While I was in Milan last month for the design week, I got to preview a few of the new designs from Danish design brand Normann Copenhagen. Founded in 1999, their mission is to create simple and contemporary design that withstand the test of time. For 2018, they’ve launched new sculptural lamps and solid wood tables, modular sofas and elegant chairs that reinvent the Danish tradition – here I’ve rounded up my favourites from the collection.
Herit chair
Designed by Copenhagen-based designer Simon Legald, the new Herit series has the familiar look of a traditional Danish wooden chair but with a new, contemporary twist. A simple oak frame combines with smooth moulded plastic to create a hard-wearing, versatile design for modern life.
Initially the sinuous curves of the armrests proved hard to produce – Normann Copenhagen couldn’t get the moulded plastic thicker than 10mm without it sinking down and collapsing. After the project was put on hold for a while, Legald managed to find a small factory in northern Italy that had developed an innovative, patented technique whereby a core of foam is injected into the plastic to help support variations in thickness.
The resulting armrests undulate from a thin 6mm to a broad 35mm at their thickest point, the curves following the shape of the body to aid support when you’re sitting. Herit (short for heritage) comes in multiple combinations, with or without armrests and with upholstered or plastic seats. You can choose between five soft, muted colours from British Camira or leather from Danish Sorensen Læder. My favourite? Dark varnished oak with a grey wool seat for a tactile finish.
Eddy lamp
Also designed by Simon Legald, Eddy is a cute, characterful lamp, comprising a disc-shaped shade floating above a weighty, organic base. It has the look of a playful spinning top. The base is made of luxurious, hand-turned Italian marble, with a steel screen and integrated LED light source. Brass details complete the elegant design – a brass ball on the neck of the base allows the lampshade to rotate and tilt so the direction of light can be controlled.
Stock tables
Toronto-based MSDS Studio has designed an architectural series of side tables titled Stock. Using the most basic steel stock parts as a starting point, the tables are defined by their unusual combination of leg elements, with angled legs intersecting a plain handle bar.
‘The table’s unconventional leg arrangement emphasises the material’s strength and produces an interesting composition of elements. The aesthetic negative spaces – the airy open area under the table top and the triangle between the angled legs – come from disregarding the traditional arrangement of table legs, creating a new form of symmetry.’
Available in four colours – warm claret, calm steel blue as well as classic black and white.
Pine table
The natural grain of the wood is joyfully celebrated in this series of small, sculptural tables designed by Simon Legald. Made of solid pine, they have a faceted, octangular base and a thin, organic-shaped top.
‘In furniture design Pine has been a forgotten wood variety for quite some time. That is a pity, because pine is certainly not without itsqualities. For me, the wood’s fiery growth rings and characteristic aroma represent Nordic soul and warmth. Not least, it makes a lot of senseto use a material that can be found locally in large quantities,’ says Legald.
Pine comes in two sizes, which can be nested together. Choose from natural wood or a dark grey, light grey or dark blue stain.
Sum sofa
Sum is a lightweight modular sofa designed by Simon Legald that has the same simple expression whether as two-seater version or a family-sized corner sofa. The design is clean, elegant and open in character, with armrests that gently span out, inviting you to nestle in its corners. Slim, angled legs give an almost mid-century feel to the sofa.
Made to order, the sofa can be built from up to eight different modules, angled or straight, with open or closed sides. The design has a light, minimal profile thanks to its moulded, yielding foam shell that was reduced down to the narrowest form structurally possible. Sum is also designed to look as good from the back, so it can stand alone in the middle of a room and please the eye from all angles.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these simple designs – all very versatile, functional yet beautiful. My favourite has to be the Pine tables, the light stain on them creates a lovely, tactile finish with the natural wood grain. Which pieces do you like the look of?
all images courtesy Normann Copenhagen
