Kitchen style inspiration: Scandi kitchens

With serene, minimalist layouts and beautifully-crafted natural materials, Scandinavian interior design is all about creating a calm yet cosy environment. Here’s a guide to bringing some Scandi style into your kitchen…

At Naked Kitchens we can build the bespoke kitchen of your dreams: just for you, for the look you love and the way you live. The only limit is your imagination, so our Kitchen Style Inspiration series is designed to get your creative juices flowing and spark some ideas. Next up, how about some Scandi style?...

What is Scandinavian style?

Back in 2013, the cultural rise of all things Scandi – think knitwear, art, design, furniture, literature and the TV series The Killing – led academic Stephen Mumford to observe, ‘We’re all Scandinavian now.’ Professor Mumford predicted, correctly as it turned out, that our love affair with a particular northern European aesthetic was here to stay—and would grow. We opened our doors to hygge and lagom…

So, when we talk about Scandinavian design and style in the home, what comes to mind?

We might plump for the Scandinavian take on Mid-Century Modern, which has been around for almost a century and is, arguably, more popular than ever.

Of course, each of the Scandinavian countries has its own design strengths and distinct features, often with origins stretching back through history. For example, the high quality carpentry for which Denmark is renowned, developed in the 19th century but had its roots in the building of Viking longships. Many 20th century Danish chairs are now design classics.

Sweden’s preference for pale interiors—white, soft greens, greys, blues and yellows, along with pine furniture and wooden floors—reflects the Gustavian style, made popular by the country’s 18th century king, Gustav III, and taking a more humble domestic form in the works of 19th century artist Carl Larsson.

Norway has a strong textile tradition, which draws on folk traditions and the colours of the natural world. And while there is some controversy about whether Finland counts as Scandinavian, there’s no doubt that in terms of naturally flowing, efficient design that also embraces colour, the country has been a world leader for decades. We have the Finns to thank for the reliability of Fiskars scissors and the stunning glassware made by Iittala. And let’s not forget Tove Jansson’s wonderfully illustrated Moomin books, which have turned generations of children worldwide into nature lovers.

Scandinavian style: the key elements

Lighter and whiter – Scandinavians may be blessed with long summer days but pay the price with long winter nights. Interiors have to make the most of natural light with large windows—often curtainless—and white is a key element of a predominantly neutral colour palette.

It’s all about line – Clean and balanced is the preference, stemming from the Scandinavian design commitment to balancing form with function. Surfaces are smooth, edges rounded, and individual pieces are space efficient.

Wood and a touch of metal – Access to vast tracts of forest means that wood has always been a natural first choice for Scandinavian furniture and flooring; lighter woods, such as pine and birch in Sweden, darker varieties in Denmark. Combining natural wood with metal is a key feature of Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern style. Painted wood is popular too: think soft but darker neutrals like smoke grey or a Gustavian pale duck-egg blue

Planting ideas – Scandinavians love their houseplants, which boost light and air. But, given the region’s love of ceramics, they also provide an opportunity to display those plants in craft stoneware holders, in natural tones.

Textiles – The underlying colour palette may be neutral but Scandinavian textile accessories are where the colour comes in. Finnish design house, Marimekko, has been at the forefront of textile design for over 70 years. Take a look at their home textiles range to see why…

Lighting up – Danes, in particular, are as passionate about good lighting as they are about chairs. Those long nights are a factor, of course, but so is the aesthetic – lighting has to be highly effective and beautifully designed.

Kitchen style—the Scandi way

If you are drawn to well-lit minimalism, streamlined cabinetry, and a neutral colour palette, along with some perfectly potted and carefully placed plants (yes, herbs count), a Scandi-inspired kitchen is the way to go.

1) Keep it clear and light

An all-white environment does not have to look clinical, as the Brompton kitchen – which ticks many Scandi boxes – proves. The combination of an ergonomic layout, with everything in easy reach, and floor-to-ceiling storage, cunningly concealed behind our Ladbroke doors in white, make for a wonderfully calm environment in which to cook, eat and work.

2) Add extra neutrals and subtle colours

If you prefer to inject a little colour, while keeping the predominant palette light, the muted green Ladbroke doors in the Garden Studio kitchen show the way. They pick up and enhance the garden connection, while creating a tranquil and uncluttered kitchen. (Bonus Scandi points for the curved lines of the dining chairs and the exposed wooden beams.)

3) Natural timber

Sometimes, as in the St Albans kitchen, it pays to let the grain of the wood speak for itself. Featuring Ladbroke doors again, but in a brushed limed oak finish, the overall effect is warm but calm. A practical approach to a tricky space.

4) Bars and peninsulas with a hint of Mid-Century Modern

We think those Danish design masters would approve of the Original Ladbroke kitchen’s breakfast bar. The rich warm tones of solid walnut and a metal support combine to create a practical, stylish space-saver. And just look at those rounded edges.

5) Keep it balanced

Scandinavian design is all about balance and the Cranbrook family kitchen is a great example. The exposed oak cabinets, which are warm and homely, are a perfect foil to the sophisticated painted cabinetry in Oyster Catcher. Natural light floods in but there is some very stylish lighting, which picks up the Oyster Catcher paintwork. All the appliances are integrated and cookbooks and collectibles are on wall-hung shelves, ensuring that work surfaces remain clutter free. And, as you might expect in a Scandi-inspired kitchen, there are just the right finishing touches in the form of a rug and houseplants.

Meanwhile, what better way to enjoy your Scandi kitchen than by taking time out with a delicious kanelbullar and a cup of excellent coffee, served in a Höganäs Keramik mug, while leafing through Fika: The Swedish Art of the Coffee Break in search of appropriate culinary inspiration.

Inspired? Whatever your style, we can build the dream kitchen uniquely tailored to what you love and the way you live. Get started today.

See also:

Kitchen style inspiration: Boho kitchens

What is a bespoke kitchen?

Choosing colours for different size kitchens

How to Choose a Colour Scheme for Your Kitchen

Image top: the beautifully Scandinavian-inspired Glaven kitchen