You might remember that I interviewed Danish design brand Form & Refine on the blog last June (see the post here). I instantly fell in love with their simple, elegantly refined furniture and their ethos for sustainability at 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen. I met them again at Stockholm Furniture Fair in February and today share some of the new designs that they’ve added to their collection, In Praise of Materials, for 2020.
Founded in 2018, Form & Refine’s design philosophy is centred around the admirable aim of preserving the earth’s resources and the craft cultures that make up the Nordic region and beyond.
Conscious of their environmental footprint and social impact, Form & Refine work together with cooperatives and craftspeople to help keep their traditional skills alive. They have a respect for honest, natural materials, with each range in the collection titled ‘In Praise of… (wood, alpaca and ceramics, etc)’. Form & Refine work with ceramicists in Portugal, alpaca farmers in Bolivia, and also have a range of furniture made of discarded off-cuts.
‘We are proud to build upon the Nordic design tradition. We therefore strive to honor and acknowledge those who came before us, all the while breaking new ground. Every Form & Refine item carries a story about its material. The design is clear, modest and elegant, thus honoring and supporting the materials to best manifest themselves.
We see design as an expression but equally important as a functional object that never compromises on quality. In our opinion that is the foundation for long-lasting design that will refine through generations,’ says Form & Refine.
All images courtesy Form & Refine
So let’s take a closer look at Form & Refine’s new designs…
Shoemaker chair by Werner
Designed by Werner Design, the Shoemaker chair has been in production since 1936 and is still made by Form & Refine’s local joiner. The seat is made of one solid piece of wood so that the form looks like it has been moulded from the sitter’s shape. The humble design appears simple but has a number of highly refined details to ensure comfort, from the stabilising T connection and turned legs to the hand-finished seat.
Says Lars Werner, second generation owner of the Werner company, ‘We have tirelessly optimised the chair since the early stages, adjusting minor aspects year after year – both in the production flow and in the finished product. Among other things, the T legs were added for extra stability and the seat was re-shaped and rounded so that if the chair falls, the rounded profile would protect the top-line from breaking.’
The Shoemaker chair is available in beech, oak, white oak, smoked oak, and my personal favourite, black stained beech. From 358 euros.
Austere Trestle by Kristian Vedel
The Austere Trestle was first designed by Danish architect Kristian Vedel in 1968 but never put into wider production. The simple, folding trestle was a solution for the basic classrooms he found himself working in as professor of the Department of Industrial Design at the University of Nairobi in the 1960s.
Form & Refine discovered the Austere Trestle during a visit to Vedel’s wife after his death. They were initially looking for some shelves but came across the intriguing trestles that could be easily stored away when not in use. The two wooden panels open up to be held by polished metal fittings – when closed they have a thin profile so as not to take up too much space. From 377 euros.
‘The starting point for an industrial artist’s work must always be that he or she, from their own point of view and as objectively as possible, takes a position with regard to what they feel society and their fellow people need. They must personally take a stand on the existing possibilities and responsibilities,’ said Kristian Vedel.
Section by Herman Studio
Section is a series of utilitarian cutting boards and wooden bowls designed with function in mind. Made in Portugal, each piece in the collection is about ‘cutting away’ a piece of wood to reveal a refined product with a characteristic grain.
‘Making another cutting board, it was clear to us that function and form really have to stand out. Therefore, it can stand, be turned and be grabbed easily. The objects with the curved lines were named Section to underline the form, which gives the boards their expression and functionality,’ says Herman Studio.
The curved cutting boards have two sides; a flat surface for chopping and a subtly curved side for serving food. A flat edge ensures that they can stand upright on a worktop. The wooden bowl, meanwhile, has a series of carved lines to give this everyday fruit bowl a simple, decorative touch. Cutting boards start from 107 euros and the wooden bowl is priced at 103 euros.
Also featured in the images below are Form & Refine’s Alcoa range – a collection of stoneware vases with a matte glaze, also made in Portugal.
Nest Cork Paper Bin by Hallgeir Holmsvedt
This cork bin was first made for a 2018 exhibition exploring the design legacy of the Shakers and the objects we associate with daily chores. Conceived by Norwegian designer Hallgeir Holmsvedt, the Nest paper bin is a contemporary take on the classic waste paper basket. The malleable cork material can be moulded and crumpled into shape by hand – this was originally for easy transportation but it also gives the bin a tactile, organic appeal.
Says Holmsvedt, ‘The one chore I most frequently do, is tidying the apartment by putting things back to where they belong – laundry, dishes, recycling items, etc. Having the proper tools like a dedicated paper bin in the office makes these chores so much more enjoyable. I was drawn to the cork fabric material because of its natural look and its properties. The handle is a reference to Shaker buckets and baskets.’
Made in Portugal, the Nest bin is crafted with two layers of ultra-fine cork fabric that are hand-sewn together and finished with a steam bent wood handle. It can be used for rubbish as well as storing far prettier items such as magazines and books. Priced at 197 euros.
Leaf Shelf by Jonas Lutz
The Leaf shelf is made entirely out of wooden off-cuts but you wouldn’t guess it from its elegant, refined appearance. It is part of Form & Refine’s OffCuts line, utilising leftovers and discarded materials to create new upcycled products with an attractive form and high quality finish.
Inspired by the form of a leaf, the shelving system has a clean expression with curved, slender legs. No visible screws or stabilisation details add to its simplicity. Available in oak and white oak, from 937 euros.
‘I like the convenience of flat pack shelves, but often I find them lacking either in aesthetics or stability. The Leaf shelf is my attempt to create a shelving system striking an ultimate balance between aesthetics, stability and packability. My intention is for this shelving system to come in many different heights and widths, suitable for a wide range of homes and businesses,’ explains Jonas Lutz.
Aymara Alpaca Textiles
Form & Refine have added a new plaid, pillow and two hot water bottles to their Aymara textile collection. Made from the finest alpaca wool and produced by highly skilled craftsmen in Bolivia, the designs fuse traditional craft with Nordic design and a simple graphic expression. The hot water bottles are made from 100% natural rubber with a soft alpaca cover in muted colours inspired by the natural landscape of northern Bolivia. The hot water bottles are priced at 117 euros.
Strap sofa table by Herman Studio
The Strap sofa table is a simple, round coffee table made of fine solid oak from the forest of Damsbo in Denmark. A band of raw leather string ties the legs of the table together and provides a tactile, aesthetic detail. Available in oak and white oak, priced at 1,175 euros.
Damsbo Master Dining table by Herman Studio
Living up to their namesake, Form & Refine has refined their existing Damsbo master dining table to include a new extended tabletop. Made of medium density fibreboard, the extension plates come in a matte, light grey tone that contrast with the grain of the wood.
