It’s time for another round-up of new finds, and the recent Salone del Mobile trade fair in Milan means I have a bumper selection for you this month. I wasn’t able to go myself, but I kept a keen eye on what was happening and I’ve picked out some of my favourite launches below. There’s also some interesting news from elsewhere, so just read on for details…
The latest launches from Muuto
First up is one of my favourite Danish brands, Muuto, who revealed several new pieces in Milan. Among them are the ‘Linear Wood’ table and bench (from €995 / £895) – indoor oak-veneer and plywood versions of Thomas Bentzen’s sleek ‘Linear Steel’ outdoor furniture, which was launched earlier this year. There’s also a cute-looking wall-mounted version of the existing ‘Ambit’ lamp (€349 / £315), plus a lightweight side table called ‘Relate’ (also €349 / £315) that can be moved where needed and positioned over a sofa or chair. My favourite, though, is a new upholstered side chair for Anderssen & Voll’s iconic ‘Oslo’ seating series. It comes with black or chrome legs and a huge range of Kvadrat fabric options, and is ideal for dining tables and desks. Prices start from €749 / £675.
All the new designs are available now, and you can browse a list of stockists by country here.
Minimalist furniture from Fredericia
Another of my Danish favourites, Fredericia, also unveiled new launches in Milan. Perhaps most notable is Cecilie Manz’s ‘Post’ collection, which takes its name from the company’s flagship showroom in Copenhagen’s former Royal Mail building. It consists of a table and chair, both featuring slender wooden frames and reduced down to only what is strictly necessary. The result is a pure, uncluttered aesthetic with a wonderfully light expression, and a plywood chair seat that almost looks as if it’s floating on air.
The other new pieces include stone-topped versions of the existing ‘Piloti’ table range, with discreetly profiled edges that echo the refined look of the original wood, and a compact lounge chair and dining chair for the cocooning ‘Swoon’ seating series, designed by Space Copenhagen.
Sculptural chairs and stools from Mater Design
Space Copenhagen is also behind a few eye-catching new pieces for ethical brand Mater Design. There’s a dining chair and a high stool, both upholstered in soft but durable leather and featuring curved back rests that are designed to be so comfortable that arm rests aren’t necessary. They echo the beautifully fluid shape of a stool series created for Mater by Space Copenhagen back in 2009, which is now available in a dark beech-wood stain to mark its 10th anniversary. All the new pieces will be available to order from Mater’s webshop, with prices starting at £508.
Artek’s FIN-JPN collection
Finnish brand Artek used the Salone del Mobile to launch FIN-JPN, a new collection of furniture and accessories celebrating 100 years of diplomatic relations between Finland and Japan. Consisting of new pieces and updates to classic designs, the collection was created by crafts people from both countries to reflect the notion of friendship. Products include new versions of Artek stools and bar carts featuring striking patterned surfaces by Jo Nagasaka, who takes inspiration from the Japanese wood-decorating practices of Udukuri and Tsugaru-nuri, and a bench created by Koichi Futatsumata in homage to the public bathing cultures of both countries. There are also ceramic objects based on Finnish folklore and traditions, and a cotton fabric featuring a cherry-blossom pattern first created in the 1930s by Alvar Aalto’s wife Aino and the wife of the Japanese ambassador to Finland. You can shop the full collection here.
A new collection of prints inspired by the ‘De Stijl’ art movement
The Dutch ‘De Stijl’ art movement was mentioned in Wen’s guide to Utrecht earlier this week, so I was intrigued to hear that Copenhagen-based studio Atelier CPH has released a new collection of wall prints inspired by it. Based on architectural sketches discovered during a research trip to Berlin’s Bauhaus Archive, it features geometric shapes that are positioned in layers, echoing the movement’s focus on pure forms and lines. The prints were all created by the studio’s founders, Sara Ingemann and Mandy Rep, using collages, cut-outs and drawings, and the results are wonderfully simple yet incredibly striking.
The collection is already available from Atelier CPH’s webshop, with prices starting at €74 for an unframed print measuring 50cm by 70cm.
Sustainable furniture from TAKT
Next is a new Danish furniture brand with excellent eco credentials. Called TAKT, it aims to rethink design, creating pieces that are accessible to all and of mutual benefit to people and the planet. Its first collection consists of three timeless and versatile chairs – the ‘Cross’ chair, the ‘Tool’ chair and the ‘Soft’ chair. I particularly love the look of the latter, which was created by Thomas Bentzen and features a moulded veneer seat and back rest that curve around the frame like cloth. All are made entirely from sustainable wood and finished with water-based lacquer, and are designed so that worn-out parts can easily be isolated, repaired or recycled and replaced. They come in various colours, and prices range from €179 to €319. Delivery is currently only available in Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and Germany, but TAKT hopes to expand the list of countries it ships to soon. There are several new products on the way, too…
A new chair design by GOFI
There’s another beautifully minimalist new chair from GOFI, a young Spanish brand founded in 2018 by Álvaro Goula and Pablo Figuera (whose work I’ve featured before) to produce clean-looking yet striking designs. Simply named the ‘GOFI’ chair, it was inspired by fast-stroke line drawings and combines a tubular steel structure with a wooden backrest and seat. Ingeniously, the join between the frame and backrest is entirely hidden, creating a sleek design without any visible rivets or screws. The chair comes in black lacquered beech or matte varnished oak, with the option of an upholstered seat in various colours. Prices start at €319.
Spring-summer 2019 launches from Cooee Design
Last but not least is a raft of new-season pieces from Sweden-based Cooee Design, which is best known for its minimalist ceramics. Additions for spring-summer 2019 include two beautiful new colours called ‘ochre’ and ‘cinder rose’, a smaller version of the best-selling ‘Pillar’ vase (which was first launched last year), and new sizes for its popular powder-coated steel trays. Most exciting for me, though, is an exclusive collaboration with Swedish artist Kristiina Haataja, who has created bespoke colours, shapes and heights for her well-known head sculptures to perfectly complement Cooee’s pieces. They’ll be available from June, with prices starting at approximately €70.
All images via the respective brands above
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