Nordic Minimalist Interior Design
Over the past decade, Nordic minimalist interior design has transformed from a niche preference into a mainstream choice for residential design worldwide. I worked for seven years at design firms in Stockholm and Copenhagen, handling over forty residential projects. This article is based on practical project experience.
On Definition
The term "Nordic minimalism" has been overused. A significant portion of images tagged with this label on Instagram are simply white walls with a chair. That is not Nordic minimalism.
The formation of Nordic minimalism is directly related to the material conditions and climate characteristics of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Winters are long, making indoor lighting a core requirement. Wood resources are abundant but transportation is difficult, so local sourcing became the default choice. During the industrialization process of the early 20th century, these constraints gradually solidified into a design language.
Finnish architect Alvar Aalto's work in the 1930s had a foundational influence on this style. The bent plywood technique he used in the Paimio Sanatorium project remains one of the core processes in Nordic furniture manufacturing today.
Material System
Wood
White oak is the most widely used wood species. I personally prefer ash wood—finer grain, about 30% more expensive. Pine is common in budget-limited projects but scratches easily, and surface condition will noticeably decline after three years.
Floor plank width matters. Traditional Nordic homes use planks 180mm to 220mm wide. Narrow planks (under 120mm) look more like American style. In a 2019 Copenhagen project, I used 260mm super-wide planks, and the client reported noticeably warmer underfoot feel in winter. This may be related to fewer seams, though I haven't investigated the specific principle.
Wood surface treatment falls into two categories: oiling and lacquering. Oiling is dominant in the Nordic region, preserving the wood's tactile feel and breathability. Lacquering is more common in furniture exported to Asian markets—better moisture resistance, but the surface texture becomes harder.
Textiles
Soft furnishings mainly use linen and wool. Polyester-blend sofa fabrics have virtually no sales in the Nordic market.
I've tested multiple brands. Kvadrat's wool fabrics have the best durability—acceptable pilling after five years. Bemz's linen sofa covers shrink 2 to 3 centimeters after three washes, so you need to allow for this when purchasing. Danish brand Aiayu's cashmere blankets are excellent quality, priced between 2,800 and 4,500 RMB per piece.
Stone and Metal
Stone is used sparingly in Nordic minimalist design. Common applications are gray or white marble countertops and side tables. Black granite was popular for a period in the 1990s but now looks somewhat dated.
Metals are mainly brass and matte black iron. Chrome-plated items are uncommon in this style. Brass handles and lamp bases are used as accents, never appearing in large quantities.
Color System
White
Many people think Nordic style means painting walls white. The reality: pure white (RAL 9010) is rarely used in the Nordic region. In Stockholm's winter with its low sun angle, pure white walls appear grayish-blue in natural light.
What's commonly used are warm whites and gray-whites. Jotun color code 1024 (Timeless) and Farrow & Ball's Pointing are the two most used in my projects. The color difference is hard to distinguish in photos, but the on-site perception is completely different. The former leans yellow, the latter leans pink.
Wall paint sheen also matters. Matte is most common; Eggshell is used for areas needing frequent cleaning, like hallways. Semi-gloss or gloss is almost never seen on Nordic residential walls.
Gray Spectrum
Gray is the second primary color in Nordic minimalism. From light gray to dark gray forms a complete spectrum. Color codes I frequently use in projects:
Jotun 1391 (gray-white transition color, used for ceilings)
Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray (medium gray, used for main walls)
Jotun 1462 (dark gray, used for door frames and baseboards)
Using two to three grays of different depths within the same space is a common practice to create a sense of layering.
Accent Colors
Accent color usage needs control. Common choices include: navy blue, mustard yellow, rust red, pine green.
Over the past three years, I've observed a change: deep green is replacing the previously popular mustard yellow. This may be related to post-pandemic preferences for natural elements, though I have no data to support this judgment.
Accent colors typically appear on individual furniture pieces or small decorative items, not on large wall surfaces. I've seen someone paint an entire wall mustard yellow—the result was not ideal.
Space Configuration
Living Room
Standard configuration for a Nordic minimalist living room: one three-seater sofa set, one to two armchairs, one coffee table with wood or stone top, one floor lamp, one side table.
Furniture placement emphasizes negative space. Not placing sofas against walls is very common in Nordic homes, leaving a 60 to 80 centimeter passage behind. This approach is difficult to implement in space-constrained Asian city apartments.
I personally oppose rugs. They're dust collectors, difficult to clean, and break the overall sense of space. This is a minority opinion—most Nordic households still place wool rugs in the sofa area, typically around 2 by 3 meters.
Bedroom
The core of Nordic bedroom design is the bed and headboard treatment. Bed frames are mainly wood, with headboards usually upholstered in fabric or simply against the wall with no headboard.
Bedding is mainly white or light gray, in cotton or linen. Down duvets are standard, with thickness changed according to season.
Wardrobes typically use built-in designs, with doors flush with the wall, handles hidden or using push-to-open mechanisms. Freestanding wardrobes are uncommon in Nordic bedrooms.
Kitchen and Dining Room
Nordic kitchens mainly feature white or light gray cabinets. Common countertop materials include: solid wood, quartz, marble, stainless steel. Tile countertops are uncommon in this style.
Open-plan kitchens are highly prevalent in Nordic apartments. There's no partition between kitchen and dining room, with island counters or dining tables serving as functional dividers.
Dining tables are mainly rectangular wood tables, sized according to family size. Round tables have lower usage rates in Scandinavia than in Central and Southern Europe.
Furniture Sources
Brand Tiers
Categorized by price and quality into several tiers:
Entry-Level
HAY, Muuto, Menu
Good design sense, compromises in materials and craftsmanship.
Dining chair: 1,500–3,500 RMB
Mid-Range
Carl Hansen & Søn, Fritz Hansen, &Tradition
Stable quality, priced at two to three times the entry level.
Premium materials & craftsmanship
High-End
PP Møbler, Kaare Klint antiques, early Finn Juhl
Entering collectible territory.
Single chair may exceed 100,000 RMB
Certain IKEA lines (STOCKHOLM, ÄPPLARÖ) meet Nordic minimalist principles in design, but materials and craftsmanship show obvious gaps. They can be considered as transitional solutions.
Purchasing Channels
Purchasing locally in the Nordic region is most direct. Copenhagen's Illums Bolighus and Stockholm's Svenskt Tenn are comprehensive home stores. Brand flagship stores are distributed in city center areas.
Legitimate channels in the Chinese market are limited. Official distributors price 40% to 60% higher than origin, mainly due to tariffs and operating costs. Taobao has many replicas of varying quality.
Project Case Study
For a Shanghai client project in 2022, I kept the entire furniture budget under 180,000 RMB, using a combination of HAY and IKEA plus a few second-hand vintage pieces. The final result was acceptable.
Lighting Design
Natural Light
Window treatment is a focus of Nordic interior design. Blackout curtains are uncommon; translucent linen curtains or blinds are more frequently used.
Privacy issues are solved through building layout. Nordic residential areas typically have large building spacing, so even ground-floor residents rarely use heavy curtains. This precondition doesn't exist in high-density Asian cities.
Artificial Lighting
Combined use of pendant lamps, floor lamps, and table lamps is standard practice. Ceiling-mounted main lights are often omitted entirely in many projects.
Louis Poulsen's PH series remains the most common choice on the market. The PH 5 pendant lamp's retail price has risen about 40% over the past five years; genuine products in China now cost between 8,000 and 12,000 RMB.
I've tested several domestic alternatives. They're similar in appearance, but the light diffusion effect doesn't match the original. There are differences in lampshade material light transmittance and curve calculation. The difference isn't visible when the lamp is off, but is obvious when lit.
Wall lamps are more commonly used in Nordic homes than in Chinese homes. Bedside, hallway, and bathroom wall lamp configurations are common.
Climate Adaptability
Nordic minimalist design encounters problems when transplanted to other climate zones.
Humidity in subtropical regions affects solid wood furniture. In several Shanghai projects I handled, white oak coffee tables showed slight warping in their second summer. Kiln drying and surface coating can mitigate but not completely solve this.
Strong sunlight in tropical regions accelerates linen fabric fading. A Singapore client's sofa placed by a south-facing window showed visible color change after two years.
The problem in dry northern regions is wood cracking. Solid wood furniture in heated environments needs to be used with humidifiers.
These problems aren't unsolvable, but need to be considered during the design phase, with adjustments to material selection and maintenance methods.
| Climate Zone | Primary Issue | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| Subtropical (humid) | Wood warping | Kiln drying, surface coating |
| Tropical (sunny) | Fabric fading | UV protection, placement adjustment |
| Continental (dry) | Wood cracking | Humidifiers in heated spaces |
Common Mistakes
Common problems when non-professionals attempt the Nordic minimalist style:
Cost Reference
Nordic Region
First-Tier China Cities
For a 90-square-meter apartment completed in Nordic minimalist style, including hard and soft furnishings, the budget in the Nordic region is approximately 300,000 to 500,000 RMB, excluding appliances.
Executing the same standard in first-tier Chinese cities, shipping and tariffs for imported furniture will increase costs by 20% to 35%.
Local brand substitution can lower costs. Domestic solid wood furniture brands have improved noticeably in recent years, moving past the imitation stage in design, though gaps in craftsmanship and materials remain. I can't recommend specific brands here—the conflicts of interest are too complicated.
Industry Status
Nordic minimalist style has gone through several stages in the Chinese market.
A trend I'm currently observing is the fusion of Nordic minimalism and Japanese wabi-sabi style. The two share similar underlying logic: respecting the inherent texture of materials and restraining the decorative impulse. This fusion is increasingly common in younger designers' work.
About This Article
I started doing projects in this style in 2017 and now have some insights, as well as some reservations.
The advantages of this style: strong functionality, visually lasting, not easily outdated. My first project completed in 2017—the owner hasn't made any changes to this day and is still satisfied.
Limitations also exist. Limited space for personal expression. People who like color and decoration will feel oppressed living in such spaces. My own home has some mid-century modern elements mixed in—it's not pure Nordic minimalism.
For those considering this style, my advice is to first live in a similarly styled space for more than a week to see if you can adapt. Liking it in photos and actually living in it are two different things. You can find many such rentals on homestay platforms.
If you have specific questions, you can leave a comment. I may not reply to every one, and questions involving specific brand recommendations and quotes are inconvenient to answer publicly.
