The history of creation and interiors – Stockholm’s design hotel Nordic Light – are a perfect illustration of what is the essence of Swedish design. The history of the four-star hotel Nordic Light begins in 1998.
History and location
About the inhabitants of any country in the world in the minds of citizens of all other states there are certain stereotypes. From the British, for example, expect constant stiffness and restraint, the Italians in the view of the majority, on the contrary, should be sociable and noisy, the Germans – practical, the French – complete romantics … And so on and so forth.
And how do we represent the Swedes? Sweden is a northern country, which means that logic dictates, the Swedes are calm and balanced descendants of the Vikings. They have melodic music, simple cuisine, a calm attitude to the peculiarities of private life, very strange, but understandable and beloved fairy tales all over the world. All these things, however, are quite traditional things. Is there any “highlight” in the Swedish mentality, something that is not in the minds of residents of other countries?
There are: Swedes are the best designers in the world. Design is not an abstract concept. The designer’s goal is to create a product with new qualities. It is not only about the form, but about the connection of the essence and functionality of the product with its appearance, which the consumer should perceive as a whole. Go to any store, and you can easily point to such pieces of furniture, clothing or appliances that are completely uncomfortable with visual appeal.
Or another situation: for some daily need at work or at home, you need a device that fits life. In nature, it does not exist, or there are inconvenient analogues, and you eventually make this device yourself. And it, even if it is not ugly, serves you for many years. But even if you are constantly making something, you are far from the average Swede: most of the inhabitants of Sweden are avid homemade people. Swedes are willing to spend more on decorating and repairing their homes than any other nation in the world.
They can reinvent the simplest household items every year, just to achieve the optimal combination of convenience and beauty.
Need an example? Here is the most famous: in 1943, a 17-year-old boy Ingvar Kamprad began selling household products that he made in his garage. After 4 years, he began to manufacture simple, comfortable and inexpensive furniture, which could be ordered by mail. After another 8 years, the IKEA brand was born, and in 1958 the first shopping center of the company was opened. Today, IKEA is hundreds of popular shopping centers in 38 countries of the world, the IKEA catalog is printed with a circulation of 200 million copies. In 2010, Kamprad closed the top ten richest people in the world according to Forbes magazine.
Classic Swedish design is called “clean” – in fact, it is a function that has received the form. In Sweden, it is easy to come up with a suitable form for innovative developments, create practical and beautiful clothes, which then appear in the collections of the most expensive European brands.
Hotel exterior
The new building was built on the site of the former police station. For a world-class hotel, the tandem of architect and designer chose the theme “Light and Sea” as the main one. According to the designers, they were inspired by the colors of the aurora. We can safely say that the interior of the hotel is created by light and texture of materials, and not furniture and objects, as usual. The hotel has its own team of lighting specialists who know how to compensate for the lack of light in the northern latitudes and influence the mood with the help of color lighting. Five times a year, the light in the hotel changes, complementing the natural light and conserving energy when there is enough natural light. Thanks to the external lighting, part of the hotel seems to be hovering in the air.
Room stock
In the rooms, guests can independently control the lighting, and the correct color is helped by a brochure with a detailed study of the effect of various colors on the inconstancence and well-being of a person. The Nordic Light’s 175 rooms are simply furnished and comfortably furnished. All rooms have free wireless internet access, cable TV, minibars, handmade beds from Hastens and excellent noise insulation. Bathrooms are equipped with practical plumbing and equipped with hair dryers, bathrobes, hygiene products.
Meals at the hotel
At the service of hotel guests – a restaurant in which I can find a lot of organic dishes, an exquisite bar, a fashionable nightclub, where popular European DJs perform.
Services & Attractions Nearby
The hotel has two living rooms – black and white: in them guests can spend time reading, board games, work and communication on the Internet. Nordic Light staff can help guests decide on excursions and places to relax. Icebar Stockholm by Icehotel, the world’s first year-round ice bar, is a must-see. There is always -5C, visitors are warmly dressed, and cocktails are served in glasses of pure Laplan ice.
