The minimalist interior style actually has similarities with the Scandinavian style. They both use minimal decorations which are considered to be burdensome to space capacity.

Scandinavian interior style, or some call it the Nordic style, is one of the best interior style choices today. Prioritizing a minimalist and simple appearance, while being very functional.

Apart from Scandinavian, there are also other interior styles that are also very popular, being one of the most popular interior concepts, none other than the minimalist style.

Minimalist interiors are considered to represent the spirit and modern lifestyle, urban taste, and minimal decor.

Between Scandinavia and minimalism, actually have the same spirit. Both carry a minimal appearance, and both have minimal decorations that weigh on space capacity. The end result, both minimalist and Scandinavian, is equally simplicity, but rich in aesthetics.

Minimalist interiors are considered to represent the spirit and modern lifestyle, urban taste, and minimal decor.

Scandinavian interiors definitely have a minimalist look, but a minimalist look or style doesn’t necessarily feel Scandinavian.

According to Maria Richardsson, founder and CEO of the Nordic Design Collective, there are some specific differences between Scandinavian interior styles and minimalist interior styles. According to him, to be able to distinguish between the Scandinavian look and the minimalist style, there are 4 things that must be considered, which are also characteristic of the Scandinavian interior design style, namely:

Material Options

Scandinavian designs are predominantly using materials from wood, leather, or glass. While the minimalist style, the choice of materials is more varied.

Another difference is the color choice between these two interior styles. Scandinavian designs use more muted neutral colors, while minimalists tend to be free to use a variety of colors.

Inspiration from Nature

Scandinavian design is much inspired by nature.

The decorations and furniture used in the Scandinavian interior can be considered to have a direct relationship with nature. The designers also admit that they are very inspired by nature in shaping Scandinavian models and styles.

Meanwhile, the minimalist design displays inspiration from various eras and unique design styles in one country.

Japanese design styles, for example, are also included in the minimalist category. Contemporary and futuristic decorations and designs also inspire a lot of minimalism.

Simplicity

The Scandinavian design style really tries to emphasize and express a question of simplicity. The look is clean and clean, and eliminates unnecessary decorative elements.

Sustainable

One more advantage of the Scandinavian interior style is about environmental awareness.

Many designers prefer and use eco-friendly materials, or how to apply the concept of re-use of old materials.

Now, in general it can be said that the Scandinavian style is part of the minimalist style. However, by paying attention to the 4 characteristics contained in the Scandinavian style, according to Maria Richardsson, we can know the specific differences between the two.

But nowadays, as the world of interior design develops, it could be the difference between minimalism and Scandinavian “merging” and giving birth to a design style of its own, instead of two styles that are similar but not the same. Just like the difference between modern and contemporary interior design styles.

The good news, some Scandinavian style designers have even experimented with color variations in their designs. This gives a strong indication that the world of interior design will continue to change and develop over time.

The important question is, which interior design style do you like? Is it a Scandinavian interior style, or a minimalist style?