Scandinavian houses, both the interior and exterior, are designed with regard to the natural environment. Scandinavian architecture is known for its clean lines and simple color palette. Yet, Scandinavian style houses are built with more than this in mind. They are built to respond to their location and climate to keep the inhabitants comfortable and able to live well within their natural environment.
Savukvartsi – Finland
This is a modern ecological log home that Honka designed for a city environment. They utilized a non-settling fusion log to frame the house and clad it with spruce. This home has a simple yet architectural shape with a high-sloping roof and multiple windows types to bring in bright natural light.
Hoghult House – Karlsburg, Sweden
Fabel Arkitektur designed the Hoghult House as part of a large estate in Sweden that contains old farms, large fields, and views of a green forest. The architects designed this magnificent yet restrained home using traditional woodcraft techniques. The wood construction uses no nails or screws in the construction.
Casa Sand – Aarhus, Denmark
Casa Sand is a project of Christoffersen & Weiling Architects. Their design imperative was to keep the design of these private beach villas in keeping with the coastal environment.
The horizontal lines of the coast and the idea of simplicity were the guiding light in the design of these simple homes. They used a sand-colored brick to blend with the natural environment. The long linear form and weight of the brick accentuates the coastal lines and settles the home into the dunes to protect it from the wind.
Summer House – Denmark
GinnerupArkitekter built this simple summer home on a Danish island right next to a coastline and meadow behind. They used a stone cladding so that it would blend in with its natural environment. The large glass windows ensure that the owners can soak in every bit of sunlight and teeming wildlife on the island.
Farmhouse – Halsingland, Sweden
Deep in the Swedish countryside, it is not uncommon to see vibrant red farmhouses. Red was a common home color for traditional Swedish houses in the country as it was a status symbol. Exterior decorations are more common in traditional than modern Scandinavian houses.
Mambo House – Finland
Honko designed this modern Scandinavian style home. They clad it with black siding to disappear into the background of the pine forest. The large windows and sharp mono-pitched roof remind the owners of the forest trips and wind shelters common in Finnish heritage and history.
Scandinvian Interior Style Elements
This Scandinavian style home reflects the traditional open floor plan. In this home, the kitchen, dining room, and living room are contained in one long room. They have a common color theme of light wood and black to tie the design together. The large windows provide fresh color and light in the design.
Natural Textures
Notice how many natural textures the interior designer uses in this Scandi-style living room including wood cladding and furniture, wool, metal, and natural greenery. The large windows provide all the decor needed. The white walls and lofted ceilings reflect bright sunlight throughout the room.
Neutral Color Palette
This kitchen has a neutral color palette, but it looks anything but boring. The designer has used bold color tones to create the look of contrast. The upper paneling and cabinets are painted a gorgeous black with a cool undertone. The marble countertops and textured wood cabinets give the kitchen a look of earthy sophistication.
Layered Lighting
This bedroom design utilizes layered lighting techniques to give the user the most control over light levels. The large windows provide ample light during the day. The lighting plan also includes the overhead ambient light that spreads a soft glow in the evening when the sun has gone down. The lights beside the bed allow quiet reading before bed without having to get up to turn off the light to sleep.
Comfort
Traditional Scandinavian homes like rural farmhouses are more colorful than their modern counterparts. But there are many areas where these designs share similarities. One of these is that they both value comfort in their interior spaces. The comfort of this traditional kitchen includes the ample use of warm wood furnishings, cozy pillows, rugs to keep bare feet warm, and natural accents like fresh cut flowers.
