For the stylish countries of Scandinavia, lighting is everything. Such a special affinity is a product of their unique geography, in which dark winters and endless summers are the fabric of everyday life. It’s no surprise then that they’ve produced some of the finest contemporary lighting of all time, cherished the world over for its sleek design language. As part of our Summer Interior Trends series, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of our favourite Scandi lighting styles, available in-store or online at Chaplins.

Minimal Masterpieces

Like a Haiku poem, these minimal Scandi lights do a lot with a little. All clean lines, they provide an elegant source of illumination, favouring timeless silhouettes over elaborate ornamentation. And yet for all their design purity, they possess a unique sense of style and fun. Take the Yuh Floor Lamp by Louis Poulsen. While sculptural in aesthetic, it is highly personal and can rotate, rise or drop to create illumination exactly where you need it. Best of all, it takes up very little space and can be enjoyed in homes of all sizes.

Japandi Style

Japandi style celebrates the convergence of two iconic design traditions — namely Japanese and Scandi. Both are deeply rooted in minimalism and Japandi lighting therefore celebrates lightness and ethereality of form. This is often translated into materials, with designers looking to create delightful paper lanterns or delicate floating discs. One of our favourite examples of this style is the Formakami Pendant Light by &Tradition. Its rice paper shade is billowing yet light, allowing for a soft gush of illumination. Available in three sizes, we recommend hanging it over a contemporary dining table for a truly Zen dining experience.

Tiers of Joy

One of the most celebrated aspects of Scandinavian design is their ability to shape light through stunning tiers and shades. It was a technique first developed by Poul Henningsen in 1925 with the PH pendant lights. Tired of the unflattering burn of 20th-century lighting, he set to work on a design that would provide glare-free illumination. The result was a complex logarithmic spiral, which could distribute light evenly over its many curved shades. A true triumph of contemporary design, it is the foundation of modern Scandinavian lighting and can be found throughout his collection for Louis Poulsen.

Luxe Scandi

Luxe Scandi lighting is a response to the changing tastes of design enthusiasts. It features polished metals and delicate blown glass in an effort to bring texture and colour to minimal Scandi homes. Rather like the Soft Scandi trend we wrote about recently, it represents an easing of the rules when it comes to Scandi lighting. Brands like Gubi and Verpan are your go-to for all things Nordic luxe. Each of their lamps finds a way to incorporate glamorous details into the underlying language of simplicity.

When it comes to lighting, do you prefer traditional or contemporary Scandi style? We’d love to hear from you on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Alternatively, be sure to pop down to our 25,000 sq ft. lifestyle showroom in Hatch End where you can get up-close-and-personal with some of Europe’s most stunning lighting designs. 

SHOP MODERN SCANDI LIGHTING AT CHAPLINS