It’s that time of year when design brands start to release details of their spring-summer collections, and over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing a peek at some of the most interesting and inspiring.
First up is Copenhagen-based New Works, whose sculptural furniture, lighting and accessories have a wonderful sophistication about them. In fact, it’s become one of my favourite Scandinavian brands in the five years since it was founded, and I have several of its pieces in my own home. Its latest collection was photographed in its city-centre showroom – an intimate yet elegant space decorated in moody browns and grieges – and focuses on honest materials, architectural forms and expert craftsmanship.
Several of the just-launched pieces are by designers who are collaborating with New Works for the first time. Among them is Croatian studio Regular Company, which has created the ‘Missing’ chair – a lightweight and stackable cafe-style chair inspired by simple line drawings. It consists of a moulded plywood seat and back set on a powder-coated steel frame, and is available with or without armrests and upholstery. I love the gentle curves and the humble, timeless expression – it really is a chair that won’t date.
Swiss studio Panter & Tourron, meanwhile, is behind ‘Tense’ – a stunning pendant that resembles a floating cloud. It’s a fantastic blend of design and technology, with a soft diffuser made from a fully recyclable, paper-like membrane called Tyvek. It hangs from carbon rods and a black cord, with LEDs providing the light source. Ingeniously, the whole thing fits into a tube for easy transport.
My favourite of the new partnerships, though, comes from Copenhagen-based Spanish designer Omayra Maymo, who’s known for testing the boundaries of well-known materials. Her ‘Pleat’ pitcher is made from a cylinder of polished stainless steel that has been pinched at the top to form a spout. It’s beautiful in its simplicity, and to me it represents the perfect balance between form and function.
There are additions to several existing New Works series, too. Signe Hytte’s smoked-glass and white-opal ‘Karl-Johan’ lamp collection has been extended to include a pendant light, and there’s a new globe lamp for Anderssen & Voll’s popular ‘Lantern’ lighting series. Noergaard & Kechayas has also added wall and table options to its strikingly minimalist ‘Material’ lamp family, which comes in a wide range of finishes.
Finally, the ‘Florence’ steel-framed table range, designed in-house, now includes circular coffee and side tables topped with sleek black marble, as well as a rectangular dining table finished with a choice of wooden veneers.
All photography via New Works
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