The Scandinavian style quickly burst into interiors far beyond the borders of its native region, and is still madly popular. And the secret is simple: it is calm, laconic, light, but at the same time warm and cozy. Do you recognize your dream in this? Then we will tell you how to bring it to life!
Features of the Scandinavian style
The Scandinavian style began to develop at the end of the 19th century, and it was based on the philosophy of beautiful things. In the 30s of the XX century, at the International Exhibition in Stockholm, local craftsmen for the first time in all their glory demonstrated how they managed to combine aesthetics and functionality. And 20 years later, the concept of "Scandinavian design" officially appeared in professional literature.
The main feature of all Scandinavian interiors is free space combined with bleached colors and an abundance of light. This is due to the fact that the harsh northern climate is notable for long winters, nights and short daylight hours. Therefore, it is important to keep the maximum amount of sun and heat.
Even the wood is used for decoration pale or painted: light hardwoods, such as birch, and less often spruce or pine. Glossy surfaces combine with warm matte and satin designs. This fundamentally distinguishes Scandinavian interiors from cold high-tech with an abundance of acrylic, chrome, steel and mirrors.
Scandinavian cuisine is all about the subtlety and precision of all the details, because each item is in its place. The main materials are wood, stone, ceramics, natural fabrics, but synthetics in all its forms are practically not used.
Color solutions
The main colors are soft shades of beige, cream, ivory, pastel colors. Bright contrasting colors are used as accents, but there are no more than two of them in one interior.
Scandinavian style white kitchen
The simplest and most concise option is white, with which it is impossible to miscalculate. This is not an easy choice for the kitchen, because it is the most easily soiled and sometimes too sterile. But for small rooms, calm white is a real find, and if you want something more complicated, pay attention to milky shades.
Scandinavian beige kitchen
For cold latitudes, dark rooms and the northwest side of the house, beige is warm and cozy, regardless of the outside world. In the kitchen, it goes especially well with wooden headsets, terracotta tiles, and a white self-leveling floor.
Scandinavian gray kitchen
Although Scandinavian interiors are more prone to warm colors, gray is also actively used. Especially in latitudes, where there is no shortage of sunlight, but there are large windows with access to the south side. Gray creates a feeling of freshness, lightness, airiness and long-awaited coolness.
Scandinavian green kitchen
A juicy grassy green shade is good for accents in the interior, the concept of which is based on the use of natural materials. But muted pale gray-green tones will become a nice and calm base color.
Scandinavian yellow kitchen
Along with green, one of the most popular bright shades in Scandinavian interiors is sunny yellow. Its more intense and complex variations are also used - ocher, mustard. A delicate vanilla or milky custard color looks elegant as a base shade.
Furniture for kitchen
Choose furniture with a simple shape that combines ergonomics with practicality. These are classic headsets with swing cabinets painted in white paint, open wall shelves, an ordinary wooden table.
Fashionable glossy facades are rarely used, but in a small kitchen they will be very useful.Only take a light shade: white, milky, pale gray. A small transforming sofa with simple monochromatic upholstery, small ornaments or a small cage will fit into a spacious room.
Decor
Wall decor is very popular in Scandinavian interiors: photographs, paintings, panels in various frames. Place beautiful kitchen utensils, your favorite spices or a collection of cups on the bright open shelves. Nice little details, souvenirs, candlesticks and living flowerpots - all this will find a place in Scandinavian cuisine.
Glass inserts and accessories, stained glass candlesticks or shades, compositions of branches, moss, flowers and succulents, pebbles and stones look good. And instead of LED strip for decorating shelves or niches, use interior garlands with balls.
Curtains and textiles
Unlike the more technological and futuristic ramifications of minimalism, Scandinavian textiles are essential. It can be a bright carpet near a sofa or a dining table, embroidered potholders and coasters, a large-knit colored blanket, decorative "sweaters" on jars and flowerpots.
But textiles on the windows are less popular, because the emphasis is on the abundance of light and open space. But if you can't do without curtains, choose the simplest plain curtains made of natural fabric or roller blinds. But it is better to refuse from ruffles, flounces, frills and lambrequins and not to overload the composition.
Materials and design
The main material for any finishing work in Scandinavian interiors is natural wood. But do not forget that the kitchen is always about humidity and temperature changes, so take care of its processing with protective compounds in advance.
Floor finishing
There are two classic solutions for the floor in the Scandinavian interior: rough wide boards or stylization for them and large ceramic tiles in natural shades. If you prefer laminate flooring, be sure to choose waterproof and hardwearing collections. And when choosing a tile or artificial stone, take care that the coating is not slippery.
Ceiling design
Classic Scandinavian ceilings are clad in wood with contrasting wood beams. This is good in a private cottage, but it is not always possible and practical in kitchens in typical apartments. In this case, pay attention to satin stretch ceilings or the simplest whitewash, if the base is perfectly flat and of high quality.
Wall decoration
For walls in a Scandinavian kitchen, complex finishing materials are not needed, and even wallpaper is almost never used. The usual washable paint is enough, and for the texture - embossed plaster. You can leave fragments of brickwork or an untreated wall - just paint over them.
Lighting and illumination
In the harsh northern regions, no one relies on daylight alone, because there is a constant lack of it. A well-thought-out multi-level lighting system is an indispensable attribute of Scandinavian cuisine. Combine spot and recessed luminaires with classic pendant lamps, floor lamps, wall lamps and decorative nightlights.
Scandinavian kitchen apron
A classic apron over a work area in a Scandinavian kitchen is a simple and laconic white tile, but even that can be played more interestingly. For example, combining different shapes or sizes, several adjacent shades, casual contrasting chess. The mosaic looks interesting when small bright blotches are randomly scattered on a neutral light background.
Scandinavian style kitchen-living room design
The Scandinavian style loves open spaces and free planning, so it will harmoniously fit into a combined kitchen-living room. Indeed, in it you can turn around on a grand scale in matters of zoning, island planning and decor.
Comfortable and practical plain matte self-leveling floors with cozy warm rugs in the recreation area and at the dining table.To demarcate the territory, use furniture: light end-to-end racks, coffee tables, armchairs and a sofa. A small green corner will fill the kitchen-living room with fresh air and comfort.
Scandinavian corner kitchen
Functional Scandinavian style loves practical and at the same time cozy solutions. And a neat corner kitchen fits perfectly into this concept and allows you to clearly distinguish between the working and dining areas. She uses every inch of space, including those areas that are usually left out.
The corner kitchen is compact and laconic, but at the same time the headset is equipped with modern storage systems, drawers and cupboards. In the corner itself, you can place a sink or a hob, and instead of swing doors, sliding and pull-out structures are used.
Small kitchen in Scandinavian style
The Scandinavian style is one of the most successful for small functional rooms, because it assumes an abundance of light, laconicism and pale colors. All this visually enlarges a small kitchen, makes it lighter, more airy and fresher.
Scandinavian style kitchen design - photo
Scandinavian interiors tend to be minimalistic, but in practice they are much more varied and rich in detail. We offer you a large selection of photos of real interiors to make sure of this clearly!