Scandinavian style - minimalism from the North

The Scandinavian style, despite its age, still reigns in living rooms. Wardrobes made of natural materials, minimalist chests of drawers, lounge furniture in bright colours and simple mirrors... We like to use them in our interiors, where they allow us to conjure up a light and cozy space. But Scandi is also something more. It is also a philosophy of life taken from the frosty fjords, which puts the love of simplicity in the first place. Are you also able to appreciate its unforced beauty? Find out in our guide!

Scandinavian style, a welcome guest from far away.
The name itself tells us that the Scandinavian style came to us from the northern part of Europe. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, there lived a Swedish artist and architect - Carl Larsson - who mainly painted watercolors depicting the everyday life of Scandinavians. In his works, he used bright, neutral colours, with which the inhabitants of Scandinavia tried to fight the melancholy of short winter days. Cozy interiors and simple, everyday pleasures depicted in Larsson's paintings, however, this appealed mainly to foreign audiences. Thus, he gained a devoted group of recipients outside the borders of his homeland, among whom he spread the Scandinavian style.

Then it was time for Gregor Paulsson. In his work, the architect began to focus on creating original furniture from high-quality materials. He wanted comfort to be available to everyone. This idea quickly caught on and Sweden began to lead the way in their production. However, the biggest breakthrough came in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Then Frederik Lunning from New York appreciated Scandinavian furniture and began to award it every year, until 1971, with an award named after him. As a result, wooden furniture, subtle floral motifs and bright colours gained more and more recognition. The Scandinavians developed their own style, in which functionality, simplicity and lightness were the first priority. They also used the principles of their life philosophy, i.e. hygge.

What is hygge?
Danes, according to the latest research, turn out to be one of the happiest nations in the world. When asked about their secret, they unanimously answered with one word: hygge. What is behind this mysterious buzzword? It is a concept that over time has turned into a true philosophy of life. Hygge can be translated directly as "well-being". This means that we put work on our mood in the first place - how to achieve it? It's easy! It is enough to forget about big, unattainable dreams and focus on everyday trifles, simple activities and small things. So stop for a moment and look around you. Hear the rustle of leaves and birds singing. Feel the warmth of your blanket while reading your favorite book with tea in hand. Go for a walk with your loved one. Dance to the song on the radio. Watch an interesting series with your children. Hygge is an effective alternative to a fast-paced lifestyle.  

The interior in the Scandinavian style, or hygge in practice
When starting to decorate the interior in the Scandinavian style, first of all pay attention to the practicality of your furniture. Choose items with simple shapes and significant visual lightness so as not to overwhelm your apartment, but instead add spaciousness to it. It will work great here, e.g. a chest of drawers made of raw pine wood or a whitewashed wardrobe. Give up unnecessary decorations, crystals, ornaments, replacing them with minimalist, wooden accents. Don't be afraid to reach for fluffy blankets or bedspreads - the interior is supposed to be cosy.

Once you know the basic assumptions of Scandinavian style, you can invite it to your home. How to go about it? We suggest how to arrange each room to get spectacular results! 

What colours in the Scandinavian style?
The basic colours in Scandi are of course white, grey and beige and they should dominate your walls, floors and furniture. The presence of bright colours makes even the smallest interior more spacious, and staying in it turns out to be more pleasant. To avoid too much cold, it is worth reaching for wooden furniture or accessories that will help to subtly insulate the entire composition. Does this mean, however, that the Scandinavian style gives up playing with colours? Of course not! Also in it you can afford controlled madness. Gentle pastels or more expressive colours - turquoise, blue, deep green, mint - will beautifully complement the subdued white and breathe a bit of life into the composition. If you want to stay true to Scandinavian trends, consider colours from nature.

Scandinavian style living room
The living room serves as a showcase of the entire interior. It is here that we meet friends for a cup of coffee and this is where the whole family relaxes in the evening. It is no different in the Scandinavian style, in which the living room should be as conducive to rest as possible. Therefore, the presence of a soft sofa, on which you can place a mountain of decorative pillows or a fluffy blanket, is mandatory. Make sure that the selected piece of furniture has the right colour. Bright models - e.g. white, grey, beige - and neutrally dark ones, e.g. navy blue or black. The legs should be made of wood and taper downwards. In this way, they will optically soften the visual weight of the block. It is worth placing a coffee table next to the lounge furniture. A functional product that is equipped with an additional shelf or drawer will be a good choice. On the sides, you can place bookcases and light-wood cabinets. Also, don't forget about the wooden TV cabinet. 

The living room must also have a large leisure armchair, e.g. in the style of a fashionable wingback. With it, you will conjure up a corner in the room to enjoy small pleasures, especially if you add a soft pouffe to the furniture. In such an environment, you can read a book, watch your favourite series or take an afternoon nap in comfortable conditions.

Scandinavian style in the dining room
No home should be without a dining room. Where else would the whole family finally get together for a meal? No wonder then that the proper arrangement of this place turns out to be an extremely important task. Fortunately, the Scandinavian style comes to the rescue! So try to bet on simplicity and naturalness here to get an open and cosy space. Do not be afraid of bright colours and raw materials - you can complement them with soft cushions on the seats of the chairs and patches of expressive colours placed in strategic points. A large table made of solid wood will look phenomenal in combination with stoneware vases, tableware decorated with animal motifs or ceramic bowls. You can also afford to put an armchair in the corner of the room, which will make your afternoon relaxation more pleasant.

Scandinavian style bedroom
When it comes to rest, you can't forget about the bedroom. The Scandinavian style is dominated by larger beds equipped with wooden frames and simple headboards. Recently, however, continental beds are also being used, which combine the comfort of rest with the high functionality of their bodies. Thanks to them, you will not only get a good night's sleep, but also keep the whole room tidy.

The bedroom should be dominated by a subdued palette of colours inspired by nature. Such selected colours will help you calm down in the evening, thanks to which you will fall asleep faster. A wooden floor will work well here, which visually warms the interior, as well as white furniture that optically enlarges it. Are you afraid of too much monotony? You can reach for small accents with more expressive colours, e.g. in the colour of deep green.  

The Scandinavian style turns out to be an extremely simple and effective way to conjure up a cosy interior in which everyone will feel exceptionally well. All you need to do is follow a few simple rules:

- hygge - remember that in the Scandinavian style, less is more, and small pleasures are the most important,

- colours - the basis of the arrangement should be light colours, i.e. white, grey or beige. To enliven the composition, you can use pastels or expressive colours from nature,

- living room - a soft sofa or corner sofa with decorative pillows will help create a cosy interior. Add to them a coffee table with a functional shape and wooden wardrobes, bookcases and chests of drawers, and put a wingback armchair with a pouffe in the corner,

- dining room - set a solid wood table in the central point. Surround it with chairs on which you can arrange decorative pillows. Complete the whole with original tableware, a decorative bowl or a beautiful vase made of natural materials,

- bedroom - a large bed on a wooden frame will work well here. Lovers of comfort will also appreciate continental beds with spacious containers for bedding. A subdued colour palette will help you calm down, and small colour accents will make the composition livelier.
 
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