01. Clean Lines & Forms
Be it a gorgeous chair by Alvar Aalto or the beautiful identity featured above for 7-Eleven by BVD, Scandinavian design tends to be characterized by its use clean lines and forms.
The cups above, part of the visual identity for 7-Eleven by BVD, are built using a few rhythmically structured forms that to give shape to the convenience store’s characteristic number 7.
In combination with muted color palettes, which we will explore below, and minimal ornamentation, straightforward lines and forms result in design pieces that feel contemporary and sophisticated.
Keen on letting Scandinavian design influence your next piece? Try using a few simple shapes as design elements. Add repetition to the mix and watch a sophisticated design solution blossom before your eyes.
02. Simplicity
Scandinavian design is simple. Many of its design solutions set out to reduce the initial complexity of a product, rather than cram it with attributes.
They aren’t packed with detailed illustrations or complex color palettes. All the elements it features, be it a shape or typeface, strive to be as straightforward as possible.
In the image above, you’ll find part of the visual identity for the A. Andreassen brand by Bond Agency. Instead of relying on a multitude of design elements and techniques, it banks of type alone to produce a visual that feels modern and polished.
In combination with only the most essential design elements and the right treatment, a simplistic approach can bring out the serenity and sophistication characteristic of Scandinavian design.
03. Minimalism
On top of its simplicity, Scandinavian design is also minimalist. This means taking the most essential elements and rendering them with stark, radical, reductive forms almost to the point of geometric abstraction.
Scandinavian design is a fine example of how minimalism can give way to some of the most elegant design solutions out there. More often than not, reducing the number of bells and whistles you include in every aspect of your work can help you produce outstanding work.
Check out the illustration above, part of the Airtame identity. It features just enough details, only the essential pieces, to communicate what it is to the public.
If you’re going for Scandinavian minimalism, try pulling a Coco Chanel. She used to say: “When accessorizing always take off the last thing you put on.” So as you design, take a step back and consider if those design elements are absolutely essential.
04. Sophisticated Color Palettes
Color in Scandinavian design is honest, clean, straightforward. Check out how the earthy, warm hues of the Golden Eggs‘ cover design above give off exactly that vibe.
Mostly, Scandinavian color palettes feature white, cool grays, lovely sky blues, and cream shades. Often, these muted combos help produce pieces that are understated but elegant.
While in most design disciplines earthy muted palettes tend to dominate, not all Scandinavian designers stick to them. Popular Marimekko often offers great prints made with bold, bright colors.
05. Nature-Inspired
Scandinavians love the great outdoors — it’s hard not to with views like this one. It comes as no surprise to find that Scandinavian design often features design elements modeled after nature.
Lunawood, a producer of wood materials for decking and facades, boasts of a visual identity that features a variety of design elements all modeled after wood and its wonderful textures. Not only is it apt, considering that the company works directly with wood, it exemplifies the common practice of being influenced by nature in Scandinavian design.
Wood textures, beautiful colors, shapes and patterns all rooted in Scandinavia’s love of nature are all commonly seen across stunning pieces of design. They add warmth and familiarity to minimal designs which can be alienating and cold unless executed excellently.
06. Use of Light
The region’s dark winters have inspired the incorporation of light as a major design element in Scandinavian design. Its scarcity during dark winters has given way to a style that gives careful consideration to light — how it shapes our lives, and our work.
It is not uncommon then to find pieces that use light to produce visually appealing pieces. In the lovely swan design featured above, light is used to help define the origami’s shape and create a sense of depth.
As designers, because we often work indoors and in front of bright computer screens, it’s hard to remember to look to light whenever we need inspiration. Occasionally, it’s enough to look around the room to catch an interesting shadow that might give way to a distinct design solution.
07. Craftsmanship
Much of Scandinavian design banks on the availability of natural resources and an individual’s ability to create stunning pieces from them. That’s why craftsmanship, or the the ability to transform raw material into beautiful design, is an essential skill to master.
It’s no different in Scandinavian graphic design, where the high level craftsmanship is evident across their many works. In the example above, Tian Gan, a designer based in Stockholm, created the beautiful fish linocut using her high level mastery of carving and engraving.
Each of the fish’s defining characteristics are skillfully cut from a linoleum block, covered in black ink and transferred onto paper. Click over to check out the final print here.
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