From old to new!

Scandinavian design always contains surprising functions, coupled with an appealing and minimalist look. Functional furniture that delights the eye and can be produced as economically as possible. It is the talent of the Scandinavians to create completely new Scandinavian furniture and home accessories from waste products and everyday items.

It is not uncommon to find pieces of furniture made of pressed wood or plastic in Scandinavian design. In combination with painted or anodized aluminum and pressed steel, a very unique design language and look is created that characterizes the natural and economical design of the north.

Young Scandinavian design meets tradition

We usually associate Scandinavian furniture with natural products, such as untreated or leached wood and a minimalist design language. In fact, wood as a material plays an important role in furniture production, but by no means exclusively.

The young design increasingly relies on metal and plastic, often in combination with simple materials such as cotton, linen or raffia. Scandinavian furniture is always an expression of cheap production and big ideas. Here the coffee table doesn't just have to be a table, but offers additional storage or elements that can be converted into a dining table. Design that thinks outside the box probably best reflects the character of Scandinavian functionalism.

On the other hand, old craft traditions, such as knotting or cast furniture, continue to be part of the Scandinavian interior design style. Coarsely knitted wool blankets, subtly decorated curtains and curved metal elements combine the romantic side of the Scandinavians with the desire for warmth and coziness.

It is not for nothing that a table lamp is often found in Swedish windows, for example, to bring sufficient brightness into the home even in the long, dark and cold season.

Bright, clear and wood in Scandinavian furnishings

But what excites us so much about the Nordic interior design atmosphere is its depth effect. Everything is practical but also elegant, the design is simple but perfect, the furniture has its own charm but can be combined universally. The Scandinavian style, despite all its serenity, is cheerful and promotes a love of life. But the best thing is: it corresponds to our desire for naturalness and timelessness.

The Scandinavians have plenty of winter and wood, so they balance their longing for light with the interior design of their homes. Light woods such as pine, spruce, maple or birch usually characterize the furniture in their natural appearance. When northerners paint, they do so in muted pastel tones and in friendly colors. Even the floors are hardly darkened and creamy white is preferred on the walls. As soon as the brown tones on the color scale are reached, only the external facades come into consideration. Contrasts are always quite graceful in Scandinavia. The orientation towards nature determines the feeling for colors and shapes. The dominant color is white - as the country presents itself for many months of the year. This is complemented by the gentle blue of the sea and lakes.

That doesn't mean that the Scandinavians don't have a sense of color and decor. You just use appropriate designs sparingly and in a beneficial way. But hardly any Norwegian sweater can do without the stylized V, and no household in the north does without small, colorful dots within the dignified living environment. The elements of the decoration are again taken from nature. In addition to the light types of wood, horn and glass are original Scandinavian products for design. There are also straw flowers and star patterns. The Scandinavian furnishing style emerged at the same time as the Bauhaus and is of course also influenced by it. In contrast to other European designers, the Scandinavians were also able to draw on their own long, practical tradition. “Form follows function” – the designers from the north have brought this classic principle to perfection, and that is why the Scandinavian style fits so well into the modern living world.

Scandinavian style furnishings

Clear design and brightness – Scandinavian furniture is recognizable at first glance. Modularity and many possible combinations are further characteristics that set them apart. Industrial series production is one thing - great emphasis is also placed on handcraft. Glass products, porcelain and weaving are the classic accessories of the style. The most popular textile materials used are cotton, linen or leather. Striking: despite all the simplicity of the patterns, northerners like things to be quite fluffy and cuddly. This ranges from the towels to the curtains. Colors such as sky blue, soft pink or shades of green dominate the furniture - alongside the always refreshing white.

What all of the features have in common is that they have a direct connection to nature. The Scandinavian style is suitable for large, light-filled rooms as well as for small chambers. These qualities are mainly due to the Scandinavian generation of designers who have shaped their own style. A look at the big names in Scandinavian style shows how comprehensively the designers have taken care of all aspects of life.

From the legend Alvar Aalto, who made his "Paimio" armchair from bent and shaped birch wood in 1931, to the 1950s with the first plastic cantilever chair by Verner Panton, the famous "egg" seat shape by Arne Jacobsen and the "Pine cone" lamp (manufacturer Louis Poulsen) to the tableware developments of the 70s (e.g. Kaj Franck with his "Teema" set for "Iitalla"), the tradition extends to today to the young and successful designers such as the Dane Kaspar Salto. Women are also on the rise, as the success of the Swedes Maria Vinka and Lena Bergström and the Dane Cecilie Manz proves. The great thing about Scandinavian style is that it constantly renews itself.