So in my regular series Your Homes Needs This, profiling design classics and timeless pieces of furniture that I feel everyone should have in their home, we have so far: Aalto’s vase, Lassen’s candleholder, Wegner’s chair and Saarinen’s table, to name a few. Picture this lovely scene and, if you’re partial to a cup of tea to quench the thirst, or even the odd tipple, then you might just need some cocktail and tableware in there too. Step in the subject of today’s post – the Cylinda-line designed by Danish architect Arne Jacobsen for design brand Stelton.
Designed in 1967, and celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the series has become a true classic, synonymous with Scandinavian sophistication and a spot of mid-century glamour. The clean lines, instantly recognisable handle and elongated spout have helped secure its place in design’s hall of fame. From elegant coffee pots, tea pots and creamers to ice buckets, martini mixers and the revolving ashtray, together they are now the essence of Stelton’s DNA and the centrepiece of its portfolio of high quality Scandinavian designs.
I’ve written about Arne Jacobsen before on the blog (for example here). Everyone must be familiar with his Series 7, Egg and Ant chairs for Fritz Hansen, or perhaps the graphic typeface which has been used on cups and plates by Design Letters?
Born in 1902, Jacobsen studied architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and developed an eye for detail and proportion. Famous buildings of his include the Danish National Bank in Copenhagen, the space-ship like Skovshoved Petrol Station, and in England, St Catherine’s College in Oxford. For his projects he would design a complete concept, from the architecture and interior design elements to furniture, accessories and cutlery, and sometimes even door handles, in the case of the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen (1961).
Jacobsen designed the Cylinda-line just a few years before his death in 1971. The starting point was a simple drawing scribbled onto a napkin during a family dinner (don’t always the best designs start life out on the back of a napkin?). Based on his philosophy that ‘good design should be available for everyone’, the 15-piece Cylinda-line was officially launched in 1967 after three years of intense development, exploring the new-found manufacturing capabilities of stainless steel. The name, of course, alludes to the cylindrical shape of the minimal steel vessels.
The collection was awarded the ID-prize 1967 by The Danish Society of Industrial Design and the following year, The International Design Award 1968 by The American Institute of Interior Designers.
To celebrate the Cylinda-line’s 50th anniversary, key products in the collection have been reissued in pastel-shaded coloured enamel. Available in ocean blue, dusty teal, powder and smokey blue, the colours are inspired by Jacobsen’s passion for painting and his interest in botanical beauty. Little known are the carpets and textiles he designed which expressed his love of colours.
The Cylinda-line still appeals today, due to its pure, pared-back shapes and clean lines. The 50th anniversary collection has given a new lease of life to this design classic, while the fresh, bright colours will help it appeal to a new, younger audience. I can see these coffee pots and tea pots fitting right at home in almost any style contemporary space, can you?
The Cylinda-line 50th Anniversary products are available in selected stores in London, Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris, New York and online at www.stelton.com.
All images courtesy Stelton
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