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A few months ago I featured the gorgeous London apartment of Christina Thaisen, who’s a firm believer in buying meaningful, long-lasting objects rather than following throwaway trends. It’s an ethos that I share, and today I want to tell you a bit more about NABO, the Danish lifestyle shop which she runs from her home and which is based around the same wonderful principle.
Christina hails from Copenhagen and has an MA in visual art. As a Dane she believes design is in her DNA, but her aim with NABO was to create a Scandinavian design shop with a difference. She explains:
“I don’t shy away from being deeply rooted in the Scandinavian tradition, where design has a function and where things are meant to be used. In fact I fell in love with the Scandinavian classics at a very young age, and I still love them. But wherever I looked, stores more or less all sold the same furniture and I thought that was sad, because there’s so much interesting new talent out there. That’s what led me to start NABO – I wanted to support and promote emerging designers, listen to their stories and encourage them to create.
“I therefore aim to showcase designs that could become the new classics – the heirlooms of the future, if you like. By looking towards new designers, you can create a home that’s more unique and that truly reflects who you are. I also want to encourage people to think more about what they bring into their homes. If you buy less but buy better, you can surround yourself with things that have meaning and that really do last a lifetime.”
The result of Christina’s vision is a range of beautiful yet functional home accessories covering lighting, art, ceramics, textiles and more – some very affordable, others investment pieces. To give you a taster, here’s a look at a few of my favourites…
Lappalainen mobiles
Lappalainen was founded by trained silversmith Wilfrid Kreutz and his partner Rivka Baake, who has a background in art history. Based in a former warehouse in Hanau, near Frankfurt, the couple produce beautiful mobiles inspired by the moveable sculptures of 20th-century American artist Alexander Calder. Their work is handmade from silver-plated or black-lacquered brass, which is cut, sanded, soldered and polished before being assembled into floating arrangements that resemble falling leaves or constellations of planets. Prices range from £225 to £238.
Tasja P. ceramics
Ceramicist Tasja P. lived all over Europe and experimented with clay for years, before finding her home in Copenhagen and opening her own studio in December 2016. Designed for everyday use, her handmade pieces have a strong focus on texture and natural colours such as earthy browns, watery blues and sandy yellows. I particularly love the speckled glazes and contrasting interiors which feature on much of her work, all of which is dishwasher and microwave safe. Prices start at £23 for a milk jug and £30 for a cup.
Kristina Krogh art prints
Copenhagen-based artist Kristina Krogh‘s work focuses on colour and contrast, with strong geometric forms and graphic lines. Her prints use the fine-art giclée process, which combines mineral-based inks and high-quality paper to produce vibrant hues and a crisp finish, and they’re all signed and numbered. My favourites form part of two series: ‘Shades’, which explores the interaction between light and shadow, and ‘Sky Transformations’, which was inspired by the changing colours of the sky and landscape over the course of one day. Prices start at £75.
Meyer-Lavigne treasure bowls
Design duo Kristine Meyer and Sabine Lavigne studied ceramics and glass at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and now work across a variety of mediums, including textiles, wood and print. Showing the ‘presence of hands’ is key to their work and this is certainly true of their porcelain treasure bowls (£30 each), which mix different colours and patterns to form unique designs, no two of which are identical. Christina describes them as ‘little pieces of art’, and it’s easy to see why.
Astep lighting
Danish-Italian lighting brand Astep was launched by Alessandro Sarfatti, the third generation of a design dynasty which includes the founders of renowned companies Arteluce and Luceplan. It has revived a raft of beautiful 20th-century designs, including Vittoriano Viganò’s ‘VV Cinquanta’ wall lights (£492-978), which combine brass mounts and arms with elegant shades in black or white. My favourite, though, is the ‘Model 2065’ suspension lamp (£930), first created by Sarfatti’s grandfather Gino in 1950 and relaunched by Astep in 2016. Made of a methacrylate plastic shade suspended on an aluminium rod, it’s simple yet striking, and a true example of timeless design.
Tekla bedding
The beautiful cotton-percale bedding from Tekla comes in a range of muted shades, from soft grey and sun-bleached yellow to deep olive green. The brand was founded on the belief that textiles play an essential role in the home, and it aims to produce the best bed linen possible by accentuating the inherent qualities of the fabric. It’s made from long fibres that are washed for a soft, worn feel, before being stone-washed to give a stylish matte finish. Prices start at £140 for a single duvet cover and pillow set.
Uh La La bonbonnières
Ceramic artist Julie Bonde founded Uh La La in 2010 after graduating from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. She uses a slow, low-tech process, building physical models to create wonderful shapes before crafting the finished pieces using traditional techniques. Her beautiful bonbonnières resemble miniature sculptures and come in an array of colours and glazes. They look wonderful as decorative objects on mantelpieces and sideboards, and can also be used to hold nibbles, jewellery and more. They’re priced at £55 each.
Matias Moellenbach lamps
Danish-born designer Matias Moellenbach graduated from Central Saint Martins in London in 2015 and launched his first collection a year later. His aim is to create striking, high-quality products that have timeless qualities rather than following particular trends, and he works closely with the artisans who make his designs by hand. His range includes glass and ceramic tableware (from £15), as well as a stunning glass lamp (£355) which is blown in the Czech Republic and emits a soft, diffused light up its entire body.
Notem Studio stationery
Established in 2017, Copenhagen-based stationery studio Notem designs beautiful planners, journals and notebooks, all manufactured using the highest-quality Scandinavian paper. The brand’s mission is to add value to everyday habits and daily tasks, and the results are stylish and functional. I’ve been using their work journals for a while now and I love the clear layouts and minimalist covers, which feature plain cloth or graphic patterns in wonderful shades such as grey, orange, burgundy and steel blue. Prices start at £6.
Visit NABO’s website to see the full range.
All photography via NABO
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