Music & Arts
6 Scandinavian design shops that will transform your home
Known for its simplicity and functionality, Scandinavian design has an elegance that easily allows it to be incorporated into the home. The aesthetic is characterized by clean lines, beautiful materials and exceptional craftsmanship. And, its sensible sophistication has the power to bring a feeling of happiness and harmony to the home.
These six Scandinavian shops are on the forefront of contemporary design and surely will add a breath of fresh air to your abode.
HAPPYsthlm
This hip design boutique located in Stockholm’s Gamla Stan (Old Town) sells home wares, accessories and jewelry with a contemporary, yet timeless, aesthetic. Taking inspiration from nature, the shop’s artisans create household items such as 100 percent linen tea towels decorated with forest critters and pillowcases with whimsical flora imagery. You’ll also find trinkets made in neighboring Scandinavian countries. For instance, Lovi Oy, a family-owned company based in Finland, makes figurines out of Finnish birch plywood. For those who enjoy spending time in the kitchen, the shop’s crafters also create a line of glassware, stoneware and cast-iron that is all made in Sweden.
Iris Hantverk
Also located in Stockholm’s historic and picturesque Gamla Stan, Iris Hantverk is a thoughtfully curated home store with artwork, linens, kitchen wares, bath goods and cleaning supplies. The retailer’s core business is manufacturing brushes, which are made by visually impaired craftsmen at Sandsborgsvägen, Enskede. These beautiful brushes are handcrafted from natural materials and are sold in Iris Hantverk’s two Stockholm shops and in boutiques throughout Sweden.
Svenskt Tenn
Around since 1924, Svenskt Tenn is known for its vivid use of color and bold graphic prints. “Never let your home be finished,” founder Estrid Ericson is quoted on its website. “Keep rearranging the furniture and leave space for children and presents to keep the home alive.” After stepping foot in this fabulous store, you’ll agree with this mindset, as its eye candy fills you with a sense of wonder. Don’t fret if you are stuck stateside; through its web shop, you can order everything from textiles and tchotchkes to upholstered furniture.
Lotta Jansdotter
Americans will recognize Lotta Jansdotter’s aesthetic from Crate & Barrel’s kids’ shop Land of Nod along with her line of design manuals through Chronicle Books. The print artist creates functional products (paper, melamine dishes, kitchen textiles and bedding) that are marked with images that have a sophisticated, yet homespun, DIY look about them. She gets her inspiration from Scandinavia’s pristine landscape. If in Stockholm, you can purchase her wares at various stores throughout Gamla Stan. And if you’re lucky, you’ll see her cats (also her artistic subjects) roaming Old Town’s narrow cobbled streets.
Design House Stockholm
This design retailer sells a collection of beautifully made Scandinavian products from wearable fashion to items you can adorn your abode with. When this design house says it carries “Scandinavian” products, it is speaking in philosophical terms, not geographic regions. Its designs, which come from as far as Australia, embrace a sleek, minimalist design sense that transcends time and has come to be known universally as the Scandinavian aesthetic. In the United States, you can find Design House Stockholm’s items at Zinc Details in San Francisco.
Muuto Design
The muted colors and clean lines of Muuto Design give their creations a quiet beauty. Named for muutos, meaning new perspective in Finnish, the company consists of nearly 40 Scandinavian designers that embrace a strong contemporary design philosophy. Products include molded plywood chairs, unique pendant lighting, beautiful textiles and functional household items like bowls and felt organizing bins that are works of art.
