Scandinavian Design vs. Minimalist Design – The Real Difference

Establishing what your home’s design aesthetic is not always a simple straightforward process. Sometimes you may know what you’d like your space to look like, other times you may simply stumble upon inspirational pieces, ideas and moods that collectively determine the look and feel of your home.  It may be involving an organic evolution of pieces, an ideal end vision or maybe a hodge-podge of favorite elements. Design styles often interconnect and we likely end up living in a space that is a mix and match from a range of styles and different design trends.

Minimalist Apartment

Warm Nordic apartment - Image Source by Catherine Lazure

 

Scandinavian design and Minimalist design are two of the more popular design styles. These two styles are highly diverse and each carries its own unique characteristics. Whether you decide to renovate in one of these styles or you are simply looking for more insight into interior design, making the distinction between Scandinavian and Minimalist design poses an interesting is question worthy of exploration.

The Minimalist Approach to Design

As the wording suggests, minimalist design is all about simplicity and it aims to portray a clean and simple lifestyle. The minimalist style of decor is often related to the use of industrial materials such as metals in the form of steel and chrome. Minimalism puts great importance on the functionality of the furniture inside a given space. In other words, a minimalist interior may not have a huge variety of furniture and decorations but everything within a space will have its specific functional reason for being part of the bigger picture.

For instance, the minimal design Samso TV Stand from our catalog is a perfect element that can be found in a minimalist living room or TV lounge. The TV cabinet offers the clean lines typical for minimalism, provides extra storage space to ensure that the area around the TV remains clean and tidy, and is available in the typical colors of minimalist design – white, grey, and black.

Minimalist Industrial open concept Loft

 

Another typical trait of minimalist design is the open-concept space and the occasional use of a range of different textures to add a sense of coziness and comfort to a space. The design here has the ultimate aim of highlighting the architecture of a space. Some may say that minimalist design is a cold choice for interior but don’t allow this statement to confuse you. Although bright colors and bold choices of furniture may not be essential parts of minimalism, you can certainly play around with texture and different color nuances, as long as they stay true to natural color palettes.  

The Reality behind Scandinavian Design

Scandinavian design, although somewhat similar to minimalism, with a focus more about how a space is occupied rather than the importance of the space itself. Functionality is still a considered factor but it is not among the most important aspects of Scandinavian design. Instead, followers of the Scandinavian décor center their attention towards making their living space more comfortable, cozy, and welcoming.

Modern Scandinavian apartment - Image Source by Catherine Lazure

Scandinavian design enthusiasts will select natural materials for their home interior such as wood or woven textures to provide a more soothing atmosphere. The choice of color for a Scandinavian design is quite similar to that of minimalist décor and the accent is on whites, greys, and other pale, natural looking colors.

Modern Scandinavian apartment - Image Source by Catherine Lazure

The Scandinavian style stands out from others with its welcoming environment and its attention to all that is natural. This design style is ideal for families with children or pets as it provides a soothing and pleasant home vibe. Clutter is still frowned upon when it comes to Scandinavian design so the chosen furniture should have incorporated storage places to help keep the area clean and simple, in a similar way to Minimalism.

The True Point of Differentiation 

Although a product can be both Scandinavian and Minimal simultaneously, you can spot the main difference in the choice of material. As we mentioned earlier, Minimalist products will stand out with their steel, chrome, or lacquered surfaces, while Scandinavian furniture will have a more organic appeal and will incorporate decors such as hemp rugs, carved wooden chairs, or hand-woven baskets.

Scandinavian design is associated with providing a higher level of warmth and coziness when compared to Minimalism. This is not to say that if you have chosen the Minimalist design as your preferred style you are obliged to live in a cold and unwelcoming environment. On the contrary, Minimalism opens up a creative space for designers to use their imagination when it comes to the use of comforting and color-enriching textures.

The choice of an interior design style can be a complex and time-consuming endeavor. Even expert designers sometimes find it difficult to separate one style from another. In the world that we live in it is common for ideas, styles, and concepts to interconnect. Scandinavian and Minimalist styles in design are two foundations for a simple and clean lifestyle but do have their own, diverse set of characteristics. Our TV cabinets provide solutions suitable for both a Scandinavian and a Minimal interior at home. We hope this article sheds some light on the two styles and comes in use as a guide for your next home renovation project.