The Scandinavians are onto to something with their design principles and Hygge (pronounced ‘hoo-gah’) philosophy – we have been entranced by the thrall of Ikea, light woods, and white walls for over a decade now but what is it and how do you create a perfect Scandi space. There is so much more to this principle than white walls where design, comfort and function meet in perfect harmony.
There is so much more than white walls but what is a better base to start with? An authentic Scandi palette would have no more than four key shades and relies heavily on white and lighter shades, due to that area of the world having a lot of darker times of day and white and neutrals just reflect light better. Calm muted tones of white, grey, pale green and pink, colours that blend well with natural wood and are a key mark of Scandinavian design.
Form meets function in Scandi design, where less truly means more. Where coffee tables double up as storage chests and benches have storage shelves, multifunction was key when housing was smaller and very expensive in Scandinavian countries creating furnishings with multifunction was key.
The Scandinavian love of nature and the outdoors is well known and this can be seen in their home and design principles with the use of natural woods and stone. The lack of stain and paint is a nod to a deliberate respect for the true nature of the material when wood is used by not camouflaging it. Shop for simple, beautiful, and pale woods to really nail this style.
Furniture is beautiful but not ornate with a ‘less is more’ philosophy – think of simple, slightly radiused chair arms with tapered legs with a handcrafted nature to them. A true predecessor to the mid-century modern style.
This is where we move into the ‘hygge’ section and start layering the space with comfort and cosiness, something taken very seriously by Scandinavians. Think smooth and supple leathers, woven rope, chunky cable knits, fuzzy sheepskins, and lots of homemade style ceramics. Using textures to create warmth over the simple forms created in the early stages of the designs.
Kelly Roden
Meliora Kitchens, Bedrooms & Bathrooms
Tel: 01302 711007. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.meliora.uk
