They say design is a mirror of society. In that case, we’re now seeing a desire to go back to basics with warm, authentic and durable materials. A touch of wood works to bring nature into your home.
Scandinavian Design
Scandinavian design is all the rage now. It has the advantage of creating an atmosphere of elegant simplicity, and highlighting wood in a natural way.
As its name indicates, this style emerged after World War II in northern European countries – Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. These three countries share a common culture marked by an aesthetic that is resolutely simple and minimalist. The guiding principles are a return to basics and drawing on nature as the chief inspiration.
To have a look at the best Scandinavian design, visit the website of renowned interior designers and architects Norm Architects, based in Copenhagen. There, you’ll see the famous HØST restaurant with a design that is a splendid combination of raw materials and the minimalist ultra-sophisticated furniture characteristic of Scandinavian countries.
The art of living
The Scandinavian art of living has been making waves for several years, first of all for aesthetic reasons: Scandinavian design is seductive and cheerful. Another point of attraction is Scandinavia’s hygge culture, which revolves around creating a feeling of comfort and wellness and refers to the positive mood that derives from simple happy moments, such as time spent with family or taking a walk in nature. And Scandinavia is admirable, too, for a philosophy that is especially relevant at the current time, when intelligent consumption is our only option. There, the tendency is to consume differently and consider the long term when making purchase decisions. Hence the move back to basics and to durable materials like wood.
Nostalgia
Always in style, wood also has a touch of nostalgia about it that gives products and spaces a sense of comfort and familiarity. Wood conjures up scenes of our childhood, of the big family dining table and the piano in the living room. People appreciate wood’s durability; they like the fact that it’s a part of their personal history and enriches their memories.
Wood conjures up scenes of our childhood, of the big family dining table and the piano in the living room.
Wood in a variety of styles
Wood comes in many shapes and forms: with a fine or rustic finish, natural or stained, in geometric or rounded shapes, and so on. And, of course, there are also different species of wood, such as oak, white oak, walnut and blonde woods of all shades. The four Worlds of Mobilia open the door to many styles of wood furniture and accessories.
Wood can also be used as an accent in the same way one might use a colour or an accessory, like a chair, decorative objects, a small table or a stool, and so on.
Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention a related trend: the return of rattan and bamboo — materials that are also reminiscent of our childhoods. We’ll talk more about that in a future article! In the meantime, check out the latest big trends by paying a visit to the website of Maison & Objet, the design fair held in Paris this past January.
The funny thing about the resurgence of rattan & bamboo is that not only am I seeing new interpretations – like the ones at Mobilia – but antique shops around Toronto are carrying a LOT more original pieces with rattan & bamboo….where have they been hiding the past decade????
Hello Mr Robb, yes we know, like you said it’s a new interpretation of rattan & bamboo. It’s nice to see that its making a comeback in design. Thank you for your comment!