We Adore These 16 Scandinavian-Style Houses for Their Simplicity and Beauty (2024)

Design Styles

Architecture

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  Simple Colors

  

  Scandinavian architecture as we now know it took off in the 1950s inDenmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway,and Sweden. Stark contrasts, such as this black-and-white home as seen onodetothings' Instagram, are common in Nordic design.

  This architectural style is all about minimalism, but that doesn't mean you can't have a little fun with neutral colors. We love this sleek black siding when paired with a bright beam that makes it pop.

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  An All Wooden Build

  

  Another key element ofScandinavian exteriors is the use of nature in the design. This unique wooden home seen onArchDailylooks like it's almost a part of the forest it sits in.

  Many Nordic architectural styles work to merge the home with the outside world, making you feel like you're never separated from nature. This cozy cabin looks incredibly spacious inside thanks to its strategic windows and siding.

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  See Also

  21 Modern & Contemporary Exterior House Design IdeasHouse exterior design13 Modern Craftsman House Exteriors We Love | brick&battenA Bold Blue Colour Palette Ties This Home To Its Coastal Locale | Homes To Love

  Embrace Natural Light

  

  The lack of daylight for much of the year means Scandinavianhomes embrace natural light when they have it. We love this wide-windowed home fromHQ Room—it's located inArgentina, but embraces everything we love about Nordic exteriors.

  The huge paneled windows and the natural wood siding allow it to blend seamlessly into the surrounding trees.

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  Wooden Exterior

  

  We love this Swedish home seen onDwellfor its use of wood all around its exterior. Because wood is affordable and plentiful in Sweden, it's widely used in construction.

  Though this exterior is understated, it's still inviting and warm. Each window is designed specifically for its corresponding room and helps give the home an open, airy feel. Who wouldn't want to while away the winter in this Swedish house?

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  A Scandinavian Pool House

  

  This stunning pool house by Lundberg Designis everything we dream of and more. The raw, natural materials and expansive windows help to highlight the pool as a focal point. Copying this simple wood slatted fence is an easy way to get a bit of Nordic-inspired design into your own home.

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  Bold Contrasts

  

  This eye-catchingReykjavik exterior seen onelliott_explores'Instagram is giving us serious color envy. If anyone can make corrugated steel look stylish, it's the Icelandic. This metal siding was originally thought to be a cheap, durable material to fight theharsh weather in Iceland, and it's become anarchetypal element of Nordic design. We'll happily add a splash of bold color to our homes if they look as chic as this.

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  Quaint and Beautiful

  

  Who says bigger is better? This tiny home by the sea in Stokkøya, Norway fromasantehas a small profile but big style. Like many Nordic homes, this cottage is built with wood and incorporates the surrounding natural setting. It's situated on rocks and overlooks the sea, making it feel more spacious and open.

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  Scandinavian-Style Luxury

  

  This stunning home on a cliff as seen onunitrenderspace constitutes a "dream home" for us. Though it's mostly square, this wood-frame home is anything but boring. Again, it's built to with its environment in mind, and fits into the mountain it sits upon seamlessly. We can almost taste the hot, hygge-status tea brewing inside.

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  See Also

  How to paint a house exterior

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  All Windows

  

  By now you know that Scandinavianarchitecture is all about becoming one with nature, and what better way to feel like you livein nature than this window-filled cabin fromCabin p*rn? Built-in Gunnarskog, Sweden, even the gable roof has skylights to let the natural light in.

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  Pops of Color

  

  Even the most minimalistic decorator can appreciate this inviting home fromarnocornillon on Instagram. The stark black is veryScandinavian-inspired, while the bright yellow door adds a bit of sunshine, even in the depths of winter.

  This upstate New York home is built from shipping containers, which gives it a metal siding look that feels authentically Nordic.

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  Dark Facades

  

  Black homes are very popular in Scandinavian countries because the dark color absorbs light and helps to insulate the home against the coldest weather.

  We adore this stark black home as seen on@appareilarchitecture; it'sboth practical and beautiful. The vertical lines on the facade as well as the roof add texture and visual appeal.

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  A Dreamy A-Frame

  

  Who doesn't love an A-frame home? These adorablesleeping quarters seen on@retrovillaare the perfect guest bedroom. The black exterior is utterly Swedish—and though the space fits only a bed, it feels airy and open against the trees and greenery.

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  A Low-Profile Home

  

  Though this beautiful Norwegian wooden home from@loggarkitekteris only a single story, the wall of glass windows helps it feel open and spacious. We love the simple natural facade, which feels modern and fresh.

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  Red Facades

  

  If you set foot in a Scandinavian country, you're sure to come across these deep red facades—as seen in this adorable country house from My Scandinavian Home.

  Red paint was once thought of as a status symbol in Nordic countries and continues to be a defining exteriordesign choice today. If you're searching for paint inspiration, go bold like the Swedesand try some red.

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  Exuding Hygge

  

  If this stunning cabin seen on@upknorthdoesn't make you want to pack your bags and move to a Scandinavian country, then we don't know what will. Even with the harsh winter outside, this all-wood home exudes warmth and looks oh-so-inviting.

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  Concrete Made Beautiful

  

  Another popular and durable material in Swedish homes is concrete, and this stunner seen on@est_living's Instagram is proof that it can be truly beautiful.

  The stark black-and-white contrast, especially when paired with a water view, has an artfully modern edge. Add some oversized windows to let the outside in, and we're sold.