Scandinavian Kitchen: Modern Scandi Kitchen Design Ideas + 2024 Inspo
In this Modern Scandi Kitchen Remodel 101 Guide, we’ll be exploring one of our absolute favorite design aesthetics here at Boxco Studio: Modern Scandinavian Kitchen Design! Modern Scandi Kitchens combine all of the kitchen design principles we value most: clean lines, minimalism, an emphasis on beautiful AND functional spaces, and a preference toward natural, sustainable, high-quality materials.
Is a modern Scandi kitchen remodel right for your home and lifestyle? How can you achieve this soothing, practical, and nature-inspired kitchen? Our Modern Scandi Kitchen Remodel Guide will cover the key design components of a Modern Scandi Kitchen, from flooring and kitchen cabinets to choosing a color palette and complementary kitchen furnishings.
We’ll also give you plenty of Scandinavian kitchen design inspiration, straight from the Projects vault here at Boxco Studio, where we craft exposed-edge plywood cabinets, custom built-in shelving, and ready-made minimalist, MCM, Scandi furniture. Let’s get to work!
What is Modern Scandi Kitchen Design?
Scandinavian design originates from the Nordic countries of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland. Scandinavian design is renowned for its minimalist aesthetic that balances simplicity and functionality with comfort and natural beauty, creating a harmonious, cozy, and inviting space characterized by clean lines, a neutral color palette, and sustainable materials.
Modern Scandi kitchen design is essentially the same, except that it allows for more modern and mid century modern design elements. Modern Scandi kitchens also incorporate more color and texture, used sparingly.
Principles of Modern Scandi Kitchen Design
- Light or neutral wall colors
- Clean lines and thoughtful details
- Natural, light-tone wood floors
- Open shelving and custom built-ins
- Smart storage solutions that eliminate clutter
- Modern, flat panel, frameless kitchen cabinets
- Muted, pastel, and earth-tone color accents
- Natural wood, stone, or laminate countertops
- Modern / MCM furniture and accessories
- Handleless kitchen cabinets or modern hardware
- Sleek, integrated appliances
- High-quality, minimalist fixtures
- Statement Lighting, usually MCM or modern
- Recessed, dimmable accent lighting
- Natural textures, like rattan, muslin, or lime plaster
- Plants, plants, and more plants!
TLDR; If your tastes lie somewhere between Modern, MCM, and Scandi, this is the kitchen aesthetic for you!
Design a Modern Scandi Kitchen in 8 Easy Steps
Now that we know the basic principles of Modern Scandi kitchen design, we need to bring these amazing ideas to life in YOUR space. Read on for the top 8 ways you can make sure your Modern Scandi kitchen remodel ring true.
REMEMBER: It’s always important to put your personal spin on design trends! Get in touch with our kitchen design team today to learn about our unique, made-to-order Modern Scandi kitchen cabinets. We’re a small business based in Greenfield, Massachusetts and we’d love to talk with you about your kitchen remodel! Check out our Projects Gallery for examples of our work.
STEP 1. Choose a Natural, Neutral Wall Color
The foundation of any Modern Scandi kitchen is its natural, neutral color scheme. Creamy milk white. Stone grey. Soft browns. Soothing blues and lush greens. Earth tones and pastels. These tones reflect natural light, making your kitchen (no matter how small and dark) feel light, airy, and more open.
Many scandi-style kitchens have white or off-white walls, flooring, or countertops as a “grounding” design element. These make up the neutral base of the room. We frequently finish custom natural light wood cabinets with a clear coat or achieve a white-washed look with Blanco Osmo® wood wax.
Italian Fenix® laminate is also a great choice for the scandi-style kitchen cabinets in neutral colors. Important details like exposed-edge, handleless cabinet doors and frameless cabinet construction will also help you achieve a clean, minimalist, modern look.
STEP 2. Add Carefully-curated Pops of Color
We encourage our clients to carefully incorporate pops of color into their Modern Scandi kitchen design. Make sure to think about how wall color, custom color cabinets, textiles, furniture, artwork, and even your house plants will come together in your space. Choose a few ways to use color and keep the rest of your kitchen design neutral to emphasize these curated color choices.
The Birch Street Bungalow Kitchen (below) is one of our favorite Greenfield, MA custom cabinetry projects to date. It incorporates subtle mint green, sunshine yellow, and lilac purple wood finishes. This Modern Scandi kitchen isn’t your traditional neutral color palette, but it still embodies the heart of Scandinavian kitchen design!
STEP 3. Incorporate Natural Materials and Textures
Incorporating natural, sustainable materials is essential in achieving a Modern Scandinavian look. Light wood like maple, birch, or oak are staples in the Scandi kitchen, whether it’s used for flooring, countertops, or open shelving. We love to finish our custom plywood cabinets with a clear coat or whitewash of Osmo Wood Wax for the signature light and bright Scandi look.
Stone, ceramic, and metal elements can also add texture and depth to your Scandi kitchen design. Our kitchen design team often incorporates interesting textural elements to add visual interest, like tinted concrete countertops, exposed-edge plywood cabinet faces, or the gorgeous burnished lime plaster walls below.
STEP 4. Prioritize a Functional, Open Layout
The layout of your Modern Scandi kitchen is all about ease of use. Open floor plans are common—the kitchen, dining room, and living room are a unified, flowing space, divided visually by furnishings and built-in features, like custom shelving.
This allows for effortless, intuitive transitions between cooking, dining, and socializing areas. It’s important to think through exactly how you’ll use each section of your available kitchen space.
STEP 5. Cut Clutter with Minimalist Design and Savvy Storage
Less is more when it comes to Scandinavian-inspired kitchens. While a minimalist kitchen requires that every aspect of your design be intentional, many home owners love the simplicity and order it brings to their space.
Think clean lines and sleek, modern appliances, fixtures, and furniture. We work with home owners to design handleless, exposed-edge plywood cabinets, including cabinets for integrated appliances that maintain clean lines and hide some of the less glamorous parts of the kitchen.
Custom open shelving can replace select upper cabinets, offering a functional display for your most-used dishes and cooking tools. A custom kitchen island with integrated storage cabinets provides a spot to quickly stash the high chair or stow the blender. And we adore a stove-side spice nook!
STEP 6. Keep It Light and Bright
Scandinavian countries often experience long, dark winters that make natural light a precious commodity. This is why Modern Scandi kitchen walls and wood color choices are often light, making the space appear larger and more bright.
Maximize the amount of natural light in your kitchen by installing large windows, glass doors, and skylights, when possible. Mirrors can also help provide the illusion of a more light, bright, open room.
Many Modern Scandi kitchens also feature fun, attention-grabbing lighting fixtures. We love these statement fixtures combined with dimmable recessed lighting, which can provide more visibility when you need it or create soft, ambient illumination for evening dinner parties.
STEP 7. Bring the Outside In With Houseplants
Houseplants or a windowsill herb garden can not only add a touch of nature to your Modern Scandi kitchen…they also help clean your indoor air for a healthier home!
Potted plants can give color and life to your kitchen, creating a sense of tranquility and balance. Opt for easy-to-maintain succulents, spider plants, air plants, or orchids that thrive in indoor environments. Try hanging them or popping them onto a shelf to conserve counter space.
STEP 8: Make Your Dream Modern Scandi Kitchen a Reality!
Need help designing your dream kitchen? Boxco Studio clients receive our expert kitchen design services when ordering their custom cabinetry from us! We’ll help you map out your ideal kitchen layout and visualize your design with 3D renderings. Explore our kitchen design process here or get in touch with us for a custom estimate and virtual consultation!
