Take a sneak peek at these five Nordic homes spreading from Reno Nevada to Coastal New England, all embodying Nordic simplicity, timelessness and natural materials.
Read how these homeowners celebrate their Nordic heritage and learn what features they value the most when creating a Nordic inspired space for themselves and their families.
Home location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Who lives here: Annette Wind from Sweden, stay at home mother of three, husband Andrew and children Emmett, Fiona and Enid (and two dogs and six chickens!)
“When I created the dining room space my roots from the Swedish country side really took over and everything I picked out seemed to represent the land I was brought up in. Everything from the knotty pine table, the green stairs inspired by Swedish farmhouse, to the little embroidered wall hanging with a Swedish saying made by my late grandmother made this room feel like a little piece of Sweden in my American homestead.”
Home location: Leverett, Massachusetts
Who lives here: Leah, owner of Ittikid, her Swedish husband Calle, and their daughters Tuva and Elsa.
“As a Swedish-American family, we love incorporating Scandinavian design into our everyday life and home. Many of the pieces in our home are vintage Danish or Finnish mid-century pieces that my grandparents bought in the 60’s and the rest are pieces we’ve carefully brought home in our suitcases from our annual trips to visit Calle’s family in Sweden. One of our favorite spots to curl up with a book or zonk out after we get the kids to bed is in our Eames lounger with our vintage Danish shelf behind it. My grandparents had this shelf in their homes for the past 60 years, and we have now made it our own and styled it with our favorite ceramics & Dala horses from Sweden, and Stelton pitchers from Copenhagen. My grandfather and I used to read together in their Eames lounger throughout my childhood, and it took me years to save up and buy one once we bought our first house. In fact, this was the first item I purchased as soon as my business became profitable, and used my first paycheck on it — ha! I love reading in the chair next to their old Danish bookshelf, and seeing our girls read Pippi stories to each other in the chair now. I love seeing how kids breath life into these iconic pieces & help pull our home together with a nod to both of our cultures and histories.”
Who lives here: Mia Suni from Finland, founder of Studio M, her husband Fabrice and children Stella and Noa.
” My favorite Nordic spot in our Brookline (MA) home is the fireplace nook in our living room. One way I like to cherish my Nordic roots is through Finnish art that I have placed on the mantel. Cozy Marimekko textiles are another important design element for me. The fireplace area provides a natural environment for art and being a ceramicist myself I often “display” my own creations in this area. Art in general is a quick and easy way to celebrate your heritage. I think this spot captures both the coziness and typical clean lines of Nordic interiors. The longer I’ve lived abroad the more important these elements have become to me.”
Home location: Reno, Nevada
Who lives here: Annika Caldwell from Finland, founder of NØRDIK, her husband and 3 Rhodesian Ridgebacks (Zulu, Imbasa and Mbali).
“My favorite spot in our Reno (NV) home is our open concept living room and kitchen (full of Finnish glassware and tableware from Iittala and Arabia of course!). I have decorated our home blending Sierra Nevada mountain style with Nordic design inspired by nature. Finnish artist Teemu Järvi Illustrations artwork fits perfectly with the natural elements we are surrounded by. I have also incorporated some of the timeless Finnish design pieces from designers such as Alvar Aalto, Timo Sarpaneva and Oiva Toikka. I use sustainable linen and wool textiles from Lapuan Kankurit, such as the wool throw in my living room combined with accent linen cushion covers from Marimekko. As you can tell I tend to favor warm and calming earth tones to create a comfortable (and natural) home. I also mix in elements from around the world such as the decorative antique horse from Guatemala and handmade game boxes from Syria.”
Home location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Who lives here: Anna Juola from Finland, co-founder of Puustelli USA, her husband Mikko and their three children.
“My favorite space in our home is our kitchen. For us, kitchen is much more than just a place to prepare meals and eat – it is a center of our family life and a best place for us to socialize, bond and come together throughout our daily activities. My husband and I are in kitchen business, so I guess it’s natural that we are passionate about kitchens, food and everything in that category, and consider our kitchen as the heart of our home”.