Features of kitchen design in Scandinavian style
Bright colors, natural materials, wood, charming details - a Scandinavian-style kitchen captivates from the very beginning. This is a cozy place where you want to spend time because it’s comfortable.
A modern Scandinavian style kitchen looks very beautiful. The predominant colors here are white, gray and blue, and the flooring is mostly raw wood. It is “warmed up” by accessories - a woven sidewalk, a decorative retro-style backpack, beige Roman blinds and other accents.
The Scandinavian interior is often dominated by bright furniture in white and gray tones. Wood is also present in other finishing elements, for example, as a countertop. A white kitchen with wood countertops is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also extremely versatile. This style never goes out of style!
What kind of doors should there be in a Scandinavian kitchen?
Doors in Scandinavian kitchens, along with windows, often become an additional source of natural light. Therefore, the Scandinavian style uses glass sliding doors framed in black frames.
However, the door should complement the interior ensemble and be a functional element, and not an end in itself.
If you think that you don’t need doors at all in your kitchen, feel free to get rid of them. Don't like the fact that anyone can look through the doors into the kitchen? Use classic wooden panels instead of glass doors.
Scandinavian style kitchen color schemes
Let's dwell on the colors used in Scandinavian interior design. As already mentioned, the main colors are light:
- white;
- grey;
- colored pastels;
- beige;
- ecru.
A white Scandinavian-style kitchen is a classic idea that dominates the design. This color provides many possibilities; you can choose a large number of color combinations for it.
A white kitchen will be an excellent contrast, for example, with black accessories in the form of lampshades, chairs, a sink or the already mentioned cabinet handles.
An interesting arrangement idea that uses a game of contrasts - a kitchen in the form of a chessboard. Black and white floor tiles laid in this way give the room a very original character.
A gray Scandinavian style kitchen will also go well with white. If you choose gray kitchen cabinets, then it is better to put tiles or panels in a light brown shade on the floor. A gray kitchen should also be “insulated” with accessories. Bedspreads for flowers in light shades, red brick or, on the contrary, whitewashed walls - all this will make the room very cozy.
Likewise, a beige kitchen will be extremely versatile.
What about bright colors? Although most people associate Scandinavian homes with white and gray, stronger accents can be found. For example, a dark Scandinavian-style kitchen is a solution that should be used in spacious, bright rooms.
For lovers of wood and everything connected with it, you can use it as cabinet fronts. A brown kitchen can be combined with black, for example, on the wall. However, in such a situation, you should choose a lighter color for the floor.
A blue Scandinavian-style kitchen can also be an interesting furnishing idea. Cabinets of this shade go well with white brick tiles on the wall and wood on the floor.
Furniture
The advantages of the Scandinavian style are that the interior is fresh and elegant. Which does not raise any questions when decorating a kitchen-living room, to which it is customary to invite guests. Furniture for this purpose can be selected depending on preferences.
Wardrobes, chests of drawers, bedside tables and other cabinet furniture are white or gray. In some cases, the participation of black is also possible, but not in large quantities, for example, black door handles are the most striking example of such an accent.
A white kitchen is another stylistic accent that signifies Scandinavian style at its best. At the same time, it also has eye-catching details. A wooden countertop in a natural color goes well with white, as it adds coziness to the kitchen space. A matching table and chairs for the kitchen will enhance this effect.
Cabinet furniture should not be made of plastic or other artificial materials. Only wood or natural veneer will create a genuine sense of style.
Upholstered furniture in Scandinavian design tends to be modern. This means that sofas and armchairs with a rectangular, angular look are welcome. For the living room of the living room, in order to give more coziness and color, the color chosen is beige, brown, blue or gray.
How to decorate a kitchen in Scandinavian style
Regardless of whether it is an open kitchen or a room decorated in a completely different atmosphere, take care of its functionality.
You need to start with the basics - with the rules of the working triangle: the stove, refrigerator and sink should fit into an equilateral triangle with sides of a meter and a half.
Pay special attention to the countertop - there should be enough space on it for maximum comfort when preparing food.
Ergonomic arrangement of a Scandinavian-style kitchen should not be a problem - rooms in houses according to this style are always focused on comfort. They are dominated by spacious countertops and spacious kitchen cabinets with thoughtful storage systems.
Arrangements presented in interior design catalogs and popular furniture stores are sure to provide a lot of ideas.
On the floor, you can use wood-effect ceramic tiles, which resemble natural wood, but are more resistant to moisture. The floor can also be light gray - this is another element characteristic of this type of style.
For such a room, for example, large format floor tiles reminiscent of gray marble would be suitable, but architectural concrete can also be used.
Kitchen cabinets are, of course, white – both in glossy and semi-matte finishes. The cabinet fronts can be designed in a modern style or refer to a retro atmosphere. Black contrasting handles will be a great addition to the overall look.
A Scandinavian-style kitchen can also have gray base cabinets and white wall cabinets; the fronts do not have to be the same color.
What about tiles on the wall? The design is dominated by white brick, but you can also choose wooden panels or wood-look panels.
A kitchen with a Scandinavian style window can be decorated with traditional curtains, Roman blinds or very impressive wooden blinds. However, you should not completely block the flow of natural light. Many people refuse to decorate windows altogether or choose minimalist accessories.
On the other hand, a Scandinavian style kitchen with a corner window encourages display of this interesting architectural element. How to do it? For example, use light translucent roller blinds that let a lot of light into the room.
How to decorate the ceiling?
In the Scandinavian style, it is not customary to focus attention on the ceiling, so it will be enough to paint it, cover it with plasterboard or install a matte single-level coating.
Adapting the style to modern trends, designers sometimes cover the ceilings in Scandinavian kitchens with decorative wood panels. But this is the exception rather than the rule.
How to choose furniture for a Scandinavian kitchen
First of all, it should be functional furniture - one that will facilitate the storage of dishes and food. You can refuse wall cabinets, but at the same time skillfully organize the space in standing furniture.
Furniture with drawers instead of traditional shelves is a very convenient solution for quick access, for example, to bulk products, plates or pots. Rotating or pull-out baskets can be inserted into corner cabinets.
If wall cabinets are still needed, they can be made with glass fronts. With the right lighting they will look very impressive.
You can place kitchen appliances on the island, such as an induction hob, and hang a black hood above it. There is also space for dishes and small household appliances. The island will also become a convenient place for preparing and eating food - it will adequately replace the kitchen table. High bar stools - white or brown - are suitable for this.
Materials and accessories in the Scandinavian kitchen
Materials, decorations and small equipment greatly influence the ambiance of a Scandinavian-style kitchen. Accessories should harmoniously complement the elements already in the room. First of all, you should focus on natural materials - wood, cotton, linen, wicker or stone. Wooden kitchen in Scandinavian style is one of the most popular arrangements.
This material can be used on the floor, between kitchen cabinets, as a countertop or as blinds in a Scandinavian style kitchen. The wood can be light-colored, such as bleached or untreated. In turn, linen works well as a material for light translucent blinds. It is also worth using pillows placed on chairs as textiles - they can be made of cotton.
What about other finishing materials? An interesting arrangement idea is a kitchen with brick, red or white. It can be placed only on one of the walls and thereby emphasize a specific place.
Another very popular solution is a kitchen with a glass panel. This is an alternative to tile placed between cabinets. Glass will protect the wall well, for example, from grease splashes.
It is also worth remembering the additions that create the atmosphere of a Scandinavian-style kitchen. Cabinet handles can be a contrasting color, such as black. It is also worth buying woven napkins, wooden bowls, a white backpack, ceramic cups in shades of white and gray, or containers with wooden lids.
Regardless of what accessories and materials are chosen for the kitchen, you can draw inspiration from various sources - catalogs and interior design blogs.
Kitchen lighting
The stores offer a wide selection of lamps inspired by Scandinavian style. These can be either black, semicircular chandeliers or ceiling lamps that provide directional lighting. Lamps made from natural materials, such as wicker, are very popular.
Openwork chandeliers are perfect for the kitchen - they will provide diffused soft light.
You can’t forget to illuminate the countertop – you should place special strips under the wall cabinets that will create ideal conditions for preparing food in the evening.
The Scandinavian style kitchen is also associated with lighting of hanging kitchen cabinets and drawers, such as cutlery.
Which kitchen set to choose?
Functional, practical, roomy, with plenty of storage space.
The popularity of the Scandinavian style is largely due to its well-thought-out storage system (not only in the kitchen, but also in the apartment as a whole), which allows for the most efficient use of space.
A kitchen set in the Scandinavian style has a minimum of decorative overlay elements; the main emphasis is placed on the texture and color of the facades.
Sometimes designers abandon the top line of the kitchen unit, replacing it with open shelves.
We love the idea of using pegboard to create a custom storage area in the kitchen.
Scandinavian style kitchen in a small space
A small kitchen can also be functional, you just need to properly plan the arrangement of the space. If you don’t need a lot of kitchen cabinets, you can abandon wall cabinets and instead install shelves or railings on the wall. A variety of hooks are ideal as a way to organize spice pots and cups.
You can put frequently used dishes, cookbooks and other items on the shelf. It is worth focusing on bright colors.
A small white Scandinavian-style kitchen will be optically larger than a room decorated with dark furniture, for example, with dark blue or brown cabinet fronts.
The Scandinavian-inspired kitchen is a minimalist space with a cozy character. Natural materials and simplicity prevail here, making it easier to keep the room clean. When arranging the interior, you should not forget about accessories that will give a seemingly cool, frosty kitchen a warm climate.
Arrangement ideas
A Scandinavian-style kitchen cannot boast of elaborate wallpaper or a bas-relief ceiling. Finishing and repairs are as simple as possible and as inexpensive as possible.
Floor, walls and ceiling
Natural materials in decoration predominate here. For the floor - floorboard, light or dark. When choosing flooring, pay attention to tones such as bleached oak and Nordic, white ash - cool shades of wood visually enlarge the kitchen and add light. Warm wood tones (Liverpool and Marmaris oak, wild cherry), although they look a little simpler, make the interior warmer and more comfortable.
As a floor covering, you can most often find natural or parquet boards, less often parquet. A cheaper option would be a moisture-resistant wood-look laminate with a single-strip pattern.
In a kitchen-studio or living room, it would be more advisable to lay ceramic tiles on the floor in the work area, and boards or parquet in the recreation area, which will simultaneously zone the space and protect the wood from unnecessary loads and moisture.
You will find more fresh ideas for arranging a kitchen-living room here.
The color of the flooring, as a rule, is non-staining: either gray or imitating a board, with streaks in a beige-brown color scheme.
The plinth is chosen to match the walls, most often white, 12-15 cm high, wooden or plastic.
As for the walls, they are usually painted. Don't want to level the walls before painting? Pay attention to fiberglass or non-woven wallpaper for painting.
In this case, it is customary to make one wall an accent wall: this can be wallpaper with a bright geometric print, or tiles laid in a checkerboard pattern. In the loft version, a brick wall would also be appropriate.
Designer tips
Irina
founder of the interior studio, architect and interior designer. The main area of work is kitchen design
By laying brickwork on a common wall in the kitchen-living room, you can visually unite even the space zoned by a partition.
The ceiling must be white, simply painted, suspended or made of plasterboard. Natural beams or their imitation are welcome.
Apron
An apron in the kitchen can become that bright accent that will dilute the calm interior. Hog tiles, honeycombs, mosaics, patchwork – there are many options. In addition to tiles, skins and MDF panels that imitate wood, brick or stone are perfect.
The most typical accent colors in Scandi are red, dark blue and wet asphalt.
Are you afraid to experiment? The white apron is a classic of the genre; it will fit perfectly into any interior and will never get boring.
At the same time, we can use grout either to match the tiles or in contrast, thereby enlivening the snow-white interior.
Working and dining areas
Kitchen furniture in the Scandinavian style is as simple and high-quality as possible, made, as a rule, from solid wood, suitable for any layout. Strict rectangular handles, glass inserts, smooth or paneled facades made of solid wood or high-quality wood-look laminated chipboard.
The set is not necessarily white or gray. Olive, turquoise, black - the main thing is to tone down the shade a little. Quite often you can find combined facades in Scandi: white with wood, gray with yellow, matte or semi-gloss.
Glossy facades are appropriate only in a small kitchen, as they perfectly reflect light, thereby visually expanding the space.
Designer tips
Irina
founder of the interior studio, architect and interior designer. The main area of work is kitchen design
A fairly common occurrence is a set without upper cabinets. Open shelves can be between pencil cases with built-in appliances, or completely replace wall cabinets.
If you can’t get rid of the upper cabinets, make them up to the ceiling.
A classic example of a Scandinavian set is IKEA kitchens: the most popular models Budbin and Sinarp from the Method series.
The tabletop must look like wood, the shade is always darker than the facades. But in a kitchen with dark facades, a white countertop would be more appropriate.
You may be interested in: How to embed a sink into a countertop: useful tips and step-by-step instructions.
As for the dining group: an extendable wooden table with chairs, or wicker furniture made of rattan or cane will fit perfectly into the interior. In the design of a kitchen-living room in Scandi style, both a bar counter and a cozy sofa would be appropriate.
And if the table is usually wooden, white matte, then the chairs can also be metal, with leather or textile trim. The dining group looks interesting, with chairs that differ in color, shape or material.
Lighting
An important role in the interior is played by lighting: an accent lamp above the dining area, floor lamps and sconces, and necessarily built-in ceiling lamps, because there is so little natural light in Scandinavia.
Fabric lampshades are inappropriate here, but crystal or metal ones will fit perfectly into the interior.
The most common version of a Scandi-style chandelier is a regular incandescent lamp hanging on a colored or black cord.
Be sure to hang a lamp above the bar counter and don’t forget about lighting the tabletop - there’s never too much light in Scandi.
See also: Track lamps in the kitchen: design features and selection criteria.
Accessories and decor
There is no usual decor in Scandi. The decorations here are things with meaning: beautiful dishes, kitchen utensils, a rug, oven mitts and pillows on chairs, watches and photographs, usually black and white.
And remember, no decor is always better than too much. Especially in Scandi.
Curtains and textiles
There are no curtains in the kitchen in Scandinavia. No tulle, curtains or lambrequins. The maximum you can afford is a translucent white roller blind or a curtain to match the walls.
To decorate the window in the kitchen-living room, you can use cotton or linen curtains in pastel colors, or you can choose accent curtains with a characteristic geometric pattern.
As for textiles, a woven or braided rug on the floor, bright or neutral pillows on chairs, tablecloths and soft blankets with ornaments - that’s the maximum possible in Scandi.
