Scandinavian Modern

In Scandinavian Modern, Magnus Englund and Christina Schmidt of design store Skandium trace the development of the Scandinavian style, introduce key designers and take a look at some of the most stylish homes in Scandinavia.

The first section, Elements, takes a lively look at Scandinavian designers and design in the context of materials: wood, glass, textiles, ceramics, and so on. The second section, Living, offers an in-depth visual survey of 12 outstanding homes in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, ranging from modern country homes to sophisticated city-center apartments. The accompanying text provides a fascinating insight into each interior, describing its design, planning, and evolution.

Magnus Englund, who wrote the text for this book, is a co-founder of Skandium, a group of stores selling modern Scandinavian furniture and homeware. Born in Sweden, Magnus used to live in Stockholm, where he owned a men’s fashion store. Since opening the first Skandium store in London in 1999, he has played an instrumental role in creating a renewed international interest in Scandinavian design. Magnus is now a director of the Isokon Gallery Trust in London and is working on several new books.

Christina Schmidt, who sourced the locations for this book, is also a co-founder of Skandium. Finnish by nationality, she grew up in Germany and Finland and lived in Sweden before settling in Britain. Christina worked as a fashion photographer in Stockholm for many years, giving her an eye for detail that has proved most useful when developing the Skandium furniture and accessories collection. Christina now works as an interior designer in London through her own company.