Modern Scandinavian design emerged between the First and Second World War reaching mass popularity in the 1950’s.

Scandinavians were devastated by the occupation during World War II. After the war, Scandinavians went back to basics. Scandinavian furniture designers and craftsmen had to find good quality, inexpensive materials with the limited resources available to them. They resorted to traditional materials like wood, clay and glass which resulted in the emergence of quality furniture designs and world-class craftsmanship.

Modernism (or Functionism) surfaced at the Stockholm exhibition in 1930, a major home show, when Swedish architect Gunnar Asplund featured a new, clean, white style. It is this style that went on to define Scandinavian style – a celebration of form, function, quality and innovation.

Today, Scandinavian style means different things to different people. The international success of IKEA means light wood; clutter-free storage solutions and flat pack furniture have made their way into homes all over the world. At the other end of the scale are expensive art glass, rare vintage Scandinavian furniture and precious stainless steel objects. Scandinavian furniture is admired the world over for understanding the essence of function in its rawest structure and transforming it into form-fitting pieces. The success of Scandinavian furniture design lies in its accessibility and affordability to consumers and designs that are durable, functional and aesthetically appealing.