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      Ten peaceful Scandi living rooms that feature minimalist design and natural materials

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      For this week’s lookbook, we have picked ten Scandi-style living rooms from the Dezeen archive that play with textures and showcase natural materials, elegant accessories and muted colours.

      Scandi style is a term used to describe designs from the three Scandinavian countries – Sweden, Denmark and Norway – but has also become a catchphrase that denotes minimalist interior design that uses plenty of natural materials, especially wood.
      Wooden floors are traditional in Scandinavian homes, where they are often matched with wood details such as panelling and classic mid-century modern furniture.
      Scandi living rooms often feature white or pale walls, which are common in the Nordic countries where the long, dark winter months mean people tend to choose light colours for their interiors.
      Many of the ten interiors below also play with textures, adding fluffy throws to simple sofas, tactile rugs to wooden floors and rattan and leather seating.
      This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous roundups include L-shaped kitchens, interiors that use internal glazing and inviting courtyards.

      Gjøvik House, Norway, by Norm Architects
      Located an hour outside of Oslo, Gjøvik House comprises six interconnected blocks with interiors featuring mottled grey walls, earthen textiles and warm wooden panelling.
      Pale grey hues were used for the living room, which has a soft Bollo chair designed by Andreas Engesvik for Foglia and a modular sofa in a neutral grey tone.
      According to the architect, the spaces were designed to have a “cosy and inviting feel, where you can truly hibernate while taking shelter from the frigid days of Nordic winter.”
      Find out more about Gjøvik House ›

      TypeO Loft, Sweden, by TypeO
      The living room area of creative studio TypeO’s guest loft in southern Sweden features floor-to-ceiling glazing that opens up onto a large balcony.
      A coffee table by Isamu Noguchi for Vitra matches the wooden floor and beams and is complemented by Ligne Roset’s Togo armchairs in black leather. Sculptural decorative details add an art gallery-like feel to the bright living space.
      Find out more about TypeO Loft ›

      20 Bond Apartment, US, by Home Studios
      Design firm Home Studios filled the 20 Bond Apartment in New York with bespoke furniture and vintage finds, including a leather Safari chair by Danish designer Kai Winding.
      An entire wall is taken up by a bespoke shelving unit that the studio made from oak wood and brass, adding another Scandinavian-style feature to the room. A rattan table and a pink resin side table by Sabine Marcelis add a tactile touch.
      Find out more about 20 Bond Apartment ›

      Sculptor’s Residence, Sweden, by Norm Architects, Menu and Dux
      Norm Architects, Menu and Dux collaborated on this installation that was designed to resemble the “eclectic living quarters of a creative.” Muted brown and beige hues lend the interiors an earthy, organic feel, which is contrasted by the elegance of the black marble table and black sculptures.
      Menu’s Hashira floor lamp adds a subtle nod to Japanese interiors, and its sleek surface offsets the knobbly texture of the brand’s Eave Dining Sofa Bench.
      Find out more about Sculptor’s Residence ›

      Villa Weinberg, Denmark, by Mette and Martin Weinberg
      Wienberg Architects collaborated with fellow Danish architects Friis & Moltke to overhaul the 1940s Villa Weinberg. The result is a warm, inviting home lined with oil-treated oak walls.
      The wood-clad living room also has a simple wooden coffee table and poufs for lounging on, as well as a built-in leather-clad bench. A rice lamp and sheepskin throw add texture to the wooden interior.
      Find out more about Villa Weinberg ›

      Solviken, Sweden, by Johan Sundberg
      Scandi living rooms tend to have very neutral colours, but in this space in a Swedish holiday home, two comfy sofas in a calming seafoam green create a bright focal point in the room. The hue is picked up by a painting at the end of the large, open-plan kitchen and living room.
      Small unpainted wooden coffee tables match the floor and the wooden storage cabinets alongside one wall.
      Find out more about Solviken ›

      London townhouse, UK, by Daytrip
      Design studio Daytrip’s renovation and expansion of an east London townhouse includes a living room with white walls, a wooden floor and furniture in muted colours.
      A textured “Banana” sofa designed by Danish Cabinetmaker, contrasts with the glass Trebol side table by Oscar Tusquets Blanca.
      Numerous ceramics and sculptures surround the open fireplace and add life and interest to the sleek white interior.
      Find out more about London townhouse ›

      Lyceum Apartments, Sweden, by Andreas Martin-Löf Arkitekter
      The Lyceum Apartments in Stockholm are located in the Old Technical College’s Pharmaceutical Institute and feature light-filled rooms with clean designs and historical details.
      In the living room, a curved white sofa contrasts against the angular shapes of Pierre Jeanneret’s wood and cane Easy Chairs, Soft beige curtains match the neutral hues of the rest of the room.
      Find out more about Lyceum Apartments ›

      Sommarhus T, Sweden, by Johan Sundberg
      This summer house by Johan Sundberg features a green sofa and a matching armchair. Both are from Danish brand &tradition and match the verdant greenery outside the large glass windows.
      A practical wooden table holds globe-shaped glass vases matching the slightly uneven glass lamps in the ceiling. The entire room is clad in pale wood, including the spruce floors, creating a calm, peaceful interior. The fixed furniture in the home was made from oak.
      Find out more about Sommarhus T ›

      Birkedal, Denmark, by Jan Henrik Jansen
      A circular holiday home on the island of Møn in Denmark features a playful living room with white-panelled walls and a floor covered in small white pebbles collected from the beach.
      A built-in curved sofa has brown leather seats that have been made cosier with added throws and pillows, and a small circular side table provides space for books, magazines and snacks.
      Find out more about Birkedal ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing colourful interiors, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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      Schissel Montgomery Architects renovates Brooklyn flat for art gallerist

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      New York City-based architecture office Schissel Montgomery has completed a minimalist renovation of a three-bedroom apartment in the Park Slope neighbourhood.

      Named Wendy’s, the studio decluttered the 1,300-square-foot (120-square-metres) apartment’s living spaces to create “a quiet, generous background for art and life”.
      Schissel Montgomery Architects also converted one of the bedrooms facing the street into a study.
      The kitchen uses only lower cabinets to create a sense of openness
      The renovation centres around a new kitchen, which is partially open to the living and dining space. Previously, these two areas were separate.”The intervention focuses on creating connections between the shared spaces of the apartment and selectively removing materials accreted over time,” said the studio.
      A key move was to declutter the apartment’s living roomA new banquette along the wall integrates storage beneath the seat while consolidating the previously separate spaces.
      At the end of a corridor, the studio repurposed an existing bedroom to create a study for the owner. Furniture selections here include a table by midcentury designer Eileen Gray and a Barcelona Daybed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

      BC—OA hides storage behind metal panels in renovated Soho loft

      Since the apartment is at street level, Schissel Montgomery designed sheer fabric curtains to cover the bottom portion of the windows.
      This gives residents more privacy, while still admitting light into the space.
      The new study occupies a former bedroom at the far end of the apartmentThe project has a restrained palette with light wooden floors, white painted walls and selectively curated furnishings and artwork.
      “The intervention focuses on creating connections between the shared spaces of the apartment and selectively removing materials accreted over time,” Schissel Montgomery explained.
      The entrance includes a full-height mirror and built-in storageCustom details include a handmade concrete enclosure to protect the building’s steam pipe.
      It is made of stacked, textured cylinders that resemble a classical column’s fluting motif.
      Custom details include a concrete sleeve to cover the building’s steam pipeAnother additional at the apartment’s entrance is a floor-to-ceiling mirror that was to expand the space and brings more light to a darker area of the apartment.
      “The intervention uses painted surfaces, whitewashed floors and window sheers to maximise bounced light in the space,” explained Schissel Montgomery.
      The pipe enclosure nods to similar classical columns visible from within the apartmentThese pipes are left exposed in many New York City apartments and can become so hot that they are hazardous to residents, in addition to being unsightly.
      Schissel Montgomery was established in 2019 and is led by two graduates of Columbia University’s architecture school, Michael Schissel and Talene Montgomery.
      Other apartment renovations in the Brooklyn area include a townhouse by GRT Architects that is filled with eclectic art objects and a monochrome interior renovation by local firm Arnold Studio.
      Photography is by Daniel Terna.
      Project credits:
      Architect: Schissel Montgomery ArchitectsConstruction: WK Renovation

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      Studio Four opens up “dark and compartmentalised” 1970s residence in Melbourne

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      A series of portal openings improve connections between rooms and bring extra light into this 1970s residence in Melbourne renovated by Australian practice Studio Four.

      Studio Four aimed to renovate the home, which was designed by Australian architect Wayne Gillespie in 1972, to improve the internal plan and bring it up to date for contemporary living.
      A series of portal openings provide views of the garden beyond (top and above)”While the existing house was of solid build, the interiors felt lightweight by comparison and did not flow or function as desired,” said Studio Four.
      “Some spaces, in particular the existing kitchen, were dark and compartmentalised and did not fully harness the possible connections with the garden.”
      Solid wood furnishings create a sense of warmth in the otherwise monochrome kitchen
      Located in the city’s South Yarra neighbourhood, the Cunningham Street Residence was designed by Gillespie as his first independent project and his first home.
      The architect, who died in 2001, was known for his use of pure, clean lines, and combining classical design features with modern technology.
      A planter is integrated between the dining table and kitchen island”The client’s brief was to provide a holistic solution,” explained Studio Four.
      “Their brief was to strengthen Gillespie’s original vision, as opposed to creating an alternate vision that would directly contrast it.”
      The kitchen was relocatedStudio Four replanned the rooms to enable the occupants to spend time both together and separately.
      For example, the existing kitchen was relocated to the centre and rear of the home so it could be used as a central space for the family to gather in.

      Ruxton Rise Residence in Melbourne is arranged around a planted courtyard

      To make the spaces appear larger and more connected with each other and the outside space, the architects inserted a series of portal openings between the spaces.
      It decorated the spaces with a palette of light and neutral colours.
      One of the portals features an integrated reading nook”The design response reflects the integrity of the existing built fabric. The focus is on the experience rather than the form, and all emphasis is placed on the quality of the experience rather than a visual statement,” concluded the studio.
      “The result is a house where the architectural form and its interiors act as one, and the transition between built form and landscape is blurred.”
      The bedroom features panoramic views of the trees outsideStudio Four, which is led by directors Annabelle Berryman and Sarah Henry, has a track record of creating homes that blur indoor and outdoor space.
      Previous residential projects include an all-white family home with a garden at its centre, and a grey-brick home with a central olive tree-dotted courtyard.
      Photography is by Shannon McGrath.

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      Ten L-shaped kitchens with plenty of countertop space

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      The latest lookbook in our series exploring kitchen layouts highlights L-shaped kitchens with two work surfaces that meet at 90 degrees.

      L-shaped kitchens are organised in the shape of the letter L, often fitting into a corner but sometimes with one of the surfaces projecting as a peninsula.
      In larger spaces, islands can be incorporated into the design between the L-shaped counters to provide additional space.
      The L-shape is of the most common kitchen layouts along with U-shaped kitchens, one-wall kitchens, island kitchens, galley kitchens and peninsula kitchens.
      This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous kitchen-related posts feature breakfast bars, compact kitchens and kitchens with skylights.

      Farmhouse, Switzerland by Baumhauer
      Fitted in a vaulted space within a traditional farmhouse, this L-shaped kitchen uses clean lines to contrast with the historic nature of the building.
      The kitchen consists of two stainless steel counters with stainless cabinetry with drawers, cupboards and appliances fitted below.
      One arm of the L contains a cooker positioned directly in front of a framed window to give the residents views across a Swiss valley while they are cooking. The other counter has a sink embedded opposite a serving hatch that punctures the thick stone wall between the dining and kitchen space.
      Find out more about Farmhouse ›

      Cabin at Rones, Norway by Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter
      Fitted against a wrap-around corner window, this birch plywood kitchen designed by Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter includes an L-shaped row of base cabinetry.
      A steel sink that incorporates a large drainer was placed at the centre of the row of units, while an electric cooker was placed on the other.
      The cabinetry and drawers below have a minimalist look with units aligned flush with the kitchen’s wooden countertops and featuring cut out handles.
      Find out more about Cabin at Rones ›

      London flat, UK by Hayhurst and Co
      This kitchen at the rear of a London flat was built beneath a part-sloping wood-lined ceiling that follows the topography of the garden.
      A row of white floor units topped with a marble countertop with an embedded sink was placed below a large full-width window that looks out to the sloping garden. The counter extends along the kitchen’s wall to form an L that contains an electric hob.
      Find out more about London flat ›

      Oneroa House, New Zealand by Vaughn McQuarrie
      This timber New Zealand home overlooking the Hauraki Gulf uses materials chosen for their texture and robustness.
      The open-plan kitchen-diner sits beneath a mono-pitched roof with north-facing clerestory windows.
      Plywood kitchen units line two of the walls with the sink positioned next to a large window with views across a bay.
      Find out more about Oneroa House ›

      Stine Goya headquarters, Copenhagen by Reform
      This communal kitchen at fashion brand Stine Goya’s headquarters runs along two walls of a room that has butter-yellow walls and light timber floors.
      Danish brand Reform updated IKEA cabinets with brass doors and handles to create a metallic look. The counters are topped with a contrasting black laminate countertop that matches the black appliances.
      Find out more about Stine Goya headquarters ›

      Belgian apartment, Belgium by Carmine Van Der Linden and Thomas Geldof
      Carmine Van Der Linden and Thomas Geldof stained the birch cabinetry in this L-shaped kitchen a seaweed green to connect the space with its coastal surroundings.
      Alga Marina marble was used for the kitchens countertops to add a neutral contrast to the deep green.
      Find out more about Belgian apartment ›

      Föhr apartment, Germany by Francesco Di Gregorio and Karin Matz
      Francesco Di Gregorio and Karin Matzhay converted the hayloft of a thatched roof farmhouse on the island of Föhr in Germany into this apartment.
      Its L-shaped kitchen is tucked away against the sloping roof, between a bathroom and bedroom. The architect duo lined the walls with thousands of ceramic tiles, each drilled with a singular hole to reveal a blue dot to form a sea of polka dots.
      Wooden base cabinetry blends with the apartments wood flooring and houses the kitchen’s appliances and storage. Because of its small footprint, a circular sink, electric stove and oven were organised beside each other within the longer countertop against the tiled wall.
      Find out more about Föhr apartment ›

      Workhome-Playhome, The Netherlands by Lagado Architects
      Ashwood cabinetry, burnt-orange niches, blue terrazzo floors and teal hued cupboards fill this L-shaped kitchen in Rotterdam.
      A wall of squared white tiles frames teal coloured overhead cabinetry that is suspended over a sink, stovetop and granite worktops.
      Teal cabinetry complements the kitchen’s blue terrazzo floors, which marks the area from the light wood floors in the living space. A breakfast bar in front of a window becomes an extension of the work area and can be used as additional prep space.
      Find out more about Workhome-Playhome ›

      Corsega Apartment, Spain by RAS Arquitectura
      This simple kitchen combines bright white cabinetry, steel appliances, grey-veined marble and exposed pipework.
      Overhead cabinetry surrounds a veined marble splashback and extends across the countertop, which extends into the room and doubles as a breakfast bar.
      A steel oven and microwave were fitted within the cabinetry at the end of the kitchen, tying together with the metallic handle and exposed extractor fan piping.
      Find out more about Corsega Apartment ›

      Extension One, UK by Denizen Works
      An oak countertop wraps around white cabinetry in this residential extension by Denizen Works. A white-tiled splashback wraps around the L-shaped countertops below a chunky oak shelf and rectangular window that overlooks the garden.
      The studio added a large L-shaped skylight supported by large oak beams above the counter containing the sink.
      Find out more about Extension One ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing colourful interiors, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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