With minutes dropping off of the hours of daylight each day (but thankfully only until the 21st!), some bright interiors seemed like a refreshing alternative to sunsets at 4:45pm. Here is a roundup from one of the quintessential Swedish mags, Sköna hem, that captures the je ne sais quoi of Scandinavian interiors that we all love and adore.
As white is the combination of all colors and is known to reflect light when used in interiors, it's no surprise that so many Scandinavian homes use it as the primary decorating color of choice. With days as short as seven hours in the winter, homes serve to counteract the dark and gloominess outside. I know I could spend days inside of these walls, but my question is this: how do you keep those white floors so clean?
(Image credits: all images from Sköna hem; photographers are 1 - Johan Carlson, 2 - Lars Ranek, 3 - Martin Cederblad, 4 - Per Gunnarsson, 5 - Svante Sjöstedt, 6 - Johan Carlson, 7 - Per Gunnarsson)
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Comments (12)
I love these rooms. They feel bright and warm and open.
After spending part of a winter in northern Sweden, I completely understand why their rooms are white - everything else is black! Forget 7 hours of daylight...how about zero? Even college kids in Sweden seem to be born with an innate sense of good design. Perhaps Ikea runs in their genes?
This appeals to me so much this time of year. Enjoying natural light makes me feel so much better about my day.
i want that fireplace!
Love.
yay for bright white! I agree that it can at times look cold, but material choices and the actual thermal comfort of a room would change that... plus the brightness at this time of year helps...
Room no. 2 is to die for! Looks like summer in Provence.
Regarding white floors: Scandinavians have a tradition in making and keeping wooden floors white. In short, a new wooden floor is once bleached with a special lye to prevent it from yellowing. After that it is regularly cleaned with white soap which cleans and adds oil and wax for protection in one go. White soap consists of natural ingredients and is an eco friendly way of keeping a wooden floor in peak condition for generations.
For more information look here: http://uk.faxedesign.dk/Default.asp?Action=Details&Item=199
Funny how few of these shots seem as though they were taken in the middle of a Scandinavian winter. I see an awful lot of green outside some of these rooms!
I have lived in northern climates all of my adult life, after growing up mostly in Florida. Try as I might, I cannot do all white. My current house has a pretty strong Scandinavian vibe and was painted white throughout when I moved in. I have been painting various walls deep, rich colors and adding warm wood and texture and bright art. It makes a huge difference to my emotional state during the long, dark months!
Thanks for reminding us there are just about two weeks till the solstice.
I really want the table in the 3rd picture- wow
I can't tell you how nice it is to work from home in a nice bright white apartment during this gray NYC fall.
"my question is this: how do you keep those white floors so clean?"
Nobody wears shoes inside, you walk around in your socks. (I don't want start the shoes vs no-shoes war again, I just state what's common in Scandinavia).
For those who think these homes look a bit "cold" for winter, most of these pictures were obviously taken during the summer (or spring). People often add things for winter to make it cozier. Especially lights and lots of candles. More flowers and plants during the winter are common too.