15 Ideas for a Swoon-Worthy Scandinavian Kitchen Design
Cool, crisp, and clean.
Rooted in simplicity and minimalism, there’s so much to love about a Scandinavian kitchen. From the bright whites to the clean lines, this aesthetic contains the perfect balance of form and function. If you’re wanting to include the Scandinavian kitchen design in your own home, here are 15 ideas to get you started.
1. Showcase Light Wood
First up in our Scandinavian kitchen ideas is a main factor in this design: light wood. Since this aesthetic focuses on lighter and brighter shades, any wood grain in this space should follow suit. Showcase light wood in your Scandinavian kitchen cabinets, island cart, or counter stools for warmth and texture while also keeping in mind the brighter tones.
The Scandinavian kitchen design overlaps with the mid-century modern style since they both include clean lines, organic materials, and curves. With that said, welcome seating with architectural details into this space for extra function and design. These V-shaped chairs – particularly ones in the lighter wood tone – include multiple characteristics of this aesthetic from the clean clines to the curves and shades.
Though the Scandinavian kitchen style is mostly bright, this aesthetic can include moody tones from greens and blues. These colors are welcome because of their ties to nature, which is something the Scandinavian design is inspired by. Combine brighter walls with darker green or blue cabinetry and copper hardware for a moody contrast that will make the space feel warm.
As mentioned, Scandinavian styles incorporate natural elements in lighter tones, which means stone is another material to put in your space. Add lighter stone backsplash tile to your walls or kitchen islands to build visual interest in your room and maintain brightness without relying on solid shades.
If going with darker shades isn’t in your wheelhouse, you can invite softer hues into your Scandinavian kitchen with the same green and blue colors. We love pairing soft green with leather chairs, as in the picture above, since the kitchen has a glowing vibe that’s in line with this particular style. To anchor the color, opt for chairs with a smooth leather texture and clean lines.
Since the Scandinavian design follows minimalism closely, remove your top cabinetry. This keeps your walls open and makes the space feel simple, though if you need extra storage or want to stage your decor, hang a few mid-century modern wall shelves. These shelves focus on clean lines or geometric shapes that fall in line with the Scandinavian kitchen design.
To make your space feel crisp and clean, sharp lines are a must for Scandinavian kitchen ideas. As you can see in the above picture, cabinetry is left with no hardware and produces a flatter look full of clean, sharp lines. Create this look in your own Scandinavian kitchen while opting for light wood cabinets to choose the lighter tone of the aesthetic.
One of the brightest Scandinavian kitchen ideas is to go with an all-white room. Not only does this stay on target with the bright and airy feel of the aesthetic, but it features one of the main colors as well. Easily recreate this look with white tiled walls, white countertops, and cabinetry. Going with white tile gives your space subtle texture and character instead of being a solid painted shade.
To emphasize the airiness in Scandinavian kitchen design, invite natural lighting into your space to reflect off the bright walls and light wood tones. Windows are a focal point in any Scandinavian kitchen since the natural sunlight lifts the entire room, but if you aren’t comfortable leaving your windows bare, opt for white curtains or drapes to stay within the color palette.
To contrast to the brightness, add in black pendant lighting to your Scandinavian kitchen. The pendant lighting itself adds functionality to the space while the black finish brings a darker element in the room to balance the bright shades. If you’re interested in a playful light fixture, opt for a mid-century modern chandelier. This style of fixture contains warm finishes and sharp lines to elevate the aesthetic.
We love the idea of decorating a Scandinavian kitchen with white dinnerware on open shelving. This touch makes your space feel homey while adhering to the brighter colors of the style, and is a great way to double your kitchen essentials as decor when they’re not in use.
Play with the clean lines of the Scandi design by utilizing bare wall space with a set of white hexagonal wall shelves. The geometric shape brings in another dimension to the room while giving your walls another functional element for decor or plates.
Enhance the life in your Scandinavian kitchen design by placing a few potted plants along your countertops or in the center of your island and dining table. With Scandinavian kitchens electing for neutral tones, plants tie the hues together while adding another natural element to the room.
Like your accent lighting, add subtle contrast to your Scandinavian kitchen with a black faucet. Opting for this finish in your kitchen’s fixtures like your faucet, window trim, and lighting keeps the room feeling balanced with the bright backsplash, counters, and other white elements.
The Scandinavian kitchen design, at its core, is very minimalist in nature. Keep your Scandinavian kitchen clean and simple by reducing clutter on your light wood countertops. Removing clutter and placing them in storage baskets inside your cabinets or pantry keeps your items organized and space open. An open Scandinavian kitchen that showcases the light walls, wooden tones, and natural lighting evokes the vibe of this design.
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Now that you know all the components for a stunning Scandinavian kitchen design, it’s time to spruce up your kitchen.

