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I assume I have stretched your patience to the max with my Scandinavian posts, haven't I? Well, you must forgive me for one more - promised last - time. During my design bloggers tour at the Stockholm Design Week I had the pleasure to discover one more fantastic Swedish interiors brand that I didn't know up to then - much to my shame I have to say! The introduction to Asplund was a 'first sight - first win' kind of situation. We went to their inspiring showroom and store in downtown Stockholm where we were welcomed by Sandra Asplund, creative director at Asplund, and a group of designers who worked on the latest collection. They prepared a relaxed Mediterranean dinner in the showroom for us and we had the unique opportunity to chat with them and get to know more about the brand and its latest collection. I was taken away. Why? Well see for yourself!
First and foremost: Asplund is a leading Swedish design and interior company and has been founded back in 1989 by the brothers Thomas and Michael Asplund and the company is deeply rooted in its Swedish heritage. Their wide range of furniture and home accessories are designed in collaboration with celebrated Swedish and international designers. That's the case with the brand new Asplund Collection 2014 named 'Captured by Nature'.
The new collection celebrates the grace of nature's great materials and the pride of supreme handicraft. The use of natural materials, the focus on sustainability and a cutting-edge design approach are the main features of the new collection - with the nature being the main inspiration. One of the hottest pieces was a first prototype of the new 'Besson Series' cabinet featuring a thin shell made of different materials such as brass, glass, wood and frames various volumes that can serve for many purposes - in a living room, in a dining room or in a (home) office. I also loved the new 'Nati Tati' nightstand with marble top and many other beautiful pieces. But before I bore you with details, have a look at the pictures and get more details on Asplund's website! Plus, if you are in a shopping mood now, be aware that Asplund has an online store, too.
Hope you enjoyed this little (and last for a while) excursion to Stockholm. Happy new week everybody!
Wallpaper is one of those elements in interior design that I really like but never had in any of my apartments so far. Probably because I never lived in a large space that could easily be used for wallpaper. However, the new Carl collection by Swedish manufacturer Sandberg is one of those that really makes me want to rethink my stance on wallpaper in small spaces.
The striped wallpaper collection was launched mid-January and is inspired by the changing seasons in Sweden. From the early morning sunrise with an abundance of nuances over frozen lakes surrounded by sparkling hoarfrost to the hues of endless wooded hills - this collection is deeply inspired by the cool Swedish nature and exemplifies the heritage of Sandberg's timeless patterns.
The Carl collection contains seven striped patterns but I've chosen my favorite four for this blogpost. To achieve the large, magical views that nature exhibits, Sandberg has opted for digital technology in two of the patterns (my favorites by the way) to depict dawn and dusk. These two patterns look almost like painted with watercolors. I love them!
How do you like this dreamy wallpaper collection?
Happy weekend my friends!
The fourth design show in a row since January took me to Stockholm recently. Last week I shared with you some highlight stands seen on the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair and today I want to take you on another stroll through the design fair with me. And promised, this time it is going to be a bit more colorful (though color remains scarce in Scandinavian design).
This time I'd decided to skip the obvious Scandinavian favorites like Muuto, Normann Copenhagen and others since I had seen them on the other fairs earlier this year. I was roaming around in search for new discoveries and inspiration. Here are a few highlight finds:
A2: A2 is a young Swedish furniture brand with a fresh twist on Nordic design. The contemporary collection is comprised of individual objects as well as furniture families and stands out due to visually interesting accents like creative fronts, integrated plant basins and color accents. The young brand is deeply rooted in the Swedish furniture tradition and every single piece is produced in Småland in Sweden. I particularly loved their funky cabinets and furniture pieces with plant basins.
Northern Lighting: This Norwegian brand offers a wide range of distinct lighting solution for all kind of interiors - from sleek, typical Scandinavian pieces to colorful and more playful designs. They call themselves 'mood makers' and claim to produce designer lamps and lights for different moods which are inspired by the Nordic nature, culture and society.
Fjordfiesta and Røros Tweed: Two further Norwegian brands that caught my eye at the Stockholm Furniture Fair. Fjordfiesta produces furniture in the typical Scandinavian design tradition but spiced up with a certain Norwegian flavor as they call it. I particularly love the Krobo bench, a design from 1960 with practical accessories that will launch in summer 2014. Røros Tweed is a Norwegian home textiles producer with high quality woolen blankets and pillows and they have been around since 1940. I am afraid I fell in love with their Konfetti blanket!
Hanna Dalrot: In the so-called Greenhouse section young design talents and design schools exhibited their creations. One of them was the Swedish designer Hanna Dalrot who caught my attention with fascinating textile designs named 'Textile Landscapes' in monochromatic hues with dashes of blue. I adored her beautiful, hand painted designs that combined the individuality of brush strokes with a repetitive pattern structure. I hope she will launch her products soon!
Noi Doi: Another young brand in the Greenhouse are was the Norwegian label Noi Doi. The two designers Kathrine Lønstad and Cosmin Cioroiu showcased a multifunctional bench called 'Pulse' and a great lighting design named 'On the Edge'. Very Scandinavian, very cool!
Frama: The Danish design label Frama is not unknown but I was curiously inspecting their stand as I noticed many pieces I didn't know. Frama exhibited furniture pieces, lighting, tableware, accessories - all in a wide range of materials such as wood, steel, stoneware, canvas, concrete, glass, marble and cork. Their designs stand out due to their simplicity - they almost seem Japanese. Frama puts it this way: We present a graphical and plain aesthetic approach to appearance.
Maze: The Swedish design label Maze aims to amaze the beholder's eye with a refined use of natural materials such as wood and leather and a playful twist in form and structure. The brand pays due attention to sustainability and its entire range of furniture and home accessories is produced locally in Sweden. I really liked their side tables.
Enough design fun for a Monday! I hope you enjoyed the little tour at the Stockholm Furniture Fair with me and I am wishing you a successful and happy Monday!
