Simplicity is the key to achieving a Scandinavian look within your home. A Nordic room is relatively pared back and free of non-functional clutter. Beautifully designed modern furnishings take center stage, with pale walls, light woods and white accents providing a restful backdrop. It’s also helpful to understand the concept of hygge, which has recently emerged as a buzzword in design circles outside of Scandinavia. Hygge is about the simple pleasures that make a house a home; in cold Northern climates that often translates to literal warmth and coziness, while in our part of the world hygge might mean sharing a home cooked meal with good company, in a living space designed to let you escape the worries of the world.
Danish Modern furniture
For lovers of modern and contemporary furnishings, Danish Modern is a standout style. The story of Danish Modern begins in 1924, and winds through such important 20th century milestones as the Bauhaus and mid-century modern movements before arriving at its current form. Danish Modern furniture is typically characterized by wood construction, expert cabinetry, and simple, elegant and perfectly proportioned lines. Its influence has spread far beyond the borders of Denmark; US companies like Dellarobbia and American Leather have produced designs that are heavily influenced by Danish Modern style, and several key mid-century modern designers incorporated elements into their own practices.
Leading Scandinavian brands
Skovby, masters of Danish design, have been designing and building modern furniture since 1933. This third-generation family company specializes in dining room furniture, and is especially known for their innovative extension tables. The designers of Skovby’s streamlined, quintessentially Scandinavian forms take the intended use of each piece as their starting point, keeping alive the functional philosophy of the Danish Modern movement.
BDI designer Matthew Weatherly, trained in Denmark’s Design School, is also an exponent of Danish Modern principles. Inspired by his appreciation of nature, he aims to extract maximum impact from minimal materials, letting his clean, strong lines speak for themselves in pieces like the Corridor Bar Cabinet.
Fjords was founded in 1941 by the Hjellegjerde brothers in a cellar in the village of Sykkylven, Norway. Their seating designs combine the old-world traditions of Norwegian furniture building with the latest technical innovations in ergonomics and materials. Its designers draw inspiration from the ever-changing natural world surrounding Sykkylven, always aiming to combine fluidity and movement with solidity and permanence.
