How the Scandinavian Style Dominated the Interior Design
Posted on September 8, 2017
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The design movement in Scandinavian countries, including Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark, has spawned a new design, collectively referred as “Scandi”. It has quickly become popular thanks to catering to most of the modern interior design trends – apparntly, minimalism, neutral color palettes and straightforward, non-convoluted design is what people want… again. And it seems that the Scandi’s simplicity is what drives both ordinary people and famous interior designers mad.
World of Empire’s Elissa Coleman hailed the design for its forward-looking approach. The designer admires the movement for its direct approach to lifestyle. As she notes, Scandinavians’ physical isolation and mountainous landscapes allowed for more experimentation, ultimately giving birth to simplistic, time-proof style. It only got better in the following iterations.
Designers around the world, even those far away from Nordic countries, appreciate and laud the design. Australian design firm Conrad Architects managed to retrofit the Scandi design for it to suit the Australian lifestyle. “The style is approachable and flexible”, underlines the company’s CEO Paul Conrad. It perfectly balances both classic and contemporary parts, so even when interior design trends change again, it won’t become outdated.
Classic variation
Scandinavian style bring an eerie sense of tranquility. Let’s see whether it’s viable to use it in bathrooms.
According to the renovators across the world, Scandi interior design is one of the most trending designs right now. There are two major interpretations of this Nordic design – minimal, or “pure”, and more luxurious, or simply “luxe”.
Oversimplifying a design can leave it cold, visually empty and soulless. The Nords managed to avoid this mistake by relying on timber. The wooden texture and color effectively introduces warmth to the room while preserving the minimalist approach of the overall design. Something as simple as shaggier pile on a bathmat can significantly warm things up.
The Scandi style also appeals to everybody thanks to its huge emphasis on natural light sources. According to the surveys conducted by design companies, the customers appreciate it the most and consider it to be an ideal lighting option. However, people often forget about it and block the light from coming by placing vanities in front of windows. Another common error is to cram the space, thus preventing the light from spreading. Letting it in is only one step, though – you must also enhance it with compatible color palette. Most designers prefer to use white or grey color scheme with a little hint of pastel. This is beneficial not only for lighting, but for spacial perception of the room. Lighter colors will make it visually light and open.
Simple white bathroom vanity in combination with grey tiles creates calm and modern athmosphere // reece.com.au
You must, however, create some contrast for the room. You can do it with towels, accessories or various tapware. They will do a perfect job of elevating the room’s palette. The designers advice to look for grey or chrome version. They are sleek in form and organic in shape, as their simmetricity and dial handles will perfectly compliment the minimalist-style room.
A simple yet elegant sink standing over a modern bath // reece.com.au
If you’re thinking that minimalism means emptiness, you’re wrong. Feel free to use the same vanities you use in a standard bathroom, just make sure they’ll blend with the design. That means you’ll have to use some free-standing items like timber tallboys, small towel ladders and quirky stools. This will make the bathroom even more cosy,eliminating one of the largest problems with minimalism – feeling of soullessness. Open storages will also work fine, as they are pretty much compatible with Scandi style guidelines. You can even use them in a standard bathroom thanks to their versatility.
Light wooden vanity with plain white sheets // reece.com.au
Deluxe option
If you want to pursue more luxurious options of Scandi style, look at high-tier hotels and spa retreats. They have switched to minimalistic approach quite a while ago, creating unique, memorable rooms. When you’re going for luxurious options, add warmer palettes to simple and refined tones of classic Scandi design.
Luxurious Scandi-styled bathroom // conradarchitects.com
The designers usually resort to natural materials, especially marble and travertine, thanks to its perfect color and texture. They remain refined and add little to no visual clutter thanks to minimal detailing. To create the sense of luxury, go for full-height tiling. Not only this will make the room look exquisitely luxurious, but it will also enhance its clean-line approach. The last touch will be the selection of tapware, and this is where you should look for sophistication. Good-looking high-quality tapware will be like a cherry on the cake. It is one of the most important details for luxurious, yet simplistic bathroom design.
Scandinavians really love to use white subway tiles on walls. They also have a little weakness for grey floor tiles. It is a very safe option, as tile-based designs don’t usually date. This design might even outlive the bathroom itself. Most homeowners usually renovate their houses each decade, and we’re pretty sure that the minimalist trend will stay there for at least fifteen years. Don’t afraid to go with what you love and what will definitely bring you joy.
The Scandi style dislikes any artificial materials. This means that tiles with photographic effects of materials like marble, stone or timber are a no-go. The Scands really appreciate handmade things, and even if you’re on a budget, you definitely shouldn’t break that rule. An appropriate budget-friendly option is to use small amount of genuine marble just for the vanity instead of using it for all the walls and floor. In addition, there is also other options to pursue when doing bathroom remodeling. Take a look at some of the bathroom remodeling ideas for smaller bathrooms.
Glossy materials are definitely a no-go in minimalist designs. Avoid them at all costs, as they will look unnatural in an all-natural environments. By that point you should have understood that handmade tiles are the best possible option. Each one is different, and they will give a small lovely patina.
Cost of Remodeling
The total cost of remodeling will depend on many factors – size of your bathroom, chosen materials and work complexity being just a few of them. Luckily, our friends at Home Improvementer made an approximate estimate on bathroom remodeling, and we advice you to come check it out.
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