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Posts Tagged ‘Scandinavian’

The Monochrome Home These Holidays

Saturday, November 3rd, 2018

What element broke the monotony in this room? If you answered the rich, wood flooring, then you’re correct. Featured here is the Brookston King Bed from Fine Furniture Design.

Most people try to counter the cold seasons by using warmer color palettes. You don’t have to be led down the same path. You can, instead, embrace the stark beauty that the upcoming winter season is about to offer.

Keeping a home white and neutral can make a dark space appear illuminated and spacious. And since autumn and winter are seasons that require you to shut the windows, then a monochromatic color palette will definitely work to your advantage.

Now here’s a word of caution; a monochrome home could easily look bland, too, so you have to know how to set up a white-walled home without making it appear this way.

Choose the Right Furniture

The first step in achieving a beautiful neutral home is to pick the right pieces of furniture. In the living room, for instance, the right couch, accent pieces, and chairs can complement even the whitest of white walls. Stick with off-white cotton or linen on your seat fabrics. The right amount of wood elements will balance the starkness.

Add a Dash of Color

Here and there, don’t be afraid to add a dash of color that will balance the whitewashed surroundings. While your chosen style is streamlined and clean, it won’t hurt to add a pop of color that will cap the look.

An example is to put brass or gold hardware in an all-white kitchen. The hanging pendants in that room, if well chosen, should provide the necessary welcoming ingredient to the whitewashed ambiance. 

Correct Lighting Only

The Boho chic room should have soft and romantic lighting. Nothing about it should be jarring, as this will only emphasize the unembellished theme that you’re setting up.

The Parisian bedroom is no longer just a dream. You can have this right in your own bedroom when you use twinkle lights along with a rustic wood headboard. Add a pair of warm-colored bed sconces and you have an intentionally stylish place of rest.

The Right Kind of White Please

You might think that whitewashing your home immediately means buying gallons of white paint. A monochrome home can have several layers of shades of the same neutral color.

When you still haven’t decided on the color that you would use to paint your room, be sure to pay attention to the lighting. A room that’s filled with natural light will naturally provide a warm tone. This is the room that needs the cool shades of white with gray or blue hues to balance the whiteness.

In the same manner, a smaller room that needs artificial lighting most hours of the day would benefit from the warmer shades of beige and creams.

Remember that white rooms can easily feel monotonous so know how to break up the zones by adding the correct textures and layers. Layering elements could be wooden logs, bricks, even that cozy area rug that you’ve been eyeing for the longest time.

Be Realistic

It pays to know your home. Not every shade or tint of white can work in your home. Of course, you still have to approach this project with a realistic mind. If your kitchen is a mess each time you end your cooking, then it would be a bad idea to have white walls there.

If you’re an art lover, then you can showcase a masterpiece on a blank wall. This can be that wide space right above the headboard or it can also be that spacious wall in the living room.

Whether you’ve decided to stage a Scandinavian space or just the cute shabby chic details, it’s really up to you. Just know that white is a wonderful canvas but it has the power to break your design scheme, too, so be very careful.

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Charmingly Scandinavian

Monday, September 17th, 2018

Coming soon is the Hooker Furniture Living Room Amani Spot Accent Table which perfectly evokes the relaxed and modern style of Nordic interiors.

Also referred to as Hygge or Nordic design, this interior style has swept the world with its distinct look. Various magazines and websites featured the simplistic beauty and minimalistic functionality of this interior design.

Emerging in the ’50s, Scandinavian interior design has emphasized the beauty of craftsmanship and muted elegance in many homes. If you want to have this neutral style be the look for your home these holidays, then here are some tips to make it work –

Be Mindful of Lighting

It becomes imperative to think of ways to better light your home with just seven hours of daylight in winter. And since you have decided to make this your style, you should know that light is a huge part of it.

Lighting in Scandinavian design centers on mood building through proper illumination and ample amounts of light. As you would delve deeper into this style, you will soon notice that most of the lighting fixtures are bordering on industrial style. Pendants are also quite common as well as wall sconces.

Candle lighting is also a common whimsical feature. Votives can give you the right ambiance.

And since Scandinavian interiors are big on lighting, why not make illumination more exciting with the Maitland-Smith Accessories Brass Candlestick 8167-16?

Linear Furniture

When it comes to furniture, the way to go would always be clean lines. Whether you’re thinking of getting new tables, chairs or sofas, it is safest if you also refer to the Mid-century modern style.

The round edges that this style offers as well as its natural hues are all welcome inside Scandinavian interiors. The secret is also to be space savvy, meaning, there is a place for everything and for everything there is a place.

Light Hardwood Flooring

If you’re a huge fan of wall-to-wall carpeting, then you won’t find it here. Scandinavian homes are traditionally made of hardwood. Don’t go for dark hardwood, though, as this is against the white or natural-colored flooring that is a staple of Scandinavian flooring.

Whether you’re installing the living room or bathroom flooring, always consider the neutral hues that are the standard for these spaces.

Neutral Palette

Speak of neutral colors, Nordic style is definitely a choice of grays, whites, browns, and blacks. These are also often interwoven with the calming and clean interiors popping with dusty pinks or sea green as accent hues.

Walls are typically painted white which allows for artworks and furniture to captivate.

Zero Clutter

What’s a Scandinavian interior if it’s filled with clutter? Since Nordic homes have enough storage spaces, then it is expected that there won’t be unnecessary clutter. Shelves and cabinets are a huge deal in such a home and while less is more, any Copenhagen native will tell you that the furnishings are all intentional.

Warm Textiles

Since Scandinavian homes show lots of whites and neutrals, the only way to balance these is to provide warmth with the mohair, sheep skin or wool cushions and throws. These do not just make your home look more comforting, they can even add to the needed depth provided by texture layers.

It Ain’t Just Tulips for Accents

It is equally important to add living elements to your Scandinavian home. Fresh flowers are the best way to go since they also look luxurious and stylish. Just picture the sidewalks filled with flower shops in Copenhagen and you’ll realize just how colorfully attractive tulips and other flowers could get.

Don’t limit the colors in your home. Make the indoors more flamboyant.

Decorative accents can also be ceramic vases or those cushions with geometric patterns. Explore all the beautiful textures that will balance the canvas that has been set by the style itself.

The Fireplace as the Focal Piece

If you have to make a statement, then say it with a fireplace. Find a corner or the center of the living room where this architectural feature will surely stand out. Then be sure to decorate it according to the Scandinavian design rules and you’re all set.

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Scandinavian Interior Design: Simplicity, Function and Beauty Rolled Into One

Wednesday, September 21st, 2016

1586-80116-MULTI Aura Round Accent Table with Shell Top 1118CR Delancey Club Chair

1586-80116-MULTI Aura Round Accent Table with Shell Top 1118CR Delancey Club Chair

Scandinavian design is maximized styling with the least amount of fuss, the two guiding principles being function and fundamentalism. This design has been shaped by the sensible minds in Old Nordic Europe resulting in airiness, light, serenity, even a stark oneness with Mother Nature.

Scandinavian trend is a concoction of Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish design principles. All of these use natural elements which favor the neutral color palette. Remember to keep lines more basic.

Winning the World Over with the Scandinavian Look

Scandinavian home design invaded the world right after the 1947 Triennale di Milano edition. This is a renowned design exhibit in Milan. Here, glassware, accessories and furniture pieces coming from Nordic regions are shown. Later, the world caught on as they saw the beauty that this stark white design can offer.

The design show soon travelled to the U.S. and in Canada. The years 1954 through 1957 were the most fascinating years for this design as more and more ideas were added.

It is interesting that Scandinavian trends have evolved from the usual European look of favored ornate and opulent décor brought to the world by royalty and aristocracy. The Nordic people embraced a more practical look though plush pieces also appear now and then.

Scandinavian Light

Lighting is key in the Nordic regions with only seven daylight hours during the winter season. The look and feel of your lighting fixture will say a lot about whether or not you have achieved the Scandinavian design.

Scandinavian interiors have different kinds of lighting for mood building and correct illumination. This usually hangs between the industrial and modern looks. The styles could be anything from pendant to wall sconces.

Candlelight is also a must as it can automatically add a beautiful glow to any space. Votives are a beautiful deviation though you can be traditional by using candelabra.

Hooker Furniture Dining Room Mimosa - Cottage Fabric Barstool

Hooker Furniture Dining Room Mimosa – Cottage Fabric Barstool

Scandinavian Form and Function

Scandinavian furniture is all about the use of clean lines. Find chairs, tables and sofas that have a Mid-Century modern look. These are the ones that have rounded, smooth edges and neutral hues.

This design also focuses on function and innovative look.

Scandinavian Flooring

Don’t ever use wall-to-wall carpeting as this never happens in Scandinavian interiors. Flooring is traditionally hardwood, used in its natural color or, often, painted white. Since it is white, it automatically contributes to the expansion of the space and allowing more light inside.

Scandinavian Living Elements

It is also crucial to bring in living elements of beauty and color in this design. Fresh flowers are an absolute necessity. This is apparent with all those sidewalk florists in Copenhagen who sell tulips in every possible color.

Succulents are also a welcoming vision in any Scandinavian home.

Scandinavian Means Neutral

If there is one color palette that is most associated with Scandinavian design, then it would have to be neutrals. So go ahead and use a lot of whites, grays, browns and blacks. These can be interwoven throughout your home if you want to create a calming and clean look.

Designers have introduced pop colors throughout the years so sea greens and light pinks are also now acceptable.

Regular Scandinavian homes have white walls that allow art and furniture to mesmerize.

Scandinavian Means Zero Clutter and Limitations

One of the best features of Scandinavian interiors is cleanliness. Storage is a must and is often implemented through shelves and cabinets. Décor is always intentional where less is more. Always remember visually relaxing as your mantra.

Inviting light in is a major concept in Scandinavian interior design. Windows from these European regions have windows that are often stripped bare. Should the homeowners consider using window treatments, then the materials should be sheer or linen.

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