Eight pared-back and elegant Scandinavian kitchen designs
For our latest lookbook, we’ve collected eight peaceful kitchens with Scandinavian design details, in homes including a chalet in Belgium and a forest retreat in Sweden.
Plenty of wood and stone, minimalist details and practical solutions make these eight interiors from across the world good examples of Scandinavian kitchen design.
As well as being stylish, the pared-down interiors make for functional, clutter-free kitchens where it is easy to find and use all the items needed to make a meal in a relaxing atmosphere.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring outdoor showers, interiors with exposed services and Milanese homes with eye-catching material palettes.
Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenForest Retreat, Sweden, by Norm Architects
Architecture studio Norm Architects designed this kitchen in a traditional Swedish timber cabin using oakwood to create a warm feel.
Its discrete handleless low-lying cupboards have plenty of storage space, while a stone splashback is both decorative and functional. A black tap adds graphic contrast.
Find out more about Forest Retreat ›
Photo by Julian WeyerVilla E, Denmark, by CF Møller Architects
A carved lightwell brings light into this sundrenched kitchen in a villa in Denmark. The brick tiles that clad the kitchen wall give the room a tactile feeling.
The floor of the open-plan kitchen is made from herringbone parquet, a style often seen in living room that here gives the kitchen area a more luxurious feel.
Find out more about Villa E ›
Photo by Jesper WestblomStockholm apartment, Sweden, by Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor
This Stockholm flat might be the exception that proves the rule when it comes to Scandinavian kitchen design – that it has to be designed using discrete colours and materials.
Instead, local studio Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor chose a pale lilac hue for the kitchen, which nevertheless features wooden details in the form of a table and chairs. An orange pendant light contrasts nicely with the monochrome kitchen.
Find out more about Stockholm apartment ›
Photo by Anders SchønnemannVipp Pencil Factory, Denmark, by Vipp
Danish homeware brand Vipp used one of its own modular kitchens for Vipp Pencil Factory, a pop-up supper club in Copenhagen.
The dark-brown wood, commonly used in Scandinavian kitchens, contrasts against the grey concrete walls of the former pencil factory and is complimented by glass cabinets and a marble benchtop.
Find out more about Vipp Pencil Factory ›
Photo by Itay BenitHabima Square apartment, Israel, by Maayan Zusman
Local designer Maayan Zusman renovated this apartment in Tel Aviv using plenty of Scandinavian brands and details, including lamps by Gubi and chairs by Ferm Living.
A pared-back colour palette and Crittal windows that let the light in also give the kitchen a slightly industrial feel.
Find out more about Stockholm apartment ›
Photo by Jeroen VerrechtChalet, Belgium, by Graux & Baeyens Architecten
This 1960s chalet in Belgium features light-filled living spaces, including a wood-and-stone kitchen that has plenty of storage spaces and large windows that open up towards a lush garden.
Even the kitchen fan has a plywood cover to ensure it matches the rest of the space.
Find out more about the Belgian chalet ›
Photo by Johan DehlinSaltviga House, Norway, by Kolman Boye Architects
Nicknamed the “house of offcuts” because it has a facade made of offcuts of wooden flooring material, this weekend retreat in Lillesand, Norway, has a kitchen with a view.
The Scandinavian kitchen design is underlined by the use of Danish furniture brand Carl Hansen & Søn’s classic CH24 Wishbone chairs, which have been placed around a wooden dining table.
Find out more about Saltviga House ›
Photo by Jim StephensonThe Hat House, Sweden, by Tina Bergman
Located in the forested landscape of Tänndalen in western Sweden, The Hat House has a traditional Swedish kitchen with an entirely wood-lined interior.
To save space, a small floating shelf was used to provide open storage, rather than cupboards. Contrasting dark black and grey colours were used for the splashback as well as the kitchen island.
Find out more about The Hat House ›
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring outdoor showers, interiors with exposed services and Milanese homes with eye-catching material palettes.
Read more: More