What I Like--Scandinavian Simplicity

Scandinavian style started in the 20th century with Carl Larsson. Any major bookstores like Barnes & Nobles or Indigo will have a few Scandinavian style books in their Interior Design section. Just skimping through the books will you give you a sense of a timeless, classy and minimalist style. You can imagine a lot of neutral colours as it is often cold and wintry there and the Scandinavians wanted to bring as much sunlight in as possible--that is why you will find a lot of white and creme. 

I'm particularly fond of their rustic appeal, like a get-away cottage in the woods. Scandinavians use light colours and they use wood furniture. Dinner chairs are usually made of light wood as well as wooden, bench-like sofas. There is minimal upholstery in the Scandinavian style. Their style is minimalist--there is no clutter and everything is functional and spartan. It's a great look!

Minimalist Attitude

When moving to their first home, a lot of young adults stock up on a lot of stuff--things which they may rarely use. Less is always more, and the less you have the more use you'll get out of what is already there. Many people do not own a microwave because they don't really microwave their food--they enjoy cooking and can easily re-heat a dish in the oven or on the stove-top. I realized I wouldn't need a microwave. How often did I use a microwave in 2010? Maybe less than 10 times. 

All the things that clutter and cause chaos need to go--in your life and in your home. Simple vintage lamps of wrought iron add a romantic, simplistic look to a simple living room. If it was up to me, there wouldn't even be a television but ..it's not. All the color we need in the kitchen is in the vibrant fruits and vegetables that don't belong in the fridge, beautiful bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and romantic spice containers (green for coriander, yellow for curry, red for paprika--it's art right there). I recently seen an amazing black and white minimalist townhouse on HGTV done by Genevieve and it was modern, sexy and still functional. Everything just flowed well together and recreating that look would be a treat for me.