It’s easy to forget how much Scandinavian design has influenced the world furniture market. Thanks to modern mass retailers, such as Ikea, Bo, and recently ModernBrands Inc., clean lines, starkly simple silhouettes, and functional designs are so popular that they’ve become mainstream.
But what exactly is Scandinavian design? The style emerged in the 1950s as part of a modern movement in Nordic design (i.e. Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway) that prioritized function and affordability over preciousness and luxury. Marked by pale colors, natural materials and lean, leggy furniture, the aesthetic was largely a response to the region’s short days and long winters, which called for bright, practical interiors.
Furniture with less fuss
These days, it’s a favourite among minimalists who tout its influence on the mid-century modern movement and praise its lack of fuss. As such, the aesthetic seems particularly trendy around the new year, when resolutions to declutter are top of the mind.
While there’s a great deal of overlap between Scandinavian and mid-century modern design, the biggest differences can be found in the lighting and colour palette. Mid-century modern interiors tend to explore darker hues and work just fine in low light, whereas Scandinavian interiors aim to maximise lightness in a room.
“It’s as much a lifestyle as it is a look,” Per Weiss, creative director of Innovation Living Denmark, explained to the Manila Standard.
Innovations Living Denmark is part of the furniture brand stable of Modernbrands Inc, which recently hooked up with Alveo Land in a year-long partnership to produce functional furnitures and innovative interiors for the model unit of Alveo’s Portico project. Portico is a 3.6-hectare mixed-use condominium complex combining high-rise residences and townhouses in Ortigas.
“It’s disciplined. Danish chairs, for example, have longer legs. And I think to myself, how easy would it be to store stuff underneath there? But Danish design has no place for clutter because clutter ruins the lines. It begs to be left alone so that air and light can circulate through it. It’s aspirational,” Weiss pointed out.
Modernbrands’ partnership with Alveo provides Portico unit buyers with special privileges on multifunctional furniture. Buyers can choose from Modernbrands’ suite of furnishing packages, which will offer daily efficiency and ease without sacrificing comfort and quality.
Magazines and design blogs tend to make Scandinavian design look impossibly neat and expensive. Pictures show whitewashed walls, natural wood floors and rooms flooded with light. These interpretations aren’t always realistic, so if you’re looking to work the aesthetic in your own home, just remember that it’s high on function, low on fuss.
“The dining room is a great place to start,” Weiss said. “One by one, swap out heavy dining chairs for light ones and mix a variety of colors and materials. It will feel inviting and personal.”
Multi-functional sofas
Weiss said Innovation Living specifically builds space-saving multi-functional sofas crafted on top of the Scandinavian tradition. For over two decades, he said the company has built its name as an international sofa bed specialist that is best for creating unique ‘sofabeds’ that puts focus on comfort and durability.
The company creates several innovations in the field of multifunctional sofas. This includes the use of pocket springs mattress for their sofabeds for maximum comfort, as well as metal frames that can withstand up to 250kg for durability. Moreover, fabrics are of commercial grade and may have special treatments like Teflon coating to repel water.
“Innovation is not just our name, it is what we do,” Weiss declared. “We want to create appealing furniture that will make a difference in your everyday life. Your home is who you are and we want to be able to suggest collections of different inspiring styles each year, as we respect that we all have different backgrounds, tastes and preferences.” he said.
Innovation Living has over 1200 Stores in 90 different countries worldwide. Of those stores, 94 are Innovation Living brand stores. The brand was first introduced to the Philippines in 2010 and since then it has opened boutique stores in Metro Manila. Its newest store can be found at LRI Design Plaza, Makati.
