Normally the first week of February would see me heading off to Sweden for the Stockholm Furniture Fair – one of the biggest trade shows in the design calendar. That’s been postponed until September due to current circumstances, but the launch of various new-season collections means there’s still plenty of interiors inspiration to soak up. As usual I’ll be sharing some of my favourites, and I’m starting with the always-impressive Kristina Dam Studio.
Called the ‘Frame’ collection, the Copenhagen-based brand’s spring-summer 2022 offering celebrates its 10th anniversary by ‘framing’ the sculptural minimalism for which it’s become known. First founded in 2012 by graphic designer Kristina Dam, it began life with a series of limited-edition illustrations before moving on to encompass furniture, home textiles, tableware and more. Despite this rapid expansion, it’s never lost its distinctive blend of geometric forms, architectural shapes and contrasting materials – and the latest releases are no exception.
Among the new pieces this season are Kristina Dam’s first dedicated products for the bathroom. These include the ‘Dowel’ toilet-roll holder, wall hooks and bottle holder, which offset sleek brushed steel with textured walnut plugs; the matching ‘Dowel’ mirror, which comes in three sizes and works equally well in bedrooms and hallways; a marble bottle tray; and striking block-patterned towels woven from sustainable OEKO-TEX® cotton. There’s even a move into bodycare, with hand soap and hand lotion made from natural ingredients such as exfoliating apricot kernels, soothing aloe vera and softening pink pomelo. They’re available in a choice of three scents: the refreshing ‘Classic’, which layers orange blossom and lemongrass with warmer wood notes; ‘Minimal’, which derives its subtle, clean scent from clary sage, cedarwood and green leaves; and ‘Modern’, which offsets delicate flowers with ripe orange and earthy sage.
Also catching my eye from the collection is a series of trays and tray tables described as a Scandinavian take on the Japanese incense boxes of the Edo era. Crafted from oiled oak with visible dowel joints in darker smoked oak, they can be used on their own or clustered together in various configurations. The tables are particularly versatile, acting as coffee tables, side tables or nightstands and revealing valuable storage beneath their lift-up lids; the medium-sized version can even become a bench with the addition of an optional cushion in cognac-coloured Nubuck leather.
Finally, to mark the 10th anniversary there’s a special sculpture named ‘Frame’. Made from black powder-coated steel, it combines graphic lines and negative space to create an intriguing interplay between light and shadow, and it looks different from every angle. It’s another great example of multifunctional design, as it can double as a side table and is suitable for use indoors and out. And for those without enough room for the sculpture itself, there’s a matching abstract poster in a limited-edition run of 100 prints.
See the full ‘Frame’ collection here.
All photography via Kirstina Dam
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