HOW TO GET SCANDINAVIAN STYLE

By K

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The so-called Scandinavian trend has been going strong for some years now and shows no sign of abating. But while we tend to stick the term Scandi in front of everything that is pale floorboards and minimal

colours, each country has its own distinctive take on the style and if you really are planning on going Scandi, it pays to know your Alvar Aalto from your Arne Jacobsen, your String from your Series 7 and

your Hennigsen from your Hansen.

INTRO

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When we speak of Scandinavian style, it is often the Danish look that we are striving for. The most pared back and architectural of all the Nordic countries, Danish style revolves around pale floorboards, white walls, simple blinds or no

window dressings at all (curtains are for the Swedes) and clean modern lines on the furniture. The winters are long and dark so the walls are kept pale to maximise the

natural light.

The roll call of Danish designers is long: Jacobsen, Panton, Wegner, Poulsen and Hennigsen and their furniture is utilitarian and starkly beautiful. The colour palette is muted with the odd splash of colour. The textiles are natural and changed with the

seasons – wool, cashmere and velvet in winter, cotton and linen in summer. Every home burns candles to create hygge – the untranslatable Danish word that

sort of means cosy and having a good time with friends and family.

Perhaps best known for the Gustavian style, Swedish homes

are slightly more cosy and welcoming than their Danish

neighbours. Wooden floorboards and white walls abound (for the

same reasons as in Denmark) but painted furniture – think pale grey – is also popular and textiles in warm navy, soft red and gold

are colours that are often found.

The Gustavian style came out of the Royal Palaces where it

began as a simplified version of French neoclassicism. It moved

out of the palaces to the Swedish stuga (country cottages) where

it became more rustic but still recognisable. This furniture is

more ornate than the Danish style –there are more curves and carvings which may be

highlighted in gold. Think country style but cool chic not shabby

chic. This look is also perfect with a glass chandelier thrown in to

contrast with the rustic style.

DENMARK SWEDEN

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The most sparsely populated country in the EU has nearly 200,000 lakes and, it is estimated, one sauna per household. Many Finns have access to a weekend cottage even if

they don’t own one and they often feel instinctively more comfortable out of the city.

Finnish homes are colourful: bright homemade rag rugs cover the floors and curtains are changed seasonally. This is the land of Marimekko and those distinctive bright designs are found in most homes, along with coloured glass by Ittala. It is said that while the winter is long and dark, the quality of the light in summer means that bright colours really pop and coloured glassware stands out. Again, these colours are usually kept within a framework of

white walls and wooden floorboards to maximise the light.

As the Finns are so close to nature, much of their design features plants and animals. Patterns tend to be created in black and white and filled in with bright primary colours and

even contemporary designers will return to traditional Finnish folk art for inspiration.

FINLAND

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ICELAND

Interior design came late to Iceland, indeed the word honnun (design) was only invented in the 1950s. Many homes are built from wood, clad in

corrugated iron and then painted in bright colours making Reykjavik one of the most colourful cities seen from the air and in contrast to the somewhat

bleak, yet beautiful, landscape.

As the winters are so long and hard, Icelanders need their homes to be cosy and, as the nonconformists of the Nordic lands, they aren’t afraid to splash

some boldly coloured paint on the wall if they feel like it.The folklore tradition is also strong here and is often incorporated into textile

designs.

Like Denmark, Norwegian homes tend to be full of clean lines, minimal colours and a utilitarian feel. Their designers have often been overshadowed by the Danes but they have their own style. Lots of wood – well there are lots of trees. Norwegian homes are often a mix of the architecturalism of Denmark, the rustic Swedish feel and the bright colours of Finland.

Traditionally the rooms are small to conserve the heat and the windows as well. Brick houses are rare – so there is lots of tongue and groove inside.

Norway

So now you know the element of Scandinavian style which one are you?

Kate Watson-Smyth is a journalist who writes about interiors. She has written for many prestigious publications including The Financial Times, The Independent and The Daily Mail. As well as running her award winning blog Mad About the House she also runs an interior styling consultancy; Mad About Your House, discover more at her website here http://www.madaboutthehouse.com.

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