Scandinavian fu rnitu re design and decoration Scandinavia covers Sweden, Norway and Denmark geographically but in design Finland is also part of it. Scandinavian furniture design and decorating are renowned all over the world for their contemporary, innovative and streamlined qualities. Characteristic to Scandinavian design is focusing on function or utility of the products. Also continued commitment to modernist ideals and the use of modern technology as well as using materials like teak wood and metal are characteristic to Scandinavian design. In Scandinavian pottery and glassware design naturalistic forms are main themes and in fabrics Scandinavian design mainly uses clear, easy and simple patterns.
Scandinavian Fu rn itu re Design The most dominant theme in Scandinavian furniture design is neoclassicism in its most advanced, exact and modern stage. The Stockholm Exhibition in 1930 and also the World’s Fair in New York in 1939 introduced the world to the Scandinavian design style furniture and its characteristics. Scandinavian design is simple, clean, light-weight and it can be seen best in Danish and Swedish furniture. The main points of Scandinavian design are quality craftsmanship combined with mass production where it’s needed and suitable. Bent plywood is as frequently used material as metal in Scandinavian design .
In 1949 Chair by Hans Wegner set a good example; its subtly turned legs and lightly sloping backrest was made from teak and oak and it was combined with a woven seat as an attempt to create simple and sensual mass-production design. The Verner Panton Stacking Chair in 1960s was the first single-molded chair made of fibreglass which has sensitive references to the curves of the Art Nouveau period while mimicking the rhythm of Rietveld’s extremely geometric ZigZag Chair. Over the years design became less “crafty”-looking and the designers from Denmark, Sweden and Finland managed harderedged geometric trends with a flavour of modern Scandinavian design. They weren’t afraid of new plastics and adopted the designs and manufacturing possibilities unreservedly. Some of the Scandinavian furniture remains popular today in stores including Scandinavian beds (often platform beds), bedroom furniture, office furniture and especially office chairs, leather armchairs, contemporary coffee tables and Scandinavian teak furniture. Scandinavia geographically includes Denmark, Norway and Sweden but when talking about Scandinavian design Finland is also included as a part of it. Scandinavian design emerged in 1950s as a designing movement with its main lines being simplicity and minimalistic designs as well as functionality and mass production.
Scandinavian design of furniture and decorating are famous internationally for their modern, innovative and clean lined qualities. Typical to Scandinavian design is functionality and utility of the products. Use of modern technology with materials like teak wood and metal are also typical to Scandinavian design. Scandinavian glassware and pottery design uses naturalistic forms and in fabrics the main theme are clear and simple patterns.
Scandinavian design has also emerged in the 20th century. There are many examples of art for art’s sake with no functional purpose but life-enhancing beauty. There are also designers who design products for industrial manufacturing. Large glass works and ceramic factories such as Iittala are globally famous for their functional integrity, restrained aesthetics, good durability and excellent quality. It is the Scandinavian designers’ advancement of Organic Design, and that has had the biggest influence on the development of Modernism over the last fifty years.
Modernism For most of the Scandinavian people, design is known not only as an essential part of everyday life but also as a means of efficient social change. There has been a historical quest to seek an optimum balance between handmade and natural worlds in their work. Scandinavian climate is nine months of dark winter and cold along with three nice months of bright and glamorous summer, which has also meant that designers have got their inspiration from the delightful natural world as well as from the concept of a warm and cheerful home. The Scandinavian people have always relied on design insight for their survival and have become professionals at the skillful handling of limited material resources. And specifically the lack of material has made Scandinavian designers think about how to use their materials as efficiently as possible. This dependence on design as a way of to survive has led Scandinavian people to give attention to important element of their culture, social and economic welfare.