Scandinavian Style: Getting the look
At Unikt Golv we’re often in consultation with the good people of Stockholm who are looking to create the Scandinavian Style in their homes …. naturally from the floor up. And selecting a floor that will work, means understanding what is involved in creating this look.
Essentially, the goal is stylish and timeless with calm, muted colours and clean, minimalist lines. One of the most important tips, would be exercising restraint when decorating. So when furniture is selected, it’s all about practicality. For example, sofas may be beautiful, but they also should have that added extra of having inbuilt storage and doubling up as a bed. As a result, fewer carefully selected items mean a cleaner and less cluttered aesthetic.
Maximising natural light is essential in the creation of these spaces, and one only needs to live through one long, dark Nordic winter to understand why! Homes will be designed with large widows, choosing linen or other sheer materials as curtains so as not to block the entry of light. This idea extends to the walls which are commonly white or light grey to draw in the natural light.
When it comes to colour, besides the splashes of colour in smaller items like cushions or throws, it is mainly white and neutral tones like grey. But recently deep, dark hues with an earthly tone are becoming more prevalent, like deep blue or dark green in say the bedroom, to create a cozy atmosphere. Or perhaps patterned botanical wallpaper to an accent wall.
It is not unheard of that the floors may sometimes be painted white or light grey, but the idea here is that natural materials like wooden floors and furniture is where warmth is introduced. They can be dotted with rugs, but generally speaking no wall to wall carpeting. Additionally, layers of texture like sheepskin throws, pure stonewashed linen and wool blankets add warmth. And don’t forget the candles!
We recommend our beautiful European oak floors with ashen undertones in grey or white schemes as seen in our styles portfolio. A client of ours, Jesper Laursen from Scandinavian Living, was delighted by our range of Chevron patterns which he recently installed in his own home, saying that the market has been waiting for something like this for a long time.