It has been a long winter and a damp spring, so if you're planning to refresh your garden, patio or balcony ahead of the summer season, now is the ideal time to inject a touch of Scandinavian flair into your outside space with the latest garden trend: Scandichill.
What Exactly is Scandichill?
The concept of Scandinavian-inspired spaces is certainly nothing new. In fact, as the pace of modern life continues to step up, many of us have been embracing the minimalist, cosy aesthetic of the Nordic countries in the hopes that surrounding ourselves with these design principles will help us to live a happier, more content life. After all, people in this part of the world are consistently named as being amongst the happiest in the world.During the summer months, people across Scandinavia spend much of their time outside, soaking in the additional hours of daylight and the warmth that comes with it. There are a vast array of benefits to spending so much time outdoors in the fresh air, particularly in terms of our overall sense of wellbeing. The good news is that embracing a Scandichill style is very simple and with a few carefully chosen design pieces, you can create a garden retreat that allows you to connect with your surroundings whilst enjoying the sense of freedom that comes with having your own private space to unwind, connect with friends, and make the most of precious family time.
In essence, a celebration of nature sits at the heart of all Scandinavian design and this includes the use of natural materials, crisp colour palettes and simple lines. Every element within a Scandinavian-inspired space is easy on the eye, delivering both form and functionality at the same time.
So, to give you a more comprehensive picture of what this chic outdoor trend actually looks and feels like, we have put together a selection of our top design tips and tricks, alongside our favourite Scandi garden furniture picks that should help you to elevate your garden as you herald the arrival of the warm weather.
Scandichill Garden Design Planting
As Scandinavian design is heavily inspired by the natural world, particularly green meadows and Nordic forests, natural textures should play a central role in every aspect of your Scandichill garden.If you are fortunate enough to have a large garden with borders and raised beds, you can get creative with your planting and incorporate everything from luscious shrubs and fragrant lavender bushes to textured grasses and beautiful blooms offering a peppering of colour throughout. However, the good news is that you certainly don't need to have a sprawling garden with acres of space to embrace Scandichill garden planting.
Raised Planters
The Cane-Line Combine Planter can be placed on a bijou balcony or put-together patio area to great effect. Crafted from natural teak wood with a stunning warm finish and powder-coated aluminium with a sophisticated grey hue, this planter is tailor-made to add a finishing flourish to laid-back Scandi-inspired garden spaces.
Its deep planting area is ideal for an array of plants, including fragrant herbs and blousy flowers that will bring a pop of colour to your garden and help to protect our hard-working pollinators. This raised planter is also perfect for trailing plants, which will cascade gently over the edge and create even more texture in your garden space.
There are a selection of other outdoor pieces in this beautiful Cane-Line collection, including square planters that are ideal for small trees and shrubs, lanterns, and chic exterior storage boxes. This provides you with the option to create a cohesive environment through carefully chosen pieces of Scandi garden furniture, however the neutral colour palette means that each piece can also be combined with an array of other design pieces to great effect.
Petite Planters
Plants also make excellent additions to chic Scandinavian-inspired table settings, particularly when they are housed in beautiful planters that are striking design pieces in their own right. The multi-faceted form of Olivia's Daniel Planter embodies this put-together yet laid back garden style and is available in two different sizes to suit all tablescapes. It boasts a distinctly contemporary aesthetic without compromising the central properties of the Scandichill design sensibility.
The crisp white planter has a gently speckled finish, which slightly softens its angular lines and brings a textural element that feels very natural. Additionally, every Daniel Planter features a trio of beechwood legs, all of which have been shaped to authentically celebrate the natural grain of the wood. This charming planter can be easily incorporated into inside and outside spaces that have been designed with an array of different colour palettes.
Position in the centre of a chic patio bistro table you use each morning to enjoy your first cup of the day and fill with a selection of small succulents to add an extra splash of greenery to your morning routine. Alternatively, position your Daniel Planter on carefully placed side tables or use to accessorise a large outdoor dining table alongside a selection of other small planters, pretty floral arrangements, and hurricanes filled with white candles to create an intimate entertaining space.
Scandichill Garden Lighting
One of the true joys of summer is being able to spend time outside long into the evening and you can maximise this time through the careful selection of chic garden lighting. It is important to avoid bright lights that will be far too harsh on the eyes, instead selecting lighting that emits a soft, warm glow.
Both fairy lights and festoon lighting can be draped along fences and trellis or wrapped gently around tree branches and pergolas to bring light to outdoor seating areas with ease. Selecting solar powered outdoor lights will ensure that your outside space is perfectly illuminated as darkness begins to fall and prevent the need to worry about positioning them close enough to a power source or running out of battery at an inopportune moment.
Solar powered stake lights are another outdoor option and they can be used to line pathways or highlight the textures in beautifully planted borders long after the sun sets. Just be sure to select warm white lights with clear bulbs to truly embody the heart and soul of Scandichill design.
If you are keen to create an even more ambient glow in your outside space, candles are primed to play a significant role throughout your summertime outdoor activities. From tea lights peppered across your outside dining table to simply designed candlesticks, there are a plethora of ways to use candlelight to enhance your chilled-out Scandi-inspired exterior. When opting to adorn your dining table with candles, mixing and matching different shapes and sizes will prevent your tablescape from looking too curated.
Another option is to place your candles inside hurricanes or lanterns to further diffuse the light and ensure your outside dining experience has a certain natural romanticism to its ambience. The Cane-Line Lighthouse Lantern embodies Scandichill design, from its simple silhouette to the chic merging of natural teak, crystal clear glass, and aluminium accents in its construction. Its understated form is incredibly charming and will make a wonderful addition to a calming outside space both day and night. As darkness starts to fall, simply place a wax candle or an LED candle inside the lantern before sitting back and relaxing beneath the softly flickering glow that will cascade outwards from all sides.
A single Lighthouse Lantern has the presence to make a stylish impression when placed in the centre of a beautiful bistro table set, however it is also possible to style several differently sized lanterns together to create an illuminated centrepiece at the heart of a spacious outdoor dining set. Alternatively, several lanterns grouped together can gently illuminate a patio or decked area, or line a pathway for a romantic, cosy aesthetic ideal for rest and relaxation. If you want to create an impressive illuminated feature within your Scandi inspired garden, you can either choose to style lanterns of the same size together, or opt for a looser design style by grouping lanterns of different sizes together. There is also another Lighthouse lantern within the same Cane-Line collection, which is constructed from the same materials and has a slightly smaller, more elongated silhouette.
Notably, this versatile design piece also has another function, with the large glass panels essentially creating a miniature greenhouse-like environment. So, why not experiment with growing a new plant that needs plenty of heat inside? Or you could simply use it to house a favourite herb that plays a central role in many of your favourite summertime dishes. You could even place it at the heart of your summertime tablescapes and encourage your dinner party guests to help themselves to a last-minute herby garnish on their plates.
Importantly, the teak wood that has been used in this beautiful design piece has been responsibly sourced in line with the SVLK certification system, so you can bring light to your outside space safe in the knowledge that your purchase has not harmed our precious natural world.
Scandichill Seating
Every outside space benefits from the addition of a multi-functional seating area, regardless as to how much space you have to work with. Even something as simple as positioning a small wooden bistro table and two chairs on a compact patio or balcony can work to establish an inviting retreat that you actively want to spend as much time as possible enjoying. For sunny spots, a simple parasol can help to offer protection from the sun when it is at its height and simultaneously introduce additional natural textures into your design.
More substantial outdoor seating can help to create a sense of intimacy and cosiness within a larger patio or decked area, and even provide a pool-side retreat perfectly suited to long days of lounging in the warmth. Again, the use of natural materials is essential when creating a Scandinavian inspired seating area and the Hampstead Corner Sofa from Garden Trading is a supremely stylish option.
The Hampstead Corner Sofa benefits from a sturdy steel frame construction, however, it has also been masterfully hand wrapped with responsibly sourced bamboo which gives the piece a sense of lightness that is immediately inviting. Creamy ivory toned seating pads and cushions complete this chic seating solution, prioritising comfort without compromising on the crisp aesthetic that screams Scandinavian sophistication. Simply position on a raised decked area or pretty patio that is surrounded by considered planting and complete with an outdoor coffee table, bamboo side tables, and a natural-toned outdoor rug. From here, you can accessorise with candles, lanterns or solar powered lights, as well as chic cantilever parasols and additional soft furnishings such as blankets and throws to create a space that suits your personal taste and lifestyle.
Excitingly, as well as creating an entirely outdoor entertaining space, the Hampstead Corner Sofa can also be incorporated into gorgeous garden rooms, orangeries and conservatories that benefit from an abundance of natural light streaming through the glass windows and ceiling lights. This means that it can be used and enjoyed all year round, allowing you to maintain a connection with your natural surroundings even when it is cold or rainy outside.
Scandichill Dining
Whether picnics on the lawn or a formal, fully adorned table setting occasion, al fresco dining is always a joyous event that breathes love, life and celebration into our gardens. There are gorgeous outdoor dining sets to suit all spaces, ranging from petite bistro collections to extravagant multi-seater sets to suit even the most significant of special occasions.
Olivia's Dakota Outdoor Dining Set embodies the laid-back refinement of Scandinavian style, creating a space that can be easily styled to suit everything from everyday family dinners to sophisticated dinner parties and summertime barbecues.
Featuring both clean lines and gentle curves, this beautiful set has been expertly constructed from steel, aluminium and teak which merges the Scandichic sensibility with a timeless contemporary design that will continue to sit at the heart of your outside space long into the future. Each chair has also been hand wrapped with a natural-toned rope, bringing an additional textural element that expertly softens the metal accents. Neutral grey seat cushions complete the set, offering maximum comfort whilst simultaneously ensuring that the set can be styled with a variety of different accessories to create a seamless and cohesive outside environment.
Keep your tablescape setting simple by placing a few plants or succulents in the centre or go all out to create a special table setting incorporating fairy lights, candles, and fresh blooms suited to each celebration or occasion.
Scandichill in Conclusion
At its heart, balance is key to achieving the essence of the Scandichill aesthetic. It provides opportunities to reconnect with ourselves, our surroundings and our loved ones, encouraging us to spend less time with our screens and gadgets. Whether you're working with a small outside space or you want to create different zones within a larger garden, creating a laid back, secluded space that allows you to truly recuperate from our busy modern lifestyle is certain to have a significantly positive impact on your overall sense of wellbeing.
Make the most of decked, paved or patio areas by positioning smart seating solutions and comforting accessories in a location you want to spend more time enjoying. It is always important to create a space that suits you, so if you want to layer mismatched outdoor rugs beneath your teak dining table set or you are tempted to adorn your outdoor sofa with a selection of brightly coloured, heavily patterned throw cushions, lean into those desires and use the Scandichic trend as a grounding element that will ensure your space always has an element of supreme relaxation at its core.
Scandi garden furniture has a certain timelessness about it that means it can continue sitting at the heart of your outside space for many years to come, particularly as it is constructed from durable, natural materials that will stand the test of time. So, when the time comes to refresh your outside space, have fun with the design and incorporate pieces that bring joy whenever you see them.