The Danes have a word Hygge – pronounced “hooga”. It roughly translates to coziness but in its essence it means everything that leaves you warm inside; the good things in life. The warm glow of candlelight is hygge. Friends and family – that’s hygge too. There’s nothing more hygge than sitting round a table, discussing the big and small things in life. From Visit Denmark.
This wonderful intention for the interior of your home is just the thing to start our trends for 2015 with. Scandinavian Design is certainly my favourite for this year and one that I plan to fall hopelessly victim to. And why not? You can’t possibly follow every single trend but if you have to choose one to allign yourself with, let it be one with a beautiful intention behind it.
Calming.
Think light wood, minimalist forms, uncluttered spaces and natural materials. And white. Lots and lots of white. The furniture has clean, flowing shapes and celebrate the materials they are made of. This pale canvass can be dotted with a few carefully placed accessories that give pops of bright colour and folk florals for a bit of nostalgia in soft furnishings and prints. The shapes are inviting and the materials comforting but above all, it is elegantly practical.
Roots.
The Scandinavian movement was officially recognized as such in the 1950’s and has been a great influencing force behind both modernism and functionalism. A core theme in the movement was that beautiful and functional everyday objects should not only be affordable to the wealthy, but to all. Its designs are characterized by simplicity and functionality, making use of form-pressed wood, plastics, anodized or enameled aluminum or pressed steel. (source)
Clear it out.
Sparce is key: give yourself room to move and breath. Get rid of the clutter with clever storage solutions and minimize the use of accessories by only keeping that which you love to look at. Just because you own it, doesn’t mean you have to display it. Follow Morris’s golden rule here: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. (source).
Black & White.
onekinddesign & home designing
White walls are not only the ideal backdrop for art, they also open up a room to give a feeling of airiness and spaciousness. Create the perfect Scandinavian background with white, cool greys and a touch of blue. Black provides a deep contrast and prevents the spaces from becoming too vast.
Natural Wood.
Wood is what gives this style its warmth and textures. Use light woods like oak and pine with either a natural wax or slight white wash to enhance the natural beauty of the grain. Expose the floor boards, clad the walls, use it on the ceiling.
Press it, Bend it.
Pressed and bent wood furniture form an integral part of Scandinavian design. Tables, chairs, even accessories are made using this method and look beautiful against a quiet back drop.
Statement Pieces.
A beautiful piece of designer furniture is not only a focal point in a room: in true Scandinavian tradition, that chair or sofa is likely to be the most comfortable piece in your house as well! Items by Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl, Verner Panton and Hans Wegner are icons in their own right that make a beautiful statement in any room. And if designer furniture is not within your reach, opt for a well-made contemporary version and place it with equal pride.
Warm it up.
Throw a bit of fur around to warm things up in winter, or place a simple patterned rug underfoot in summer.
Graphic Details.
Crisp black-on-white natural shapes or geometric patterns in soft blues and greens with touches of yellow will complete the look. Wallpaper or stencil a wall in sharp detail or have it on a simple scatter cushion.
I have already started selling my furniture to clear up the clutter and I am in the process of painting everything white. This is a vast move away from the colour and chaos I have had surrounding me my whole life, but I think it is an indication of an evolution to calmness for me – I hope so at least!
