The Scandinavian interior design style – also known as Scandic Style – is characterized by naturalness, casualness, brightness, and reduced forms. It can be compared to the minimalist style, but it is complemented by natural materials such as wood and natural textile elements.
For the wood used for wooden floors and furniture, light woods with often white or whitewashed finishes predominate. Pine, spruce, birch, ash, and teak are particularly popular for furniture. Visible grain, knotholes, and cracks create natural accents and convey lightness, defining the modern, simple design.
Form follows function – fashionable extravagances are out of place. The reduced design language, based on the motto 'keep it simple,' is found not only in furniture design, which is simple and without frills or special features. Large, opulent furniture pieces are not found in the Scandinavian style; coffee tables and dining tables are rather 'delicate' and not bulky or heavy. Furniture pieces are loosely placed and moved away from the walls to convey a feeling of freedom and joy of life.
Colorful textiles made of leather, wool, and linen add deliberate splashes of color to the otherwise bright and pastel color scheme; handicrafts are highly valued in the Nordic style. Geometric shapes in black and white contrast complement the natural tones in the Scandic Style. Images of branches, trees, animals, or mythical creatures are often used on walls or fabrics. Transparent glass and porcelain with colorful, natural decors are frequently found in Scandinavian-style kitchens.
Bright and friendly tones dominate the colors. However, deliberately vibrant decorative elements can also be used, which then stand out particularly well as eye-catchers against white or beige walls.
For house walls, rust-colored, blue, green, and yellow walls are known, transforming a locality into a colorful sea of houses.
Scandinavian style is simple, practical, and straightforward – and therefore suits almost any lifestyle and many people who like things simple and uncomplicated.
