Nordic design

Nordic design has its roots in functionalism, and is characterized by clean lines, simple shapes, lightweight furniture and high demands on materials and workmanship. Light in colors and extensive use of wood, especially woods such as birch, pine, spruce and ash, are typical.

As a design style it is above all functional, logical and simple. “Less is more” applies here as much as in Japanese design and architecture. Open spaces and clean surfaces are prioritized over the excessively decorative and anything that doesn’t have a practical function.

Good Nordic design is sober and clean, has a minimalist approach and is characterized by understated elegance. The aesthetic is simple and unpretentious. At its best, it gives residents clarity and peace of mind, and stimulates contemplation, which in turn may trigger creativity and productivity.

As a design concept, Nordic or Scandinavian design originates from the Nordic countries’ joint design exhibitions such as “Nordisk Konsthantverk” in Stockholm in 1946, and not least the traveling exhibition “Design in Scandinavia” with 200 designers and artisans from Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, shown in 23 museums and institutions in the United States in the 1950s.

Nordic design sprang from a shared Nordic experience linked to nature and the four seasons, limited resources, relatively low wages and limited purchasing power (in the first decades after the Second World War), social democracy and ways of living.