Living in Style: Scandinavia

When one thinks of Scandinavian design, one usually imagines clean lines, lots of glass and chrome or brushed aluminum, and plain walls and fabrics, but there is much more to it than that. This gorgeous coffee table book is filled with stunning photographs of a wide variety of houses and styles from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. Some of these homes are just what one would expect, although it is still a treat to be able to take such an intimate and complete look at those. Others, however, are a complete surprise, filled with brightly colored fabrics and wallpapers, chunky furniture, and more. There are eighteen homes featured, and we are shown everything from a seaside cabin to reclaimed warehouse in a city to an old printing house to an island holiday home that looks a bit like an old barn. Each shows great detail of several rooms in the home and often includes views from the home. The text that accompanies each section is minimalist and allows the photographs to do most of the talking, yet it is are well written and informative. This will be a welcome addition to anyone’s library who has an interest in design or architecture.