Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland all have one thing in common; they’re part of Scandinavia. This area of the world is famous for a number of things: cold weather, Lapland, Vikings – and home decor.
For the last decade or so, Scandinavian interior design has become just about the most popular form of interior design around. It seems as though all modern homes are styled in the Scandi manner and you can’t visit a friends house without seeing at least one Ikea sofa or table somewhere. What is it about this particular style of decor that makes it so popular in modern times?
Take a trip around any store that sells Scandinavian interior design furniture or products and you’ll soon notice some common ideas that shine through. When you realize this, it’s very obvious to pinpoint what makes this type of home décor a home favorite:
Minimalism
One of the fundamental principles of Scandinavian design is to follow a minimalist template. This means that everything is simple and refined; you don’t get things that are really over the top. It’s reflected in both the furniture, layout and colours used throughout the home. Scandi design will use a neutral palette that favours quite bright colours very close to white. The furniture is all designed for its purpose, without taking up loads of space or being over the top. It’s easy to see why so many households have adopted this home decor – and the minimalism also leads to another key thing:
Longevity
Thanks to the neutrality of minimalist interiors, it means they are destined to stick around for a long time. Indeed, many Scandinavian interior design ideas are basically timeless. This is shown in the fact that this particular type of design first originated in the 1930s and is still a big trend today. Fast forward another 50 years and you bet that it’ll still be a big thing. Scandinavian-style interiors just fit in any decade; they don’t look old fashioned or too contemporary, it’s perfect!
Functionality
Furthermore, there’s a vital element of Scandi design that really pushed it ahead of some of the other trends out there; functionality. You see this in the way that homes are laid out in Scandinavia; everything is designed to function correctly and make the home a more practical place. The best examples of this are furniture that you buy from places like Ikea. One of the main reasons people rave about it so much is that it looks good yet has a practical and functional edge. We’re talking about space-saving elements to the design alongside practical things like internal storage.
Put these three points together and what do you get? You get an interior that’s minimalist and space-saving, completely functional/practical, and will last for a long time before it goes out of fashion. Realistically, you have three components that everyone looks for when remodeling or designing their homes. You want something that offers great value for money as it looks good – and will continue to look good – functions well for your family and isn’t over the top!