New finds | March 2022

The start of the month means it’s time for my regular round-up of interesting new product launches. As always, I’m only sharing designs that I love and that I think you will too – and I have some real beauties for you today. So, read on for details of a gorgeous outdoor sofa, simple tableware, minimalist rugs, a new variant on a classic Danish chair and much more…

A stylish outdoor sofa from Ferm Living

I’m starting with Ferm Living, which has launched a new outdoor sofa just in time for spring. An extension of the existing ‘Desert’ series, it consists of a slimline powder-coated steel frame topped by generously plump cushions in a beautiful neutral shade. Like the original deckchair and folding stool, the textile elements incorporate recycled plastic and are water- and UV-resistant, making them perfect for alfresco lounging. And, if you want somewhere to place a drink or book, Ferm has also released the indoor-outdoor ‘Level’ coffee table, whose distinctive frame is made from a single continual line and complements the ‘Desert’ seating perfectly. There are one-, two- and three-seater versions of the sofa, and prices start at €949 / £939; the coffee table, meanwhile, comes in at €449 / £445. If you’re based in the UK, you can pre-order both via Someday Designs for delivery from April.

A new option for the iconic ‘Spanish’ chair

New from Fredericia this spring is an American walnut variant of Børge Mogensen’s ‘Spanish’ chair, which was first launched back in 1958. Inspired by Mogensen’s travels through Andalucia, the chair’s wide armrests, saddle-leather seat and buckled straps have made it a Danish design icon, and the new option only serves to increase its versatility. Sourced according to stringent regulations that protect against deforestation, American walnut is unique to the US and has long been admired for its understated luxury. It’s particularly durable and hard-wearing, with a distinctive grain pattern and wonderfully warm hues that will become richer over time. I think it looks particularly striking against the black leather, and it’s a great way to make a statement in a minimalist space. The new variant will be available via selected Frederica retailers from May.

The ‘CMA Clay’ collection by Cecilie Manz for 1616/arita apan

Next up is a beautiful dinnerware collection created by Danish designer Cecilie Manz for 1616/arita Japan. Called ‘CMA Clay’, it consists of 46 pieces with simple, understated shapes that lend themselves equally well to everyday use and special occasions. It also showcases two different clays which can be mixed and matched as desired – 1616/arita Japan’s classic pure-white porcelain, made from crushed stone in the Japanese village of Arita (a hub of ceramics production for more than 400 years), and a rawer natural-grey porcelain with a slightly more humble expression. It’s the result of three years of dialogue, sketching and prototype development, and is the kind of thing you can invest in knowing it really will stand the test of time. The collection will be available via Skagerak (1616/arita Japan’s European distributor) from next month.

Kalinko x Emma Jane Palin

There’s another exciting collaboration from Kalinko, which has a gorgeous range of handmade homeware from Burma. It’s teamed up with UK blogger and designer Emma Jane Palin to create a capsule collection of five pieces: a rattan side table, an amber-glass lamp base, a rattan shade, a smoked-glass mug, and a fringed round cushion in a beautifully warm orange. All showcase sustainable materials and the skills of the artisans involved: the glass, for example, is recycled from construction sites around Yangon, while the cushion is woven on a handmade backstop loom in Chin State using a technique unchanged since the Bronze Age. The pieces were designed with Emma’s signature 1970s aesthetic in mind but are incredibly versatile, and I can see them fitting into all sorts of settings. The collection is available online now, with prices ranging from £12 for the mug to £220 for the table.

The ‘Cruise’ rug collection from &Tradition

I covered &Tradition‘s spring-summer 2022 lighting launches last month, but also making its debut this season is a new collection of rugs designed by Danish-Swedish studio All the Way to Paris. Called ‘Cruise’, it pays homage to the luxury ocean liners of the 1930s through delicate graphic lines that echo the sports courts often found on deck. These soft geometric forms act as an anchor for a room, linking different items of furniture to create a sense of coherence while also adding a subtle touch of detail. There are two different colour options – ‘Desert Beige’ with blue and ‘Golden Brown’ with red – and three different sizes, and every rug is made from high-quality wool with bamboo silk woven into it for extra plushness. Prices start at 13,495 DKK / €1,530 / £1,630.

New additions for New Works’ ‘Tense’ lighting series

Last but not least is New Works, whose cloud-like ‘Tense’ pendant light has now been joined by a similarly airy wall lamp and table lamp. Like the original, they were designed by Panter & Tourron and feature shades made from durable, 100% recyclable Tyvek. This is washed to achieve a crinkled effect, and the result is a beautiful texture that softly diffuses the light. The table lamp has a streamlined aluminium base in either black or white and is battery powered, meaning it can be used wherever needed – and, ingeniously, the magnetic charging cable can be left in place without disturbing the overall look. The wall lamp, meanwhile, has a discrete pin switch at the bottom. Both will be available to buy from April, with the table lamp priced at €449 / 3,495 DKK and the wall lamp at €209 / 1,595 DKK.

All photography via the brands above