Together with independent design company Utility, we have explored all corners of Nordic design to show you the best ways you can complement your favourite Scandinavian pieces with beautiful fine art.
Scandinavian design – an aesthetic inspired by functionality, balance and sustainability. This design aesthetic was originally focused on light, natural materials with a simple and clean form. Now we see it moving in a new direction, making conventional and often hidden objects the focus of a room using both deep charcoal and warm accents, which combined with light walls, project a new sense of tranquillity.
Where traditional Scandinavian brands like Artek have been leading the way with designs that are largely realised in steam-bent birch or ash wood veneer, contemporary Scandinavian furniture brands like Skagerak promote a new design aesthetic: influenced by modern life as well as the design heritage of the Nordic regions. Inspired by the soft curves of handrails on stairways and industrial machinery, the Skagerak Maissi Bench is a clean and artistic two-seater bench. The gentle bend in the unfinished oak displays the wood’s natural grain perfectly – emphasising the beauty in its carefully chosen natural material.
As the nights draw in this autumn, think about setting the mood in your home with soft and warm accents – ideally placed with home accessories like blankets and throws, cushions and rugs. These Caramel or Moss coloured Eclectic Cushions from Hay, can be an excellent way of bringing the autumnal colours of the outdoors inside the home.
As well as contemporary design pieces, art can be an essential component of a room’s aesthetic. Large, fluid abstracts like Amanda Oliphant’s ‘Invisible Boundaries’ will add subtle flecks of colour to a room with a light palette, and minimal, monochromatic pieces like Phill Gornall’s X-Ray Shell with simplistic pen work can procure a sense of calm and refinement. To complete the look, add a natural beech or ash frame.
No one loves the outdoors more than the Scandinavians and paired with simple and sustainable design, photographic artwork of natural landscapes and woodland scenes can inspire adventure and a sense of wanderlust. Mark Reeves’ ‘Beeches Above the Mist’ embraces the beautiful outdoors and paired with a minimal black or white frame would create bold contrast.
Discover more about becoming an interior designer and explore the latest design trends in a three day introduction to interior design course here in Liverpool city centre. Led by Interior Designer and artist Ainsley Bonham Lawson, you will look at interior style, materials and textiles, creating floor plans and designing to a brief. Call 0345 017 6660 to book!