New finds | July 2019

I haven’t done a round-up of design news for a while, as I had so much to share from my time at 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen. But there have been several exciting new product launches recently, so I thought it was time to start the series up again. My picks this month include affordable wall art, minimalist lighting, stylish IKEA kitchen hacks and more, so settle back and feast your eyes on the things that have caught my attention over the past few weeks…

New throws and cushions from Stitch by Stitch

First up is sustainable textile brand Stitch by Stitch, which I profiled last year. It has extended its collection with several new designs made from soft Donegal and alpaca wool and woven on antique looms at a micro mill near my own home city of Bristol. There are two throws and two cushions, all reversible and featuring beautiful patterns in grey, beige and black. They make great additions to Stitch by Stitch’s existing products, most of which are hand-crafted in northwest India and Nepal, and look wonderfully warm and snuggly. The cushions start at £198 and the throws at £495.

Fine-art prints from Anu Reinson

Next is Estonian interiors stylist, photographer and designer Anu Reinson, who has just launched her first collection of limited-edition fine-art prints. Based on original paper-cut collages, they reflect her soft, minimalist style and come in warm yet muted tones such as beige, rust-brown and blush-pink. I love the mix of clean-cut graphic shapes and free-flowing organic forms, which can be mixed and matched or hung on their own. Prices start at €45 for an unframed, hand-numbered giclée print measuring 30 x 40cm, and orders can be shipped worldwide.

The ‘Forma’ collection by Melissa Selmin

There’s also a new collection of prints from Wales-based artist Melissa Selmin. I’ve long been a fan of her work, which encompasses calming watercolour landscapes (a couple of which I have in my own home) alongside stronger abstract designs, and I love the look of the new range. Called ‘Forma’, it features fluid brushstrokes in earthy hues, and was inspired by the shapes of iconic designs such as Alvar Aalto’s ‘Savoy’ vase (1937) and Karl Springer’s stainless-steel ‘Free Form’ table (1970). The results are graphic with a gently feminine touch, and would suit an array of settings. Prices range from £25 for an unframed 13 x 18cm print to £55 for a large 40 x 50cm version.

The ‘FRAME’ kitchen from Reform

Danish company Reform, which makes architect-designed fronts and worktops for standard IKEA kitchen cabinets, has released several new ranges, and one in particular caught my eye. Named ‘FRAME’, it was created by Stockholm-based Note Design Studio and mixes clean lines with tactile materials. It comes in dark-oiled oak, white or pale blue, with terrazzo-style counters and the choice between brass handles, steel handles or push-to-open mechanisms. I particularly love the triangular-profile edges, which add an elegant, timeless touch to the otherwise contemporary look. Prices start at €110 for a drawer front and €148 for a cupboard door.

New designs from Skagerak

Sticking with Danish brands, Skagerak has just announced several new products for autumn-winter 2019, including a bench to match the existing ‘Vent’ stool, whose seat is hand-woven by blind and partially sighted craftspeople at sheltered workshop Blindes Arbejde. There’s also a new dining table called ‘Aldus’, whose gently curved legs were inspired by traditional trestle tables, and a desk and side table for the popular ‘Georg’ series. Most notable, though, are the company’s first-ever lighting designs: Bjørn van den Berg’s opal-glass ‘Terne’ pendant and table lamp, which draw on influences from both Japanese lanterns and Danish mid-century modernism, and John Astbury’s ‘Piccolo’ table lamp, which was inspired by the shape of a reception-desk bell and comes in black or light grey. All the new designs will be available from September.

‘Three Oaks’ by Edward Collinson

Last but not least is London-based furniture designer Edward Collinson, who has created a new collection called ‘Three Oaks’ using a trio of oak trees felled at his North Yorkshire family home. It features a simple yet beautiful stool, an elegant low-back chair (with optional leather seat pad) and a desk called ‘Portion’, whose legs are made from quarter-sewn oak and designed to resemble a book opening up. Most stunning of all, though, is the ‘Note’ table, which was inspired by the work of traditional coopers (barrel makers) and has a base formed from individual ‘coopered’ staves. All are available in natural, ebonised and fumed finishes, with prices starting at £500 for the stool, £850 for the chair, £3,700 for the desk and £6,000 for the table. The three felled trees have since been replaced with 21 saplings, creating new life in their place.

All photography via the respective brands above