Highlights of 3 Days of Design 2023 | The best of the rest

There’s no ‘new finds’ post from me this month, as I’m rounding up some of my remaining highlights from 3 Days of Design instead. I’ve already shared detailed looks at a few of my favourite venues, but there were plenty of other interesting exhibitions and product launches that caught my eye. The below selection is still only a fraction of what the festival has to offer, as there’s so much to see that it really is impossible to get round everything, but they all stood out to me for their beautiful presentation and timeless, pared-back design. I hope you find them as inspiring as I did!

Kristina Dam Studio

First up is Kristina Dam Studio, which took over community-driven marketplace The Vintage Bar to showcase its signature ‘sculptural minimalism’. I’ve always loved the brand’s mix of geometric forms, contrasting materials and architectural shapes, which reflect founder Kristina Dam’s background as a graphic designer and architect, and its collection of furniture, lighting and accessories was beautifully presented across a series of artfully arranged rooms.

New launches on show included the ‘Outline’ bar chair, which joins the ‘Outline’ desk and chair introduced at last year’s 3 Days of Design. It’s a deceptively simple piece formed from interplaying oak rectangles with a stainless-steel footrest, and it somehow manages to look lightweight yet sturdy at the same time. What’s more, it has a lovely harmony about it and I can see it fitting into a wide range of settings.

Also on display was a series of abstract sculptures created in collaboration with Danish artist Katrine Blikenberg. Originally hand-formed using plaster and then translated into sandstone, they’ll be available in a limited-edition run of 100 and sport intriguing shapes that transform according to the light and the angle they’re viewed from. I found the process behind them utterly fascinating and was lucky enough to have a go at it myself during a workshop with Katrine on the first day of the exhibition – more on that, and an interview with Katrine, in a future post…

Carl Hansen & Søn

Carl Hansen & Søn turned its flagship store into ‘House of Craft’ – an exhibition exploring the craftsmanship and materials behind its collection of Scandinavian icons and newer designs. The skill that goes into making the company’s pieces is something I’m well aware of, having visited its factory during a press tour back in October, and I was fascinated to learn about the techniques involved in several Danish classics being relaunched this summer: Poul Kjærholm’s 1955 ‘PK1’ chair, Hans J. Wegner’s 1965 ‘CH45’ rocking chair, and two tables created by Kaare Klint in the 1930s.

With its stainless-steel frame and paper-cord seat, the stackable ‘PK1’ chair showcases Kjærholm’s love of combining metal with organic materials. The paper cord replaces the original wicker and the Carl Hansen & Søn team worked hard to develop a weaving technique that stays true to his design. The result looks good from both the front and back, and takes 15 hours and 180m of cord to complete by hand.

Also featuring woven paper cord, the ‘CH45’ chair has an eye-catching elongated backrest and is proportioned so that the user can sit comfortably and rise effortlessly. The arms are carved into beautiful curves, and the grooves at the very top add a lovely note of detail while providing somewhere to suspend a neck pillow.

The tables, meanwhile, are available in a choice of oak or walnut and look as stylish today as when they were first designed some 90 years ago. One (the ‘KK44860’ side table) is rectangular, the other (the ‘KK66870’ coffee table) is circular, but both have a wonderfully timeless look. They’re also incredibly versatile thanks to their compact sizes and useful shelves.

Throughout the exhibition the various pieces were displayed alongside sculptures made by Carl Hansen & Søn apprentices using excess material from furniture production, and there was even the opportunity to try creating one yourself. My keen-woodworker husband Chris, who was in Copenhagen with me for this year’s 3 Days of Design, did just that and had great fun crafting an abstract bird from oak, walnut and leather. Luckily, his masterpiece made it back to Bristol without damage and now takes pride of place on our bedroom fireplace!

Fritz Hansen

Entitled ‘Expressions of Character’, Fritz Hansen‘s exhibition took place at Charlottenborg, the home of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. It explored the dynamic between art and design through a series of creative installations and the work of Poul Kjærholm again featured prominently. His pieces were showcased in the main hall, where they were strung – sometimes whole, sometimes deconstructed – from illuminated cubes that highlighted their sculptural forms. They all looked stunning, but two in particular caught my attention: the steel and flag-halyard ‘PK4’ lounge chair, recently reissued for the first time since its original limited-edition run in 1952, and the soon-to-relaunch ‘PK15’ side chair, one of the few Kjærholm designs to encompass steam-bent wood and cane.

Another space was dedicated to Arne Jacobsen, whose iconic ‘Egg’, ‘Swan’ and ‘Drop’ chairs (all originally created in the 1950s for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen) were exhibited in an ethereal, almost ghostly display of light and sound. There were also stacked cubes with colourful takes on lounge chairs by Jaime Hayon and Sebastian Herkner, and a beautiful fabric-draped room where Cecilie Manz’s simple yet striking ‘Essay’ dining table and ‘Taburet’ stool took centre stage. The courtyard outside meanwhile, had been turned into a place where visitors could linger over coffee, complete with sustainable outdoor furniture from Skagerak, recently acquired by Fritz Hansen.

Vipp

Held at its central-Copenhagen store, Vipp‘s exhibition was a sunny, summery celebration of yellow – the favourite colour of founder Holger Nielsen’s wife Marie, who inspired the invention of the company’s now-iconic pedal bin more than 80 years ago. There was even a limited-edition yellow version of the bin, available for a short time only, and a new square coffee table and desk with yellow onyx tops.

Other eye-catching additions included existing Vipp pieces upholstered in colourful abstract textiles from Metaphores, Christopher Farr and Libeco, and an updated edition of Vipp’s book Twenty Homes – One Kitchen, which explores how the company’s famous ‘V1’ kitchen has been used in a wide range of different settings (you can read it online here). My favourite pieces, though, were a selection of ceramics by Italian artist Paola Paronetto, which will be sold exclusively via Vipp. Made from paper clay, they combine sculptural shapes with rich, earthy colours and instantly speak of warm Mediterranean climes and sun-baked landscapes.

Fredericia

Earthy colours also featured at Fredericia, which used 3 Days of Design to unveil a lounge seating series called ‘Gomo’. Created by Portuguese designer Hugo Passos, it has curvaceous forms and no legs, resulting in a minimalist yet inviting expression. There’s a swivel-based chair and a sofa, both available in a wide range of fabric and leather upholstery options, and individual parts can be repaired or replaced to ensure their longevity.

Other new launches on display at Fredericia’s showroom (surely one of the most beautiful in Copenhagen thanks to its soaring ceilings and rooftop terrace) included Cecilie Manz’s elegant and versatile ‘Niveau’ coffee tables, which combine sleek Scandinavian lines with stunning natural materials. Available in various sizes, they consist of solid ash bases and marble tops, and can be used individually or clustered together to create ‘little islands of surfaces at different levels and diameters’. I also loved the look of Maria Bruun’s ‘Pioneer’ stool, which has a wonderfully plump, rounded cushion atop a simple yet striking wooden frame, and Børge Mogensen’s versatile ‘BM29’ shelf, designed in 1956 and now being reissued. Multiples of the latter had been used to create a vast display as visitors entered the showroom, but it also works brilliantly in more compact spaces and can even be combined with a desk add-on.

Elvang

Finally, a brand-new discovery for me, even though it’s actually celebrating its 20th anniversary this year: sustainable textile maker Elvang. Founded in 2003 by married couple Tine and Lasse Elvang, it combines timeless Nordic aesthetics with Peruvian craftsmanship to create a beautiful range of home accessories and scarves. There are throws woven from the softest alpaca wool, organic cotton and linen bedding, cushions made from recycled fibres, rugs produced using waste from the textile industry, and much more. Most importantly, ethics and integrity are central to everything Elvang does. It’s a Guaranteed Member of the World Fair Trade Organisation (one of the only Danish companies that is), and works with vulnerable women in Peru to help them build a reliable revenue stream. What’s more, it uses materials and production techniques that have as little impact on the environment as possible, and focuses on long-lasting design rather than throwaway trends.

I already have my eye on a few Elvang items for my own home and various client projects, so I’m sure it’s a name you’ll be seeing here again soon!

Top image, Kristina Dam Studio images one, six, 10 and 11, first Carl Hansen image, last Fritz Hansen image, Vipp images one, three, five, six, seven and 11, Fredericia images one, two, three, six and seven, and Elvang images three-six all courtesy of the the respective brands. All other photography by Abi Dare.