What is Scandinavian?
Scandinavian Sleeping and Living is the DNA of JYSK. But what is exactly Scandinavian design? GOJYSK.com asked Range & Design Manager Rikke Blæsild.
When Danish people move into a new house or apartment, they usually start by painting all walls and ceilings white. Then they fill in couches, beds, tables and so on in grey, white or when it is really wild in grey blue or grey green. Then decorations with homeware, textiles, lamps are where the colours make their entrance.
This is a pretty accurate picture of Scandinavian style. The base is white, grey, blue and only smaller items can be more colourful. Minimalistic, simple and inspired by nature, says Range & Design Manager, Rikke Blæsild.
“Some would say that Scandinavian style is too simple, but I would rather say that it is classic and easy to work with. Our base colours will work and be trendy forever, and then you can easily change and play with colours in your decoration. You can easily change the complete impression in a living room for a small amount of money, when you only have to change the decorations and not all your furniture,” says Rikke.
The work with trends
Daily Rikke follows the trends on the European market and works in cooperation with the Purchasing department to adjust the trends to Scandinavian style and JYSK. Some of the trends are more baroque with heavy contrastful colours and ornaments.
“We see a lot of deep red and deep orange, which does not fit into our assortment, but if we twist the colours a bit it is possible to make our Scandinavian interpretation of European tendencies,” says Rikke.
Based on the European trends, Rikke and her colleagues produce so-called trend briefs for the buyers to use when they look for new products for the assortment.
Origins from the 1950’s
Original Scandinavian design origins from the 1950’s where a series of well-known Danish woodworkers produced a lot of simple and classical furniture in wood.
The base of grey, white and sand has remained, but the style has of course evolved during the last 70 years. Especially the word “hygge” has found its way into the Scandinavian tradition often exemplified by textiles, cushions, rugs and light.
“We use the nature to give “hygge” to our homes. This can for instance be by adding wood to our bathrooms. At the same time, we use light and lamps to create hygge and rooms, while in other European trends lamps can be more a decoration,” says Rikke.
