New finds | February 2021

I have more new-season collections to share with you over the next fortnight, but today I want to round up some of the other interesting product launches that have caught my eye in recent weeks. So, read on for details of minimalist home accessories, ingenious storage and display solutions, a paint collection that will instantly appeal to fans of warm, earthy neutrals, and much, much more…

Elegant display units from Sætter

First up is Sætter – a new Danish design company which makes timeless and very elegant display units. It was founded by fellow blogger Caroline Birk Bahrenscheer, who came up with the idea while on maternity leave with her twin daughters. The grid-like design was inspired by an old typeset tray which she found at a flea market and was originally intended for cups and mugs, but it’s proven incredibly versatile. It can be used to showcase everything from collections and curios to perfume bottles, soaps and even children’s toys, and is hand-crafted in Denmark from oiled FSC-certified oak. There are three different sizes to choose from, with prices starting at DKK 1,999 (around £237 / €268), and worldwide shipping is available.

The ‘Stone’ collection from Little Greene

Next is UK-based paint manufacturer Little Greene, which has teamed up with the National Trust to create ‘Stone’ – a versatile palette of natural colours offering ‘warmth, tranquillity, timelessness and harmony’. There are 36 shades, 22 of which are new and 14 of which were sourced from the company’s extensive archives. They range from delicate beiges to deeper reds and browns and are divided into six families according to undertone, with each based on a naturally occurring pigment: Red Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, Lamp Black and Green Earth. It marks the second time Little Greene has collaborated with the National Trust and, as with their previous collection of green-based hues, many of the colours were inspired by the company’s ongoing research across the British conservation charity’s portfolio of historic properties. ‘Book Room Green’, for example, was used on the walls of the 19th-century library at Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire, while ‘Castell Pink’ and the limestone-like ‘Baluster’ were taken directly from the sculptural stonework and carved balustrades at Penrhyn Castle in North Wales. You can see the full collection and order a colour card here, and all the paints are available in a range of interior and exterior finishes.

Grey marble additions at New Works

New Works is always one of my go-to brands for sophisticated Danish design and its latest additions – new versions of its popular ‘Kizu’ table lamp and ‘Florence’ coffee and side tables – are as beautiful as I’ve come to expect. Made from French Gris du Marais marble, they have a warm grey hue which reflects current interior trends while also remaining timeless. The material has a wonderful sense of earthiness and harmony about it, with subtle detailing courtesy of veins and flecks formed by layers of minerals crystallising over millennia. It contrasts perfectly with the tables’ angular steel frames and the lamp’s opalescent shade, and I love the touch of understated elegance that it brings. The new versions are all available to buy now, with prices starting at €299 for the lamp, €529 for the side table and €869 for the coffee table.

A modular storage system from Carl Hansen & Søn

There’s also an exciting addition at another Danish favourite: Carl Hansen & Søn. The latest design to join its portfolio of mid-century classics is the flexible FK63 ‘Bookcase System’, created by Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm back in 1963. It consists of solid-oak modules in two depths, which can hang on the wall, sit on the floor and be rotated so that the shelves are either tall or wide. What’s more, it can be customised with doors, additional shelves and tray-like drawers in pale ash, meaning the possibilities are almost endless. I love the way the minimalist aesthetic is offset by beautiful detailing in the form of visible mortise joints and brass handles, and the way the floor-standing version sits on a sleek black-metal frame. There’s also a spring ball catch at the bottom of each door, which produces a discreet click when it closes – a feature which Thomas Kastholm, son of Jørgen, recalls fondly:

“We had the Bookcase System in my childhood home, and I loved the sound that the doors made when my parents opened them. The effect was similar to the sound of a door closing on a luxury car.”

The system is available from this month, with prices starting at £876 / €998 (plus VAT), and there’s a handy tool where you can build and save different configurations here.

A new collection of wooden fronts for stylish IKEA hacks

Swedish company Superfront has featured on this blog before and its eye-catching fronts, tops, handles and legs, designed to allow you to customise standard IKEA products, have proven incredibly popular in recent years. For 2021 it has launched its first collection of wooden elements, and it looks absolutely beautiful. Made of FSC-certified ash veneer, it encompasses two styles – grooved and plain – and six different colours, all finished with a UV-resistant lacquer to ensure longevity. My favourites are ‘Umber’, which has the same rich patina as smoked oak, and ‘Alabaster’, which has been treated with a touch of white and echoes blonde Scandinavian woods; there’s also ‘Biscotti’ (think natural oak). ‘Willow’ (muted forest green), blue-grey ‘Cloudy’ and dark charcoal-like ‘Thunder’. What’s more, the company has developed a series of handles to complement the collection, including a minimalist bar shape which looks stunning against the grooved doors. All the new options can be used on IKEA’s ‘METOD’ kitchen cabinets, ‘BESTÅ’ modular storage and ‘PAX’ wardrobe system, and are available to order via Superfront’s website now.

Spring launches at Cooee Design

Last but not least, Cooee Design has added several new pieces to its range of minimalist home accessories. They include the ‘Seedpod’ vase – a continuation of the Swedish brand’s collaboration with Norwegian artist Anders Pfeffer Gjengedal, which sees his nature-inspired wood and stone sculptures reworked as ceramics. Available in three colours (‘Vanilla’, ‘Walnut’ and ‘Pepper’) and two sizes, it’s covered with dimples which cast ever-changing shadows over its rough, sandy surface and has a wonderfully organic look about it. Also new is a large floor-standing version of the existing ‘Drift’ vase, and ‘Trumpet’ – a contemporary reinterpretation of classic vases, with a round bottom and a flared neck that encourages stems and flowers to fall softly outwards. Three new colourways have also been launched across Cooee’s ever-popular ‘Ball’ and ‘Pillar’ vases: a warm beige called ‘Peanut’, an earthy green named ‘Olive’ and a delicate ivory called ‘Shell’. All will be available soon, with prices starting at SEK 199 (around £17 / €20).

All photography via the brands above