The term “Scandinavian design” originates from a design show that traveled the US and Canada under that name from 1954 to 1957. Promoting the “Scandinavian way of living,” it exhibited various works by Nordic designers and established the meaning of the term that continues to today: beautiful, simple, clean designs, inspired by nature and the northern climate, accessible and available to all, with an emphasis on enjoying the domestic environment. In the context of Danish folk art, hygge is often achieved through the use of natural materials, soft lighting and warm colours.

Dala Horses: The Dala horse is a traditional wooden toy originating from Sweden. It has become an iconic symbol of Scandinavian folk art. These horses are typically painted in bright colors with intricate designs. This encompasses a wide range of styles and movements, from modern and contemporary art to traditional fine arts like painting and sculpture.Art and design mirror the society they are a part of. But with the globalization of ideas increasing and the world of communication shrinking, a design will not be influenced solely by the culture in which it originates. Are you inspired by Norwegian landscape and history, like so many artists before you? There are plenty of places where you can study art in Norway! One of the primary characteristics of this style is seen on the large-scale runestones called the Jelling Stones, which were discovered in Jelling town. These stones have become the cornerstones of the Mammen style due to the significant motif referred to as the “Great Beast”.

Other examples from the Mammen style include two caskets, namely, the Cammin Casket and the Bamberg Casket. During World War II, the Cammin Casket was reported as destroyed during fires in the Cathedral of Saint John, located in Cammin, where it was housed. Traditionally, folk art refers to functional items that were decorated with certain motifs or using particular techniques. The people who created them had no formal training as artists or craftsmen; instead, the skills were handed down through generations. Another important characteristic of Viking Art includes the utilization of symbolism. Objects appear decorated with elaborate abstracted designs of animals, birds, humanoid figures, and patterns. A common pattern seen in Viking design is the intertwining of shapes or spiral-like motifs, this is also referred to as Norse knotwork. Then I became more interested in how people in the countryside, far from manor houses and homes in the cities, had taken the design one step further in their own way. It was this new aspect that drew my attention to the folk art and it still attracts me as a true source of inspiration although – or perhaps I should say since – my role as a professor in furniture culture is to help my students to find new paths in the field of furniture design for the needs of today. The Borre style became prominent in other areas not only restricted to Scandinavia, for example, the British Isles and Baltic areas like Russia.Scandinavian design has evolved with the times, moving from mostly furniture and product design to an application of principles and processes to current problems and opportunities. Its change has been just as dramatic as the society it’s a part of. Scandinavian design has been perhaps most widely recognized in furniture, which spread the principles of its creators. Other fields, such as graphic design, followed these principles, particularly with regard to production and availability. My Friends, the Carpenter and the Painter, Carl Larsson. What is unique about the Buddha-like figures is their close resemblance to Asian culture, and it is debated whether this was influenced by it, particularly the Buddhist culture. Most of Norse Art, and similarly Viking artwork, was skilfully carved in wood. In fact, woodworking was an important occupation and skill in Viking culture. Other materials utilized were metals, stones, ivory, bone, including textiles. We notice the Viking designs on many of their objects, including objects for burials and their seafaring ships.