These Four Walls

The spring-summer 2022 collection from Northern

Minimalist dining space with extending oak table, warm grey walls, grey dining sofa and white pendant rail | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Nordic design brand Northern | These Four Walls blog

I have another spring-summer 2022 collection to show you today, this time from Norwegian brand Northern – and it’s one I had the pleasure of seeing in person at the recent launch of Holloways of Ludlow’s new Bath store.

If you haven’t come across Northern before, it began life as a lighting specialist before moving into wider interiors and relaunching at the Stockholm Furniture Fair in 2018. It focuses on creating versatile pieces that respond to contemporary needs, and the resulting designs are often simple in appearance yet highly innovative when it comes to functionality. There’s also an air of laid-back luxury to them, with strong silhouettes, contrasting textures and a clever interplay between lighter and darker hues, often inspired by the dramatic Norwegian landscape.

The latest additions are all about using design to aid reconnection after two years of isolation and disruption, whether that means reconnecting with our friends and families, with our communities, with our immediate surroundings or with the wider world. CEO and founder Ove Rogne says:

“Never have we cherished these connections more. They enrich and enliven us. They make us happier and more creative. They bring inspiration and comfort. At Northern we believe these connections should be celebrated through great design, from multifunctional furniture that gets the best use out of the space we have to beautiful lighting that creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere to meet up and relax in. Everything we do is about bringing joy and meaning to these connections.”

My favourite of the just-launched pieces is the ‘Plis’ sofa, whose soft curves enhance comfort by replicating the contours of the human body. It’s the work of Bergen-based designer Stine Aas, who wanted to make a timeless item of furniture that people will enjoy interacting with every day, and comes in two- and three-seater versions. I love the way it blends traditional design references with a streamlined aesthetic, and the careful folding around the armrests adds a striking note of detail.

Curved beige bouclé sofa in a simple white Scandinavian interior | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Nordic design brand Northern | These Four Walls blog

Simple Scandinavian living room with beige and grey curved sofas, white walls, oak floor and oversized houseplants | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Northern | These Four Walls blog

Minimalist living room with curved grey sofa from Norwegian design brand Northern | These Four Walls blog

Curved grey sofa from Nordic design brand Northern | These Four Walls blog

I’m also very taken with two other new seating options: the ‘Daybe’ daybed and dining sofa, which grew from the existing ‘Daybe’ sofa by Norwegian duo Morten & Jonas. Clean-lined yet very comfortable, they pair a lightweight tubular steel frame with quilted cushions and were designed for spaces that need to cater for more than one use – perhaps a home office that doubles as a guest room, or a dining area that’s also used for working and relaxing over coffee. Both are available with a black or white metal base, with light grey, dark grey or grey-blue Kvadrat upholstery, and the daybed has a bolster cushion held in place by an adjustable leather strap.

Minimalist interior with warm beige walls, metal side table with magazine storage and contemporary daybed from Nordic design brand Northern | These Four Walls blog

Scandinavian interior with wood-panelled walls and minimalist grey daybed | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Northern | These Four Walls blog

Warm grey dining room with minimalist oak table, grey dining sofa, white pendant rail and foraged foliage | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Northern | These Four Walls blog

Minimalist grey dining sofa from the spring-summer 2022 collection by Norwegian design brand Northern | These Four Walls blog

The other notable addition to Northern’s range of furniture is the ‘Extend’ table, created by acclaimed Finnish-Swedish designer Sami Kallio. Conceived to help people maximise spaces large or small, it features a super-smooth extension system that enlarges it by up to 100cm. It’s beautifully crafted from white-oiled, smoked or black-painted oak and is available in circular and rectangular versions.

Contemporary dining space with exposed concrete walls, minimalist oak table and grey dining sofa from Nordic design brand Northern | These Four Walls blog

Minimalist dining room with textured walls, pale oak floor and extending oak dining table from Norwegian design brand Northern | These Four Walls blog

Minimalist kitchen with dark brown feature wall, earthy neutral tones, smoked oak table and dark wood units | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Scandinavian design brand Northern | These Four Walls blog

Minimalist contemporary kitchen with dark wooden units, textured mineral paint walls and smoked oak circular dining table by Norwegian design brand Northern | These Four Walls blog

Given the brand’s beginnings, there are plenty of gorgeous lighting additions too. Among them is the ‘Blush’ pendant rail from Morten & Jonas, which is ideal for adding an inviting pool of light over tables and kitchen islands. Complementing the existing pendant and wall lamp from the same series, it consists of a powder-coated steel tube with three or five small opal acrylic diffusers and comes in matt white, matt black and warm beige.

Minimalist dining area with oak table, grey upholstered bench, warm grey walls and contemporary white pendant rail | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Nordic design brand Northern | These Four Walls blog

Contemporary Scandinavian interior in warm neutral tones, with smoked oak dining table and chairs, grey feature wall, pale oak floor and minimalist pendant rail | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Northern | These Four Walls blog

Minimalist pendant rail from Nordic design brand Northern's collection of contemporary lighting | These Four Walls blog

There are also new twists on two classic Norwegian lighting designs. Created in 1954 and the first Norwegian lamp to win a gold medal at the prestigious Triennale di Milano, Birger Dahl’s ‘Dokka’ pendant has been re-released in an updated colour palette, with soft brass, matt black, matt white and warm beige alongside the classic aluminium. Sven Ivar Dysthe’s 1964 ‘Butterfly’ wall lamp, meanwhile, is now available in contemporary black and aluminium finishes, with a choice between solid metal or a perforated surface that adds a soft, intriguing quality to the glow it casts.

Contemporary Scandinavian-style interior with exposed concrete walls, beige bouclé sofa and statement pendant lights in warm beige | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Northern | These Four Walls blog

Statement brass pendant lights and wood-panelled walls in a minimalist Scandinavian interior | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Northern | These Four Walls blog

Minimalist kitchen with grey walls, beige units, wooden worktops and statement aluminium wall lamps | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Northern | These Four Walls blog

Minimalist interior with wood panelled walls and statement wall lamp in perforated black metal | The spring-summer 2022 collection from Northern | These Four Walls blog

See Northern’s full collection and find stockists near you here.

All photography by Einar Aslaksen, courtesy of Northern

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