{"id":346200,"date":"2026-03-04T08:17:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T13:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.sothebysrealty.com\/?p=346200"},"modified":"2026-09-03T16:06:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T20:06:44","slug":"nordic-by-nature-what-sets-the-best-scandinavian-homes-apart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/nordic-by-nature-what-sets-the-best-scandinavian-homes-apart\/","title":{"rendered":"Nordic by Nature: What Sets The Best Scandinavian Homes Apart?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A new survey of Nordic architecture showcases bold innovation alongside a deep commitment to rest and retreat, writes Riya Patel<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Nordic<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fleinv\u00e6r Refugium (2017) by Rintala Eggertsson & Tyin Tegnestue, Fleinv\u00e6r, Norway. Photograph: \u00a9 2026 Richard Powers<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The standout homes in \u201cThe Iconic Nordic House\u201d\u2014the latest compendium of a series on striking residential architecture\u2014are designed to protect from wild and rugged landscapes. They offer spectacular views of nature from a safe and warm place. Even in urban examples, there\u2019s a sense of interior space as a retreat from the outer world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That domestic coziness has been construed into a number of popular lifestyle trends, notably the Danish concept of hygge<\/em>. Yet as this new survey shows, there is much more to the Nordic sensibility. Binding these extraordinary homes from the past 125 years is the luxury of tranquility and a deep philosophy of quality, craft and care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere’s real sensitivity to the landscape that you see in both contemporary Nordic architecture and the past,\u201d says author Dominic Bradbury, whose research took him to far-flung islands and archipelagos as well as the Scandinavian mainland. \u201cThere\u2019s use of organic material and natural textures, even if the forms and composition are very modern.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nordic<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Villa Mairea (1939) by Alvar Aalto, Noormarkku, Finland. Photograph: \u00a9 2026 Richard Powers<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The timber-panelled ceiling and forest-like columns of Alvar Aalto\u2019s Villa Mairea (1939) in Ahlstr\u00f6m Noormarkku, Finland<\/a>, exemplify a softer, more layered type of modernism. The house\u2019s design cleverly adapts the usual language of pristine white forms with local materials and reverence to the Finnish landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although mid-century style has become associated with the Nordics, the book shows regional variations in constant play with multiple ideas and aesthetics. \u201cI think that there is a real spirit of innovation in Nordic architecture,\u201d says Bradbury. \u201cThese architects were at the vanguard of a lot of different styles and movements.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The experimental prefab plastic Futuro House (1968) by architect-designer Matti Suuronen is a stark departure from the typically spare Nordic look. The cliffside creative atelier Nurmesniemi House (1975) on Kulosaari island is another Finnish outlier. Its generous double-height spaces and exposed steel structure make it more akin to the famously inventive Eames Case Study House in California. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"cylindrical<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Villa Birkedal (2016) by Jan Henrik Jansen, M\u00f8n, Denmark. \u00a9 2026 Richard Powers<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More recent homes manifest a quest for innovation in their mastery of sustainable technologies. Blending with the birches on the Danish island of M\u00f8n is Villa Birkedal (2016) by Copenhagen-based architect Jan Henrik Jansen. A cluster of cylindrical volumes is clad in rough tree trunks, making the lustrous brass kitchen island inside all the more surprising. For the cubist Villa Sagalid (2023) on the Stockholm archipelago, architects Sandell Sandberg chose bespoke ceramic cladding to withstand water and rain, but also to catch the light so the building shimmers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sheer number of sea cabins, summer houses, coastal escapes, mountain retreats and treehouses show how architecture integrates with a commitment to leisure and family time. In Norway, PAN Tretopphytter (2018), a trio of A-frames on stilts by Espen Surnevik, immerse guests among the trees of a farm in Gjes\u00e5sen, while Snorre Stinessen\u2019s timber-lined Manshausen Cabins (2023), built on a private island in the Steigen archipelago, feel gloriously isolated in the dramatic fjords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Modern<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Manshausen Sea Cabins (2015) by Snorre Stinessen, Manhausen Island, Norway. Photograph: \u00a9 2026 Richard Powers<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although some are too remote or compact to be permanent homes, these treasured holiday spots can be kept in families for generations and returned to year after year. \u201cThe craft and quality is often quite extraordinary,\u201d says Bradbury. \u201cI think there’s a luxurious element in the way these buildings are designed and then put together.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time, space and immersion in nature unite this most enviable collection of Nordic architecture. Wherever in the world we live, there are plenty of lessons to take home on the art of living well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Iconic Nordic House: Modern Masterworks Since 1900\u201d is published by Thames & Hudson<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/em><\/a>These epic rural homes around the world bring \u201cWuthering Heights\u201d-style drama<\/em><\/a><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new survey of Nordic architecture showcases bold innovation alongside a deep commitment to rest and retreat, writes Riya Patel Fleinv\u00e6r Refugium (2017) by Rintala Eggertsson & Tyin Tegnestue, Fleinv\u00e6r, Norway. Photograph: \u00a9 2026 Richard Powers The standout homes in \u201cThe Iconic Nordic House\u201d\u2014the latest compendium of a series on striking residential architecture\u2014are designed to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":232770377,"featured_media":346204,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1399,1565,1398],"tags":[1547,1439,1546],"class_list":["post-346200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-and-design","category-home-style-ideas","category-featured","tag-denmark","tag-finland","tag-norway"],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pf4gbL-1s3S","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":347874,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/spotlight-on-helsinki-design-savvy-city-between-land-and-sea\/","url_meta":{"origin":346200,"position":0},"title":"Spotlight on Helsinki: Design-Savvy City Between Land and Sea","author":"Natalie Davis","date":"August 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Helsinki Design Week is a clear highlight, but the Finnish capital is a year-round destination for the creatively curious, writes Paula Hotti Helsinki, Finland | Snellman Sotheby\u2019s International Realty Architects Alvar and Aino Aalto, design houses Marimekko and Iittala and, of course, the Moomins have made Finnish design famous around\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Art and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/art-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Villa Snow White in Finland exterior with contemporary architecture and floor-to-ceiling windows","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Helsinki_VillaA.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Helsinki_VillaA.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Helsinki_VillaA.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Helsinki_VillaA.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Helsinki_VillaA.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Helsinki_VillaA.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":342907,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/are-rugs-the-new-artworks-at-home\/","url_meta":{"origin":346200,"position":1},"title":"Are Rugs the New Artworks at Home?","author":"SIR Admin","date":"November 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The design of what\u2019s underfoot has gotten bold, colorful and creative, writes Helen Parton Kangan Arora\u2019s Harlequin rug plays with optical illusion. Credit: Floor Story \u201cI was inspired by what was outside: the grasses, the clouds, the color of the skies,\u201d begins photographer Douglas Friedman, describing the view from his\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Art and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/art-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Chakra_KA_Lifestyle-Credit-Floor_Story.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Chakra_KA_Lifestyle-Credit-Floor_Story.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Chakra_KA_Lifestyle-Credit-Floor_Story.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static-sir-corp-blog-production.gtsstatic.net\/blog-api\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Chakra_KA_Lifestyle-Credit-Floor_Story.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":342610,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/inside-a-scandinavian-style-southern-california-oasis\/","url_meta":{"origin":346200,"position":2},"title":"Inside a Scandinavian-Style Southern California Oasis","author":"SIR Admin","date":"September 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"In sunny Southern California, this light-flooded new 3,308-square-foot residence epitomizes the clean, fresh, organic minimalism and serenity of Scandinavian style. 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