So, after a cold and slow(ish) start to the year, the Nordic design market is now back in full swing and getting ready for the warmer months. This month we have a bumper crop of new household design items from the north, with some modern twists on a few old favourites.
Thorvold from Space Copenhagen
First up is a new furniture range at Denmark’s &Tradition. With Spring not so far around the corner, Thorvold is a modern collection of outdoor furniture designed by Space Copenhagen. With its sculptural forms, its apparently a nod to neo-classical sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, resident in Copenhagen in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Thorvald Collection features a lounge chair, stackable side and armchair and various-sized complementary café, dining and side tables.
IKEA’s DAKSJUS gardening collection
And they are also getting ready for spring over at IKEA. The new IKEA DAKSJUS collection of plant pots, stands and gardening accessories features some effortlessly cool shapes and bright colours for both out and indoor.
We particularly like the hanging planters and glass vases. The DAKSJUS collection is available to buy online and in IKEA stores across the UK. (See also post featured header image)
Salmon pink at Iittala
And our friends at Iittala are injecting fresh colour into some of their glassware – salmon pink to be precise. Another nod to the changing seasons, the Finnish glassware and ceramic company seems to like reviving this colour – it was first introduced in Spring 2013 for Alvar Aalto’s famous vase, which was originally released in 1936.
The Margrethe bowl from Rosti
For Nordic Watchlist readers of a certain age, a familiar kitchen favourite is being given a bright new lease of life. First produced nearly 70 years ago, the Margrethe bowl from Rosti is a true design classic and is being reissued in ten colours – check out beetroot electric blue – and in eight sizes. Importantly, the bowl is now made from recyclable plastic, making it stronger, more shatterproof and also microwave and freezer safe.
101 Copenhagen unveils Big Foot
And it’s very much back to the 1970s with 101 Copenhagen’s wonderfully named ‘Big Foot’ Collection of seating, benches and stools. Think of what futuristic design and space age aesthetic looked like back then and you have the inspiration for this minimalist range.
Described as having the ‘unrefined charm of brutalist architecture’ the seating is upholstered with off-white boucle fabric, which is made up of looped yarn, giving it a soft and fluffy texture!
Astep’s acoustic furniture range
And how about lighting, with simple forms and clean lines…that brings ‘acoustic properties’ to your home. Yes, you read it right. Copenhagen-based Astep is promoting Isol – its collection of acoustic lamps designed by David Thulstrup, featuring ‘Snowsound ‘technology.
The tech involves: “soft, interwoven acoustic fibres that intricately shape the acoustic environment. These fibres interact with the surrounding air, regulating reverberation to elevate the acoustic atmosphere of your surroundings”. We’re not exactly entirely certain what this sounds like, but you can read more about it here!
Reissue of Finn Juhl’s Hulsø shelf
Finn Juhl was one of the biggest names in mid-century Danish furniture design, and The House of Finn Juhl has just re-issued one of his lesser-known, but still quite wonderful pieces – the Hulsø Shelf.
Designed in 1949, the shelf’s organic shape in beautifully grained wood is all about turning such a simple, functional piece of design into an artistic element in its own right.
The Fab vase from Northern
Here’s something rather lovely from Norwegian design company Northern. The Fab Vase has just been unveiled, which is all about exploring the intersection of artistry and practicality – Northern’s design philosophy.
It was designed by Finnish designer Anne Hirvonen, and was the winning entry at Northern’s Design Awards 2022. We very much like its Nordic geometry and organic forms.
Carl Hansen unveils the Timbur bench
Icelandic designer Gudmundur Ludvik has teamed up with Carl Hansen & Søn to present the Timbur Outdoor Bench. A piece of real quality craftsmanship and minimalist aesthetic, Timbur – which means ‘timber’ in Icelandic – is very robust but has a distinct Nordic ‘lightness’, being produced in untreated teak.
The Fyr Kerosene Lamp from
Design House Stockholm
And finally, completing this monthly design update is a little more inspiration for those looking to spend time outside as the days grow longer and the evenings become warmer. Design House Stockholm has just released the Fyr Kerosene Lamp. Johan Larsvall’s design reduces the familiar Nordic design to a really appealing industrial, abstract simplicity.
Tim will be back next month with another round up of updates from the world of Scandinavian interiors and design!
