Deadlines, calendar clashes and life in general mean I’m running a little behind with November’s ‘new finds’ post. But it’s better late than never, and I have some beautiful designs to share with you this month. So, read on to discover the launches that have reached my radar over recent weeks, from minimalist furniture to gorgeous rugs and lighting…
A versatile wall console from Northern
First up is Norwegian brand Northern, whose new ‘Valet’ wall console is a wonderful example of multifunctional furniture that suits even the smallest of spaces. It was created by acclaimed Finnish designer Sami Kallio and takes its cue from the way traditional pocket knives fold in and out on a pivot. The resulting design features a circular drawer that rotates around a brass shaft and can be used as a desk, side table or nightstand. Tactile Sorensen leather adds a lovely note of detail, while the shelf provides additional space for storing away books and other bits and bobs. The console comes in a choice of light-oiled oak, smoked oak or black-painted oak and is on sale now for €999 / £899.
New designs from Another Country
Renowned British furniture company Another Country used the recent London Design Festival to launch three new pieces, and all of them caught my attention due to the way they respond to these changing times. Created to provide a place where we can carve out valuable time for ourselves, Aaron Probyn’s ‘Slow’ sofa mixes inviting upholstery with sleek wooden legs and features a thin outer frame that allows for a deeper seat. Aaron is also the designer behind the white-oiled ash ‘Syd’ chair, which was inspired by the work of renowned Mexican architect Luis Barragán. Its vegetable-tanned leather seat will develop a beautiful patina over time and the low-slung, friendly aesthetic is ideal for convivial lunches and dinners.
My favourite of the trio, however, is David Irwin’s ‘Davenport’ bureau. It was designed specifically to provide separation between work and leisure time for the many of us now based at home, with a practical desk that can be folded away at the end of the day. It lacks the angled front of traditional bureaus, removing any visual reminder of work when you want to switch off and creating enough internal space for a computer monitor. The straight sides, meanwhile, form an enclosure that’s said to aid focus while it’s in use.
All three pieces are available now, with prices starting at £4,995 for the sofa, £795 for the chair and £3,555 for the bureau.
A sculptural side table from Homefolks
Also making its debut at LDF was the ‘Rive’ side table from Homefolks – a London design studio founded by Zoe Imber and Romain Parize. Bringing together their French heritage and traditional British crafts, they create objects that form a meaningful part of everyday life and blur the boundaries between design and art. They describe their ethos as ‘functionality tinged with playful sophistication’ and that’s certainly true of the table, which is composed of two organic pebble-like shapes balancing one on top of the other. The resulting look is simple yet highly sculptural, evoking stacked stones on beaches and the man-made cairns that have marked landmarks, burial grounds and ritual sites since ancient times. The table is made to order in Cornwall from ebonised oak and costs £2,000.
The latest collection of minimalist rugs from Nordic Knots
Next up is Stockholm-based Nordic Knots – always one of my go-to sources for timeless, understated rugs. Called ‘Grid’, its latest collection was inspired by brutalist buildings and features plush cut-pile designs with neutral colours and simple geometric lines. It plays on the use of grids in architectural blueprints, artistic compositions and photography viewfinders, and emphasises the idea of rugs being grounding foundations for creating beautiful spaces within our homes. There’s a raw honesty to the range and I particularly like the way the pattern is broken down the middle, adding an eye-catching touch to the otherwise-minimalist aesthetic.
The ‘Grid’ collection will be available to order from 10th November and can be shipped worldwide. Each rug comes in a range of sizes and, like all Nordic Knots designs, is ethically made in small batches by GoodWeave-certified producers.
The ‘Clam’ pendant light from Fritz Hansen
Finally, Fritz Hansen has unveiled the latest addition to its lighting range: the ‘Clam’ pendant. The work of designer Isabel Ahm and cabinetmaker Signe Lund, this beautiful piece was inspired by sea shells and actually made its first appearance a few years ago, when it was the winning project on national TV competition Denmark’s Next Classic. It’s now been put into full production and is crafted from mouth-blown opal glass, with elegant brushed-brass details and a black cord. The two softly curved shades glide together and apart, revealing a pearl of light within, and can be used to alter the intensity and ambiance as needed. It comes in two different sizes and is available now, with prices starting at €916 / £806.
All images via the above brands
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