A bold home with a Scandinavian touch

andrewjburing andrewjburing
Moderne recreatiewoning, Bongers Architecten Bongers Architecten Moderne woonkamers
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Out in the countryside, or on the outskirts of a big city, you will find that your opportunities to experiment with the style of your house will nearly doubled. No longer do you have to follow the set style of the houses around you. And no longer do you have to worry about the size of your house. The moment that you are unchained, and allowed to go as bold as possible, is the moment when you can truly show what you've got in you.

When working with the outdoor setting, the most common approach is to try to mimic the surrounding area, therefore adopting a more rustic or country style. However, when you get closer to the woods, while still in proximity to the urban life, a new style may take hold. Mixed with all the modern sensibilities you'd come to expect, yet with a dash of the rural, the Scandinavian style has become a huge favorite, bringing out the best in both worlds.

With so many different variations on the Scandi style, it may be difficult to decide what to keep and what goes. Luckily for you, we here at homify have selected one of these Scandinavian houses, brought to you by the great architects at Bongers Architecten, and will highlight some of it's best features, including the way it integrates with its surrounding area. So get ready to take notes, as we dive deep into this stunning home.

Adaptive outdoors

While on paper, the combination of dark, corrugated exterior and lively green exterior may seem strange, in actuality, it finds a way to work together. The darker tone of the home matches the earthy tones of the surrounding area, and the corrugated surface gives the outside a bit more depth, and makes it ever so more dynamic. Off setting the darker colours is the white outline and light brown door, both of which help to further enhance the more earthy shade.

The house also integrates well with the world outside the fence, with the road mixing well with the path that leads up to the home. The bushes create a nice natural barrier between the lawn and the stone path, and the fence, while simple, works well with the simplicity of the outside world, and even in contrast to the modernity of the home.

Don't be afraid to stand out, but also don't be still. Try to make your home as alive and dynamic as possible, no matter the colour.

Combination of colours

Unlike the uniform set up of the outdoors, which essentially stuck to a single colour, the dining room goes all out, mixing around various colours and even materials. Luckily, it somehow manages to balance all of this perfectly, ensuring that one item doesn't clash with another. This is mainly achieved by splitting the colours into two categories, lighter shades, and darker shades.

The white walls, along with the wood railing belong in the light shade category. As such, they mostly stick together, and are placed in the background. The darker shades, such as the tables and chairs, also stay separated from the lighter ones, therefore ensuring that the two don't clash. Even though the chairs are each a different colour, they still use a very dark hue, making sure that they fit in well with their surroundings. When the shades do have to interact, the darker ones yet again take on the dynamic feel, making them more lively, while the lighter ones are a bit more tame.

Topping it all off is a nice sense of modernity, while still preserving the outdoor feel. This is made even more apparent, thanks to the metal fence and wood beams, acting as a call back to the front of the house. The merits of the Scandinavian style is that it can do both, and well, so if you feel like you can't decide, this might be the style for you.

Relaxed living

As opposed to the busy dining room, this space is more relaxed, and acts a great area for you to relax and collect your thoughts. This is achieved easily, thanks to the more minimalist approach to the space, getting rid of almost everything, except for the coach, table, chair and fireplace.

The relaxing feel also comes from the more muted, almost frosty, colours. With the exception of the sofa and the fireplace, there really isn't that much colour going about. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Not every room has to be loud and distracting, and the Scandinavian style knows that. It instead promotes intimacy, creating a space for conversation.

With a nice metal sheen to everything, the living room creates a bubble into which you can slip in, and either discuss thing with guests, or read deep into the night.

Fiery heart

Dominating one side of the living room, we have the fireplace. As we mentioned above, it is one of the two primary sources of colour, instantly drawing any newcomer's attention. With the rest of the room displaying a frosty feel, the fireplace is actually a great addition as it brightens up the place, with both colour and warmth. As the Scandinavian style comes from more colder countries, the fireplace is a given.

Along with all of its positives, the fireplace is also a symbol, something that is meant to bring us together. In times past, we used fireplaces as gathering grounds, places to share company and stories. Even now, that hasn't changed, and it is often why we see them in living rooms. The addition of the swivel chair, in close proximity to the heat and light, is an invitation to go and read late into a winter night.

When bringing guests over, it's always best to create the sense of belonging, to make them welcome. A fireplace is a great first step in doing so.

Back outdoors

Returning once more to the great outdoors, due to its location so far from the city, the home can even afford a fairly large garden, allowing you to take advantage of the surrounding area and all of its natural beauties. While the rear of the home looks the same, you should note the solar panels on top of the roof. Since the Scandi style is one that focuses on the synthesis between the rural and urban, solar panels are a great way of bridging that divide. If you were wondering about ways of going Eco, this is one of them.

The rest of the garden extends the wood beams, creating a relaxing back porch, which, along with the little area with some bushes and a tree, acts as a good barrier between the home space and the outdoors.We can also find a several wicker seats that during the summertime, can be used as spots to hang out in. Those looking to dine outdoors, can find a space shielded by the roof, ensuring that you can eat even when it's raining.

Fully equipped to deal with most weathers, this garden is a great way to wrap up an incredibly environmentally friendly home. If you're interested in similar home with a dark exterior, this article may help inspire some new ideas.

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