The start of a new month means I’d normally be bringing you my regular round-up of minimalist design finds. But, as it’s September, details of autumn-winter 2023 collections are starting to filter out, so I thought I’d shake things up this time around and share more in-depth looks at some of my favourites, spread over a series of posts. And to kick things off, I’m focusing on three names whose new-season launches embody versatile, multifunctional design that enhances daily life: Copenhagen-based New Works and Muuto, and Norwegian brand Northern.
New Works
For autumn-winter 2023, New Works has unveiled ‘Tana’ – a wall-mounted furniture family created by Danish architect Rikke Rützou Arnved. Based around a simple ledge with no visible fixings or supports, it encompasses a shelf and three sizes of drawer module, all available in oak, black-stained oak and walnut.
‘Tana’ showcases refined minimalism at its best, with a vertical back that looks as if it’s been folded upwards and the front of the drawers extended to form an invisible handle. But what appeals to me most is its adaptability. The shelves can be used on their own or grouped together, and the drawer modules can function as nightstands, desks, dressing tables, hallway consoles, media units and more.
New Work’s existing ‘Mass’ series, designed by multidisciplinary Hong Kong studio Lim + Lu, has also been updated to encompass integrated storage. The walnut coffee table, high coffee table and side table are all now available with deep push-to-open drawers, providing a handy place to hide books, cushions and other bits and bobs without disturbing the clean-lined expression.
Other additions this season include the ‘Atlas’ dining table and stool, which join 2022 launch the ‘Atlas’ coffee table – itself now available in solid oak as well as the original marble. Created by British-Swedish designer John Astbury, they reinterpret the architectural references and chunky geometric forms in a slightly softer, less monumental way, with a choice between natural and dark-stained finishes. Again versatility is key, with the stool doubling as a side table and the dining table as a desk.
Finally, you can also now buy Brooklyn-based Steven Bukowski’s ‘Bukowski’ chair with a French cane seat. It has the same sculptural, slim-meets-solid expression as the original but the wicker adds a delicate, lightweight touch. It’s available in oak, walnut and black, and works beautifully around a dining table or used on its own as a statement piece.
Muuto
Versatile lighting forms the mainstay of Muuto‘s autumn-winter collection.
Inspired by a billboard light box at Copenhagen airport, the ‘Calm’ wall lamp by Ukrainian designer Aleksej Iskos is composed of a textile cover over an aluminium frame, with a contrasting rubber band in black, grey or orange around the edge. It looks almost like an artwork, with its radiating light and halo-like effect, but what makes it particularly special is that it can be adjusted in both brightness and temperature, allowing the user to alter the ambiance of a space in seconds.
Just as adaptable is TAF Studio’s ‘Fine’ suspension lamp – a slim LED tube supported by a minimalist aluminium body in black, grey or deep red. It’s described as ‘delicate, almost jewellery-like’ and comes in three lengths, all of which can be hung horizontally or vertically, on their own or in clusters. It allows for endless experimentation and suits a host of different spaces, with the 320-degree beam angle ensuring it works just as easily as ambient, general or task lighting.
Other launches at Muuto include a table lamp for the existing ‘Strand’ series, which is made from cocoon-like material that’s sprayed onto a cloud-like steel frame and produces a wonderfully cosy, diffused glow. There’s also a new and very comfy-looking version of the ergonomic ‘Fibre’ armchair with softly padded upholstery, plus a two-seater bench in oak or black for Cecilie Manz’s ‘Workshop’ series of functional, pared-back furniture.
In addition, there are two new accessories, both designed to enhance the kind of smaller finishing touches that are often overlooked. The first is the ‘Reduce’ paper bin by Studio Tolvanen – a minimalist, eye-pleasing take on that most functional of objects, made from 93% recycled ABS plastic from post-consumer waste. The second is the ‘Mere’ bowl by Salla Luhtasela and Wesley Walters of Helsinki-based studio Kaksikko. Like all their creations, it was born out of shaping materials by hand and began life as an experiment on the pottery wheel, gradually evolving into a sculptural display piece for tables, kitchen counters, sideboards and shelves. The result is a refined, conical form with rounded sides and a contrasting line at the centre, elevated by a discrete foot that almost makes it look as if it’s floating. It comes in two sizes and three nature-inspired shades of off-white, brown and green, all with a gloss glaze that catches the light beautifully.
Northern
Northern‘s latest launches are based around the theme of savouring everyday pleasures, from your morning coffee to sociable evenings with family and friends.
My eye was instantly drawn to the ‘Cling’ coffee table, created by trained cabinetmaker Anton Björsing. Made from solid oak and oak veneer, with smoked and lighted-oiled finishes, it’s minimalist in its overall appearance but features subtle detail in the form of a lipped top and rounded edges on the base. It’s available in two sizes, which can be used on their own or paired together for a tiered effect.
Another table making its debut this season is ‘Ton’, from Berlin-based studio Böttcher & Kayser. Inspired by the wave-smoothed stones that wash up on the shoreline, its brown Emperador marble base both supports and contrasts with a grooved aluminium column and brushed aluminium top. It has a sculptural yet practical air and, like ‘Cling’, it comes in two sizes that can stand alone or together.
When it comes to lighting, there are two new designs. The first, the ‘Archive’ table lamp, marks Northern’s first collaboration with fellow Norwegians Studio Sløyd and began life as a paper model created during an Oslo design event. Now reimagined in metal, it pairs graceful curves with a practical, almost industrial expression and comes in two colour combinations: light grey with a dark green shade, and steel with a black shade. The second is Morten & Jonas’ ‘Kin’ lamp, which has been almost a decade in the making and takes its inspiration from an unusual source: collectable bobblehead figures. Their shape is echoed in the matt opal-glass shade, which appears to balance on a torso-like marble base, and there’s a friendly, slightly whimsical look about the design as a whole.
Morten & Jonas are also behind the concave pressed-steel ‘Into’ vase, which is available in four finishes and can be turned onto its side to create a shallow display bowl. It’s one of several new accessories, the others being Berlin-based Studio Terhedebrügge’s indoor-outdoor ‘Spool’ rugs, which are spun from recycled post-consumer plastic and feature a three-dimensional geometric pattern in a choice of pastel shades, and Norwegian graphic artist Mariken Steen-Forgaard’s ‘Echo’ series of blankets and cushions. Woven from Merino and New Zealand wool, the latter were inspired by the shifting hues that appear where the sky and sea meet, with each combining a primary colour and a supporting neutral.
Lastly, two existing Northern series have been extended for autumn. The ‘Gem’ sofa by German furniture designer Meike Harde has been joined by a matching chair and pouf, both with the same curvaceous, playful aesthetic and available in a range of upholstery fabrics. The chair comes with or without armrests, and the pouf has a practical loop for easy moving around. Rudi Wulff’s popular ‘HiFive’ storage cabinets, meanwhile, are now available with fluted glass doors, adding a touch of elegance and providing an intriguing hint of what’s inside.
All images courtesy of the respective brands
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