Simply and Functionally

The universal Scandinavian style is one of the easiest to implement and has been one of the most popular interior design trends in recent years. Clean, spacious, minimalist, and maximally comfortable, it often becomes the first choice for homeowners and apartment dwellers. Importantly, it can be enjoyed not only inside but also in the form of a Scandinavian-style facade. What are its main features, and where is it best suited?

What Defines the Scandinavian Style?

The Scandinavian design style is characterized by simplicity, functionality, and the use of light colors. Interiors in this style are bright and very spacious, using muted shades such as white, beige, grays, and various shades of brown. However, accessories often have vibrant colors that give the space an individual character.

Scandinavian style originated from Northern Europe, created in response to the need to bring people closer to nature. This minimalist, natural, and wood-based style works well in a variety of spaces, including small apartments, which often pose a challenge for designers and investors. Thanks to its light color palette, this design trend allows for optical enlargement of interiors, while Scandinavian-style facades exude an elegant charm.

In classic Scandi style, natural fabrics like cotton, jute, and linen, as well as wood, stone, rattan, and wicker, are commonly used, warming up the space and giving it a homely feel. This style can have rustic touches, a hint of boho, and often features a single vibrant color in the accessories, which adds a unique flair to the interiors. Popular choices include turquoise, pink, deep green, or mint.

What Does a Scandinavian-Style Facade Look Like?

The key feature of a Scandinavian-style facade is simplicity. Scandinavian houses are primarily minimalist. Typically, they are simple structures with gabled roofs, in light colors, and decorated with wooden or stone elements. The model Scandinavian house is a single-story, barn-style building with a white facade and a gray or graphite roof. The window and door frames are white or light wood. The base and entrance niches are clad in graphite or gray stone, and any decorative elements are often made of exterior tiles that mimic light wood.

Scandinavian style is not a strictly defined design trend but rather a blend of different trends popular in Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Iceland. Typical Icelandic houses were long structures with gabled roofs supported by pillars and doors placed on one of the longitudinal walls. In Denmark, single-story houses with basements and colorful facades were once dominant, while in Sweden, residential buildings were often red with white window frames. Therefore, the term Scandinavian is more of an approximation of architectural trends from Northern Europe rather than a strict definition.

What Materials to Use for a Scandinavian Facade?

The simplest Scandinavian-style facade can be created using white or light gray exterior plaster. Decorative elements, such as around windows or entrance doors, can be enhanced with light wood-effect exterior tiles, such as Aviona Bianco, Listria Bianco, or Mattina Beige.

Wood-effect tiles can also be used for the building’s base. In this case, it is best to opt for a darker model, such as Grapia Ebano exterior tiles or black stone tiles like Tacoma Steel Lapatto. Porcelain tiles can also be used for flooring and finishing the niches of terraces and balconies. They are ideal as a finishing material for pillars supporting roofs. Stone tiles are also worth using in functional spaces like grilling areas or carports.

What Types of Houses Suit the Scandinavian Style?

A Scandinavian-style facade is an ideal choice for single-story modern barn-type houses, as their simple shapes provide a perfect canvas for this architectural trend. Additionally, this style can work well for houses designed in the manner of mountain residences and, of course, in vacation homes. However, it is less suitable for more complex architectural structures.

The concept of a Scandinavian-style facade is broad but can generally be understood as a light design that uses materials imitating natural elements, mainly wood and stone. Uncomplicated, natural, and thus universal, without unnecessary complexities, extravagant decorations, or intricate architectural solutions.