Modern Scandinavian Kitchen Designs for a Trendy Home
When you first hear “Scandinavian style,” your mind likely goes to IKEA or minimalist living rooms, but this style has a lot more to offer than what IKEA has made famous. Whether you want to embrace a light, natural Scandinavian style throughout your home or not, the kitchen is one room where it really shines.
What is a Scandinavian-style kitchen?
Scandinavian-style kitchens offer timeless beauty coupled with practicality that suits any home, new or old, city, suburban, or deep in the countryside. The cool, clean, apparent simplicity of Scandi style lends itself to the most important room in the house and is perfect for those who prefer clean lines over cluttered and cozy spaces.
With a little thought, a modern Scandinavian-style kitchen is within reach for any budget and available to all. The basics are easy to get right, and the look is open to your own personal touches that will make it unique. A kitchen is special – a mix of the comfortable and welcoming, with the supreme utility of storing and preparing food.
What does Scandinavian style look like?
The common themes that make Scandinavian design what it is are lightness and simplicity, with natural wood and pastel-hued accents. Although there are countless variations, this typically means white walls, pale quartz or marble countertops, and wooden floors and stools, little detail on cabinets, and all-natural textures.
However, rules are made to be broken, and it is perfectly possible to bring strong colors into your design with colored splashbacks and cabinets. The one thing to avoid is clutter and busyness. Scandinavian design is all about sleek lines and simplicity — the sort of room where you feel you can take a deep breath of clean mountain air.
How do you make a Scandi kitchen?
If you are starting from scratch and have the cash to splash, then the options are limitless. Think simplicity and minimalism, but not boring and not sterile. Plainly-designed white cabinets are a good place to start, but pale grey, deep blue, or even charcoal can work as well. Walls are often white or the palest of greys; you are looking for lightness and a feeling of space.
Natural wood floors add warmth, look good and are practical, too. Don’t just think color; look at the finish as well. Backsplash should have minimal patterns, so keep them clean and consider tiles to add texture.
If you incorporate an island, it can offer the opportunity to bring something different to the mix and add contrast to the room. If you’re looking to add a splash of “you” to the design, consider using a different color for your cabinet or even your countertop, if you’re brave!
When it comes to adding accessories, keep everything to a minimum. You want each component, whether a picture, storage jar, fruit bowl or plant, to make a statement and enhance the design. You should avoid clutter at all costs.
If you are on a more limited budget, then white (ideally washable) paint on the walls is a good place to begin. If you can, get new cabinet doors with a simple style, either flat or with a simple bevel design, and replace the hardware on the cabinets (or go without hardware entirely, by employing touch latches!).
However much you wish to spend, don’t neglect plants. They are pretty much essential for any Scandinavian-style kitchen makeover, but keep them discrete and use them sparingly. Herbs are always a good way to go, but don’t be afraid to use fake plants so you don’t have to worry about upkeep and wilting when it gets a little hot in the kitchen.
What is Scandinavian farmhouse style?
Scandinavian farmhouse style is where Scandi design meets American farmhouse style. The two go together well, with the plainness of the northern European look, softened by the down-to-earth hominess of the American farmhouse. Both styles share a love of white and the texture and color of natural wood, but adding American farmhouse design elements makes it a little more usable for the typical American family.
Where can I buy Scandinavian furniture?
Scandinavian-inspired furniture is available widely, but here are eight online stores that specialize in it:
1. IKEA – As you might expect from a Swedish company, IKEA majors in Scandinavian design and has been at the forefront of making the style global. Their flat-pack furniture is easy to transport and easy to assemble (you can always hire a handyman who will do this for you if you get stuck!). IKEA offers affordable, timeless Scandinavian furniture for all.
2. FROY – FROY doesn’t just do Scandi design, but has a lot to offer. It is a great place for tables, chairs and stools, but also look out for FROY’s choice of rugs and lighting. They offer free shipping on orders of $75 or more and 14-day returns.
3. Warm Nordic – The store for high-end Nordic style furniture, Warm Nordic offers a huge choice of furniture that will fit right in with your Scandinavian-style kitchen. They have ranges inspired by the 1950s and 1960s, but also carry products from the latest contemporary designers. Everything is high-quality and so, so elegant.
4. FJØRN – Based in California, FJØRN sources its inventory from top designers from all over Scandinavia. With designers like Hans J. Wenger, Ingegerd Råman and Gunilla Lagerhielm Ulberg on board, you just can’t go wrong.
5. Finnish Design Shop – The name says it all. They stock products from literally hundreds of top Scandinavian brands, from Aarikka to Katariina Nuutinen and Langø to Yrjö Kukkapuro. They care about design and sustainability and source their furniture accordingly.
6. By Lassen – A Danish company specializing in Danish design, By Lassen sells beautifully-designed and gorgeously-made furniture from their own factory in Holstebro. The fact that they have been doing this for nearly 30 years speaks volumes.
7. HAY – HAY is another long-standing Danish company and offers high quality with a glance at an accessible price point. You are looking at a company that works with bold, uncompromising designers, making cutting-edge furniture. If that’s your thing, dive in.
8. Design Within Reach – Design Within Reach creates furniture that is meant to be part of your life forever. This means well-crafted furniture that has been carefully designed and is built to last. The prices may reflect this, but it’s also true that you get what you pay for.
What are Scandinavian colors?
White is the color, but it’s best when contrasted with other natural hues. Careful use of color is important, and there are five that you will find in most Nordic homes:
Burnt orange – A rich, deep orange is often used as a warm accent.
Forest green – A deep green like an evergreen forest adds depth to a color scheme.
Dusky pink – A beautiful pastel shade that goes with anything.
Pale blue – Be careful not to overuse this color, as it can make a room feel wintery.
Grey – Scandinavians adore all shades and tones of grey.
Deep blue – A deep, dark blue is one of the best choices if you want to use a splash of color.
All wood shades and textures.
Why is Scandinavian design so popular?
Scandinavian design maximizes levity, emphasizes clean lines and removes clutter. It is like the essence of design, and it never ages or looks old-fashioned. That is why Scandinavian-style kitchens and décor are generally so well-liked and admired. The simple, unassuming elegance never goes out of style.
How do I get a Scandinavian look in my kitchen?
If you want a kitchen with Scandinavian interior design, the first step must be to declutter and simplify. After that, generate a white and light vibe with subtle touches of color, nature and warmth. Try to get rid of any bright or shiny colors and textures – you won’t find much bright chrome in a Scandinavian kitchen. Don’t forget bare wood; it is the perfect counterpoint to what can be a rather sterile atmosphere.
What are the elements of Scandinavian design?
Maximum use of light
A reliance on white
Hints of greys and pastel shades
The occasional statement using deep colors (ideally green, blue, or mustard)
Elegant lines
Natural wood accents
Clever storage solutions
Turn your Scandinavian kitchen design ideas into reality
Once you have decided you want a Scandinavian-style kitchen, you need to start planning. Like all big projects, it can seem daunting. After all, the kitchen is probably the most used room in your house, and the one where getting a measurement even a little off can spell disaster. You need everything to go smoothly to minimize the time during which your kitchen is out of commission. There is a solution.
Skipp can make your dream Scandinavian-style kitchen a reality, without fuss, without hassle, and within your budget. With one 30-minute appointment to do a 3D scan of your space for getting precise measurements, we can generate the best layout ideas for you to consider. We work with a team of top designers to offer only the best kitchen design packages available and then give you the choice of contractors and planners that we have personally vetted. We can even save you up to 40% on what it would cost with other contractors, architects and designers, to get the same level of service.
Scandinavian kitchen decor is very popular because it looks great, provides the perfect types of areas in which to store, prepare and cook food, and it never goes out of style. Although remodeling or renovating your kitchen is a big decision, nothing quite beats the joy of a properly thought-out, designed, and well-fitted kitchen.
Start your kitchen remodel with Skipp today, and find out how we make kitchen renovations simple.
