Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens have been the setting for some of my fondest memories. I used to visit as a teenager with my Danish penfriend, and we’d spend hours testing our nerves on the rides before gorging ourselves silly on hot dogs and ice cream. So, I was intrigued to hear that Normann Copenhagen is launching a new homeware collection named after and inspired by the world-famous theme park.
Opened all the way back in 1843 and currently celebrating its 175th anniversary, Tivoli is something of a Danish national treasure. It encompasses all sorts of rides (some quaintly old-fashioned, others aimed squarely at thrill seekers), as well as flower-filled gardens, pagodas, night-time illuminations, food stalls and weekend firework displays; it’s even home to the stylish Nimb Hotel and several high-end restaurants. What’s more, it’s one of the first sights to greet many visitors to Copenhagen as it sits bang opposite the main train station, and you can hear the whoops and screams as soon as you step outside.
The ‘Tivoli’ collection started life earlier this year when the park’s owners approached Normann Copenhagen about creating a few home accessories for a new shop, but it soon expanded into a 300-piece range encompassing tableware, vases, textiles, lighting and more. To develop the designs, the team spent hours soaking up Tivoli’s atmosphere and trawling its archives, before working up sketches and prototypes that translate the colours, patterns, shapes and architectural motifs into usable everyday products.
You might expect the resulting pieces to be twee and tacky, but in fact they’re anything but; instead, you’ll find clean-lined contemporary designs with a whimsical twist. There are brass candleholders inspired by carousels, ceramic patterns evoking the fairylights strung between the trees, and striped cups which resemble lollipops; there’s even a fruit bowl based on Tivoli’s iconic wooden rollercoaster, first built in 1914 and still in operation today.
My favourite items include the ‘Pop’ glass pendant lights and vases, whose shapes echo balloons, and the ‘Peacock’ trays and mirrors, inspired by the peacocks who strut around the lawns. I also love the ‘Emperor’ storage boxes, whose pointed top is reminiscent of circus tents and merry-go-rounds.
It’s certainly an interesting collection, and proof that minimalist design can have a playful, nostalgic touch. I can’t wait to see how it evolves once it goes on general sale later this year; in the meantime you can see more on Normann Copenhagen’s website.
All images via Normann Copenhagen
We came across Normann at a shop on San Sebastian. They were selling these awesome salt and pepper shakers that I’m still kicking myself for not getting!! Their stuff is awesome!
Oh dear! It’s such a nice brand, and very innovative