light-colored ceilings and walls.
With an icy shine
In the photo: Natural stone in the decoration of the living room on Balaklava Avenue
To enhance the Nordic notes in the interior of an apartment or house, designers recommend adding glass details to it, which will give a slight icy shine and make the atmosphere airy. These can be cabinets, shelves or consoles with frosted glass facades and mirror inserts. A coffee or coffee table with a transparent top would also be an excellent solution.
House of Sun
In the photo: Multi-level light in the interior of the living room of a two-room apartment on Novgorodskaya
In the northern countries, there is a lack of natural lighting, which in the interior is compensated by artificial lighting. In this regard, the best option is LEDs, which provide fairly bright but unobtrusive diffused light. They are economical, allow you to realistically simulate daylight and highlight accent details. And you can complement the functional LED lighting with original ceiling lamps, sconces and floor lamps.
Strict geometry
In the photo: Kitchen-living room with partition and fireplace
One of the pillars of the Scandinavian interior is strict geometry and simplicity of forms. This applies to the layout of the space, the design of the decoration, and the furniture: in an apartment with a Nordic flavor, wallpaper with a geometric pattern, ornamented tiles, a rectangular sofa with a low back, a fireplace with a minimalist design, and a square or round plain carpet are relevant.
Decorative effect
In the photo: Kitchen in milky and blue tones with a bright apron
Scandinavians have a unique approach to decor: its role in the home’s decor is usually played by bright pieces of furniture, textiles, lamps or decoration, for example, colorful tiles with traditional patterns, as in the photo. As for accessories that do not carry a functional load, their presence in the interior is not welcome. The only exception is family photos in laconic frames, grouped into small “galleries”.
Scandinavian style furniture
Scandinavian interiors are characterized by simplicity and laconism, which is why the furniture in them is the same. Pay attention to simple geometric shapes, durable and solid sets, minimalistic wooden facades. Most often, they hide modern multifunctional filling and multifunctional storage systems.
Complex transformers, typical of counter-memory, modern or high-tech, are almost never used. A classic closet with hinged fronts or a light shelving unit with glass shelves would fit more organically. Upholstered furniture is as simple and light as possible, without oversized backs, headboards or massive sides.
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Decor and textiles
The Scandinavian style requires naturalness and naturalness, therefore the fabrics are the same - cotton, linen, jute. In the decoration of kitchens, bathrooms and hallways, mixed materials with a pronounced natural texture are acceptable. They are more practical, wear-resistant and easy to maintain.
Unlike most trends of modern minimalism, Scandinavian interiors allow for decor. There is room here for bright fluffy carpets, cozy fleece blankets, hand-tied flowerpots, sewn toys and homemade candles. Chaotic compositions of black and white photographs or laconic posters in thin black or white frames are popular.
Lush and thick curtains are almost never used, because it is important to preserve natural light. Even in the bedroom, simple roller shutters with blackout lining would be more appropriate. On open racks and shelves there is room for your favorite collections, beautiful dishes, flowers and flowerpots, decorative compositions made of stones, dead wood, moss and branches.
How to combine colors in the interior correctly
In order for the interior to be holistic, it is important to know not only what primary colors should be used, but also to adhere to certain color rules:
- Use black sparingly, try to dilute it with shades of green, blue or red.
- By the way, red color is also allowed for use in the Scandinavian style, but you should opt for deep and muted shades.
Use light shades of purple for textiles and upholstery. Lavender and lilac are suitable for creating a separate style direction “Scandinavian Provence”.- For a Scandinavian color combination, use green, which will be your ally in everything - it can be easily combined with yellow, gray, white, black and it will definitely be in the northern interior, albeit in the form of living plants.
- Choose a classic Scandinavian style palette to decorate your children's room, namely light gray, beige, white, powder pink and blue.
- For the kitchen, you can choose several colors at once, for example, lemon and white, gray and light green, and white and gray.
- For a bright living room, bright accents in the form of decor and special types of furniture would be appropriate.
- For the bedroom it will be better to opt for basic neutral shades.
- For the sanitary unit and bathroom, it is worth choosing a basic white, which you can play with at your discretion and add other shades for the walls and floor. Using colored ceramic tiles you can make the room playful.
In fact, the Scandinavian style has no limited range.
Lighting and backlighting
Lighting in Scandinavian interiors is always multi-level and varied. The main overhead ambient light is a series of spotlights or pendants. Central chandeliers by themselves are rarely used - the effect is not so uniform.
All functional areas have their own lamps, floor lamps, sconces and night lights. Decorative lighting of shelves, niches and individual areas is also relevant, but you need to choose the right temperature of the LED strip. If you don’t have enough colors, instead of multi-colored futuristic neon, pay attention to cozy ball garlands.
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Interior design in Scandinavian style - photo
Not only individual rooms, but also entire houses and apartments are decorated in the Scandinavian style. Without exaggeration, it is appropriate everywhere: in a nursery, bedroom, living room or bathroom. You can clearly see this with our selection of photos!
Scandinavian style kitchen
The kitchen is always associated with the hearth in the classical sense, so the Scandinavian style is ideal. A white, beige or faded gray background creates a feeling of light and purity. For accents, pay attention to yellow, orange, and red tones - psychologists say that they stimulate appetite.
Living room in Scandinavian style
It is not for nothing that the living room is considered the face and at the same time the heart of the house, because it reflects the preferences and character of its inhabitants. Here there is a little more decor, but functionality is still in the foreground. If space allows, use zoning and an island layout to make the living room sparkle with new colors.
Scandinavian style bedroom
Harmony is fundamentally important in the bedroom and that nothing distracts from rest and relaxation. There is no place for useless little things, flashy details and aggressive accents, so the cozy Scandinavian style is surprisingly appropriate. Wooden furniture, linen, beige and pastel shades, colored decorative pillows and a bedside rug with ethnic patterns are all appropriate in the bedroom.
Scandinavian style bathroom
It may seem that the home Scandinavian style is difficult to fit into a small and purely pragmatic bathroom. But in fact, cool and “fresh” interiors are especially appropriate in the bathroom. Smooth white tiles are easy to clean, and colorful, voluminous towels and robes set the mood and atmosphere.
Children's room in Scandinavian style
The eco-friendly Scandinavian style with its natural materials is as safe as possible, and that is why it is attractive for children's rooms. Neutral colors do not affect the sensitive nervous system, and bright color accents stimulate the imagination. As the child grows up, such a room will be easy to adapt to his new needs.
Entrance hall and corridor in Scandinavian style
There is always a lack of natural light in the hallway, but this is precisely the problem that the light Scandinavian style solves. You can use a glossy ceiling and glass elements to visually expand the space - they are appropriate here. Instead of unnecessary decor, choose a nice rug for the door, a beautiful key holder, or an effective mirror frame.
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Scandinavian style in architecture
The Scandinavian style in architecture reflects the peculiarities of the lifestyle and character of the peoples of Northern Europe. At its core, this style is very original, since it managed to avoid the influence of ancient culture and absorb the diversity and features of Scandinavian traditions. It is far from high technology and artistic and decorative innovations. This is a modest, devoid of frills and unnecessary pathos, rather restrained, but at the same time, a very elegant, comfortable and cozy option for home decoration. Absolute rationality, color harmony, impeccable quality and natural materials - these are the main features inherent in the Scandinavian architectural style.
This is a modest, devoid of frills and unnecessary pathos, rather restrained, but at the same time, a very elegant, comfortable and cozy option for home decoration.
House designs in the Scandinavian style are distinguished by their quality and reliability, which explains its popularity in many countries around the world. The reasons for its demand lie in a number of its other positive characteristics, including a harmonious combination of aesthetics and functionality, natural and environmentally friendly materials, simplicity and speed of construction of houses.
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