A woman’s failed attempt at creating a Scandinavian kitchen aesthetic just went viral. Upsetting, annoying, and confusing viewers all at once, the viral video on TikTok received a flood of comments online.
Saying that she and her husband removed their kitchen cupboards’s doors in order to create a Scandinavian vibe, TikTok user Nicoly Lily Holmes, going by the username @nicolelilyholmes, shared her kitchen transformation video.
The TikTok user’s attempt to achieve the Scandinavian look has miserably failed
“My husband & I decided to remove all our cupboard doors to make the kitchen look more Scandinavian, what do you think?” Holmes shared in her TikTok video, amassing over 40 million views. The result? An unapologetically open kitchen with exposed shelves featuring her cluttered kitchenware and not one cupboard door in sight.
With many of the cupboards fully loaded with a variety of items, including dishes and cleaning supplies out in the open, the TikTok video gave viewers something of an anxiety attack.
Holmes’s kitchen clutter urged viewers to comment, “I can’t breathe”
In addition to her overly filled cupboards, the kitchen in the video had a lot more going on. Books, snacks, flowers, and kitchen items were seen spread across Holmes’s cluttered countertop and shelves. Faced with the clutter of Holmes’s kitchen, one user commented, “I can’t breathe.”
Furthermore, a pantry with boxes and more kitchen supplies also caught the eyes of the viewers. To top it all off, there is also a ladder leaning against the wall.
Scandinavian aesthetic is well-known for being minimalistic
@nicolelilyholmes We’be never seen this done before in a kitchen, we are totally in love with it!! 🔨🏠 #houserenovation #housereno #kitchen #kitchendesign #interiordesign #scandinavianstyle #fyp #foryoupage #messy ♬ Messy – Lola Young
The said Scandinavian look is a type of interior aesthetic where everything is minimal, uncluttered, and simple. The aesthetic usually features neutral tones and light wood. Open cabinet designs and shelves with fewer items, creating a fresh look, are also very commonly used in Scandinavian interior design aesthetics.
Among these, the open shelf/cabinet idea has become quite a popular trend on TikTok, with many TikTok users removing their cupboard doors to create a simpler interior for their kitchens with little effort. However, Holmes’s video seemingly failed to understand the concept.
Users were upset with the video, with one saying, “If this is rage bait, it’s working”
@nicolelilyholmes Living la vida Scandinavian 🏠🔨 We caused quite the stir on our last post. Please help me decide what to keep to enhance my new Scandinavian style kitchen #kitchen #kitchenhacks #housereno #renovation #fyp #foryoupage #scandinavianstyle #scandi ♬ original sound – Niks ✨
After her attempt to channel Scandinavian vibes in her kitchen didn’t exactly pan out, users were quick to comment on Holmes’s kitchen transformation. Users were shocked, upset, angry, and overwhelmed. After viewing the TikTok, one user commented, “If this is rage bait, it’s working.”
One user stated, “This is why I’m a professional interior designer so things like this don’t happen,” while another simply expressed, “I hate it!” The critiques didn’t stop there: some pointed out the clutter, noting, “Scandinavian style only works with minimal things; it’s minimalistic!” and another joked, “Is the Scandinavian kitchen in the room with us?”
Another user asked, “Is the Scandinavian kitchen in the room with us?
@nicolelilyholmes Danish Design Expert rates the latest interior trend: Scandinavian Kitchens with no doors. Some fabulous entries, we are so excited to see where this trend takes us in 2025 ✨🫶🏼 #scandinavianstyle #scandinaviankitchen #interiordesigner #nicolelilyholmes #fyp #foryoupage #kitchen #rate #daneland #frankfurt #greenland ♬ original sound – Niks ✨
Comments ranged from the sarcastic, “Beautiful. It’s like I’m having a panic attack in an Ikea basement,” to practical advice, “Please put the doors back on.” In a mix of confusion and sarcasm, one user suggested, “I love it. You should also throw out your dressers and pile your clothes on the floor. I park my car in my living room.”
Sadly, Holmes’s kitchen transformation resulted in more laughs and facepalms than inspiration.
The users in the comments ranged from sarcastic to overstimulated
