What is modern Scandinavian style today, although refurbished and improved, is not that different from its origins in the 19th century in the Nordic countries. As a modern design style, it’s a unique form to express humanistic ideas of simplicity, functionality and warmth by combining industrial design with traditional decorative elements. Thus, a brand new modern but ancestral aesthetics is born.
One of the first things that come to mind when Scandinavia is mentioned is the blue sky, white clouds and snow, amidst them dreamy fairy tale looking wooden houses. In fact, designers have succeeded to implement the same design concepts that reflect the Nordic people's interpretation of nature and life into modern interior design style and designer Scandinavian furniture.
What is Scandinavian Style Furniture?
At this day and age when the world seems like it’s at the end of its rope, going back to simpler times echoes from the walls of our contemporary homes. Both devotees and designers of modern Scandinavian style, however, have experienced the benefits of looking back to nature and to elementary forms. Moreover, there is a strong connection between antique furniture and contemporary designer Scandinavian furniture offered today.
The design of Scandinavian furniture pieces is driven by the unbreakable bond with nature and the need for durability, effortlessness, and functionality. The natural woodwork with mostly rounded elements is minimalistic and multifunctional. Also, the decorative elements, although they exist, are noticeably reduced and inconspicuous.
Not only are modern Scandinavian design and the way we create our rooms under the complete spell of Scandinavian designer furniture but also it might be this style’s greatest legacy. After all, who hasn’t been to or at least heard of Ikea. Even so, Scandinavian modern design furniture is much more than just Ikea.
Alvar Aalto is the embodiment of Scandinavian minimalism. This famous Finnish designer with his popular stool, pendant lights and many other Scandinavian designer furniture pieces made a permanent impact of modern interior design in general.
Aalto’s devotion to natural elements and minimalist beauty characterized Scandinavian design in the 1920s and continues to quietly roam around the globe today. Also, Arne Jacobson's Egg, Drop, and Swan chairs are amongst the favorites of modern Scandinavian furniture pieces.
The traditional artistry of Nordic designers produces vintage wood furniture. Folding wood is one of the basic techniques that still live on today. Traditional crafts, after all, are proven to be irreplaceable, along with the natural elements. What is nature if it’s not inexplicably beautiful but practical and functional?
Famous Scandinavian modern design furniture pieces are wooden chairs with a seat made of molded plywood and rear parts with a lightweight construction and innovative armchairs with fully upholstered seats that can be removed. Also, you can find dining tables can be found in a variety of forms. Interestingly, one of the most used shapes i.e., something in between a rectangle and an ellipse is characteristic was based on a mathematical concept.
An example of a dining table with chairs are the low chairs with high back support by Kristian Vedel. Think of triple chairs without armrests and table covered with glass, leather-coated seats and backrest, embedded in a lavishly coloured wooden frame. The sofas typically have light beech wood, superior craft skills, highly skillfully constructed natural materials with a mesmerizing encapsulation of historical forms.
What Wood is Used in Scandinavian Furniture?
As mentioned above, a key characteristic of Scandinavian design is the use of natural materials. The most commonly used woods are teak, mahogany, pine and oak. Mahogany, Pine and Teak.
These are molded in pieces with clean and smooth edges, complete disregarding of glamour design, and asymmetry. As a result, warm and distinctive modern design furniture pieces of wood, glass, leather, stone and chrome are born.
Why is Scandinavian Furniture so Expensive?
There are more than one reasons. Firstly, luxury woods are used in both furniture pieces and wooden surfaces, in addition to the leather. Secondly, manual labour doesn’t come cheap in Scandinavia, especially skilled and experienced one, bearing added hundreds of years of tradition and artisanship in their hands. Thirdly, there is a high supply and demand, hence, the value of the product goes up.
Why is Scandinavian Design so Popular?
Scandinavian countries rose up to the task of achieving rich simplicity and functional progress even during both World Wars. As the world economy prospered and the living standards improved so did the cultural and design integration. Home design improvement gradually became more of a necessity rather than a commodity. Modern day humans have aesthetic needs that need to be met.
Even so, they are always connected to our source and the basics. Our close connection and unbreakable bond with nature makes us always come back to it when we want to escape the crowds and noise of the city. Hence, the optimal implementation of natural elements in home design helps people experience the same liberation and tranquility upon their arrival home. In fact, this is one of the must-haves of any modern interior design trend.
Scandinavian designer home furniture is adapted to the human body and form to a proper fitting degree. Moreover, it was designed with the spectrum of human emotion in mind. The single idea of creating a harmony between us and nature combines white, natural and neutral color scheme and textures while replacing what’s missing with natural forms like a stump instead of a coffee table or a branch as a hanger. As a matter of fact, if you visit a flea market in Denmark, Norway or Finland it’s highly likely you’ll find deer antlers or a stump suitable enough to be your bedside table instead of other historical furniture pieces.
