At the height of the Arts and Crafts movement, one Swedish government official built his family a sprawling townhouse in Stockholm’s upscale Östermalm neighbourhood. In brick and wood, the century-old manse is a very Swedish interpretation of domestic architecture popular at the time. Though its original residents have long since departed, the house still welcomes visitors as Ett Hem, a 12-bedroom boutique hotel on a leafy Stockholm street. It’s a name that suitably translates to “a home.”

With his heart on his sleeve and an album in the works, dePresno might be Norway’s most promising pop export.

Frida Bard, head of design at Swedish fashion brand HOPE, thrives on conflict. Whether it’s a unisex collection that challenges the distinction between menswear and womenswear, or a workspace that welcomes trash and treasure, discord is a welcome part of her routine.

Asking Mikkel Karstad to cook with mediocre produce is akin to handing Monet a carton of crayons. The chef and food stylist’s talent flourishes with the fresh, quality ingredients that are a staple in the Nordic diet and his dishes.

Susanne Holzweiler, the co-founder of Holzweiler, an Oslo-based label known for luxurious scarves and ready-to-wear collections, has recruited the rest of her family into the fashion house she established with her brother in 2012.

Stockholm’s vibrant art scene has become a reliable resource for Parasto Backman, a designer whose goal is complex in its simplicity.

Her eponymous studio’s work for art galleries, architects, theaters and book publishers is bright, bold with intricacy in its layers. “I aim to broaden the palette of graphic design,” she says.

Disheartened by the too-slick state of Scandinavian design, Knut Bendik Humlevik launched New Works, a design house that pays tribute to natural materials and sculptural forms. Five years later, the company’s creative director still moves between the rustic and refined—now, his Copenhagen studio and a home in the Danish countryside.

The Hotel St. George is one of Helsinki’s most unlikely art destinations. Set facing Old Church Park, the handsome hotel accommodates a collection of more than 300 artworks, many of which hang in its 153 rooms and common spaces.

Toys rarely factor into the discussion surrounding good design, but there’s little question that Kay Bojesen’s rounded oak animals deserve their reputation as design icons. Bojesen was a real-life Geppetto, breathing life—and a sense of humor—into the menagerie born in his Copenhagen studio. Nearly 90 years later, the toymaker’s wooden critters are not only staples of a Danish childhood, but of a Danish home; they are gifted at graduations, weddings and birthdays no matter the age of the recipient.

Norwegian homeware studio Nedre Foss is so invested in sustainability that it coined a term to reflect its objectives. The “century product” is built to last 100 years and remain significant for just as long. Here, the studio’s co-founder and creative director, Torbjørn Anderssen, talks about looking beyond trends for the sake of the future.

A fact to consider: Finland is home to 5.5 million people and 3.3 million saunas. At one per household, the sauna is as common as a kitchen or bedroom in Finnish homes. It’s an essential part of the Finnish experience and one that, until now, tourists were unlikely to experience. Jasper Pääkkönen set out to change that with Löyly, a public sauna in central Helsinki.