The VIPP Loft

Danish brand VIPP has long been known for its pioneering design, evolving from humble origins as a manufacturer of metal bins to become a world-renowned company whose products encompass kitchens, bathrooms, furniture, home accessories and lighting. And its latest project, the newly opened VIPP Loft in Copenhagen, is just as innovative as I’ve come to expect from the 78-year-old family-owned firm.

The Loft forms part of the ‘VIPP Hotel’, which turns the traditional concept of a hotel on its head by offering private suites in separate locations, rather than lots of rooms in a single setting. You can already book the VIPP Shelter, an ingenious prefabricated cabin on the shore of Sweden’s remote Lake Immeln which I featured last year, and another project – a converted chimney house in northern Copenhagen – is due to follow in 2018. All three suites are intented to provide ‘curated design experiences’, as VIPP CEO Kasper Egelund explains: “Our destinations all share the same goal. We want to invite people to experience firsthand our philosophy of good design in a place that’s out of the ordinary.”

Located above VIPP’s offices in the neighbourhood of Islands Brygge, the 400sqm Loft is the work of designer David Thulstrup, who also created VIPP’s flagship store. David was keen to retain the character of the former factory building, preserving the old oak rafters and offsetting them against sleek white walls. He also added new skylights to the sloping roof, flooding the entire space with natural light.

At the Loft’s heart is an open-plan kitchen-diner incorporating VIPP’s iconic black units. Leading off from this is a living room furnished with beautiful peacock-green velvet sofas, plus a snug with By Lassen’s fluffy ‘The Tired Man’ easy chairs clustered around a contemporary fireplace. A reading nook and library corner sit on a mezzanine level that’s reached via a striking spiral staircase made from perforated black metal; there are also two bedrooms nestled under the eaves, along with a bathroom housing a walk-in shower and freestanding egg-shaped tub.

Every corner is designed to be homely and welcoming, so there are lots of snuggly textures (sheepskin chair covers, wollen throws, heavy mustard curtains from Kvadrat) and oversized pots brimming with plants. They sit alongside minimalist VIPP lighting and sculptural artworks, creating a look that’s eye-catching yet unpretentious.

The Loft costs €1,500 per night for up to four people, while the VIPP Shelter sleeps two people and is available for €1,200 per night. Pricey I know, but I can always dream…

All photography via VIPP