One of the first design fairs of the year has concluded. The aftermath of Stockholm Design Week 2024 is a promising slew of new products. While some brands like Humanscale decided to showcase at Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024, others like Mosa held private showings at their showroom with a tasteful food menu. Besides, the tides might be changing in more areas than one. This fair has left with a question to ponder over: have bold designs finally taken over minimalism?
Minimalism has a distinct charm and nobody does it better than the Scandinavians. The impeccable knack of distinguishing between ‘too little’ and ‘just enough’ is the reason interior designers often look at the Nordics for inspiration. For this iteration of the Stockholm Design Week 2024, furniture, soft furnishings and even acoustics took a buoyant course, as they did last year. But this time around forms and textures led the way.
Let’s take a look at our favourite picks from Stockholm Design Week 2024:
Solaris by Teklan
Prolific ‘colourist’ Tekla Severin took to Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024 in her signature style (under commission from Johanson Design). If you are unfamiliar with Tekla, in our opinion, her work can be best defined as a tapestry of bright colours that is surprisingly calming. Entering into her exhibit elicited an overwhelming emotion. In a few minutes, that feeling morphed into a longing to stay in the space forever, or at least a few more lingering moments.
For these two installations, Tekla derives muse from the solar system and circular forms. In her own words, ”Circularity – no fixed beginning, no definitive end. An everlasting continuum. A symbol for the sun, the basis and source for all life and activity, today and for every other day yet to come.”
Upholstery and drapes from Kvadrat, and flooring from brands like Interface and Bolon were amongst the many brands participating at the stunning exhibit.
Kvadrat
There is more to ‘vibrance’ than colours and shades of colours. Control over one’s environment also fosters dynamism in interiors. At Kvadrat’s showroom in Stockholm, a fresh collection called Reflect represents a paradigm shift in the brand’s portfolio. These window coverings combine metallic curtain textures with properties that can moderate glare, privacy, light and thermal comfort. The crux behind this solution, an ultra-thin layer of aluminium reflects light during summers and absorbs heat during winters. Danish textile designer, Louise Sigvardt is the mastermind behind two of the offerings (White Reflect and Transparent Reflect). The third, Casa Reflect, comes from designer Cristian Zuzunaga following the unequivocal success of the Casa curtain.
Kvadrat also contrasted Stockholm’s chilly winter with Autumn by Teruhiro Yanagihara. Made 100% of recycled polyester, each fabric is a mix of two fibre-dyed colours. From neutral and sepia tones, to more cheerful ones, Autumn encapsulates nature’s phenomenon in 14 shades.
Humanscale
The Freedom chair is popularly known for being as meticulously designed as a three-piece suit. Its intuitive ergonomics earned it the moniker of a Humanscale cult classic. At Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024, Humanscale created a buzz about re-launching the chair under the Ocean series, as Freedom Ocean Chair. The coveted Freedom chair is now available in a version made of reclaimed fishing nets!
Consolidating the shared values between Humanscale and Kvadrat, Sport, a revolutionary fabric made entirely from ocean-bound plastic waste adorned the Freedom Ocean chair at the fair. Once the excitement around this development faded, visitors at Humanscale’s booth indulged in the different zones the brand had created. The active zone featured products like the Float Mini table and Active Pony, promoting natural movement and reducing fatigue. On the other hand, the collaborative seating collection showcases award-winning chairs, such as Freedom, Liberty, Smart, World, and Path, using Kvadrat textiles.
Lauritzon
Fabric company, Lauritzon curated their booth at Stockholm Furniture 2024 in collaboration with Anna Pirkola, offered an experience centred around beautiful curtains creating a soft atmosphere for playfully upholstered furniture. The latest upholstery collections featured bouclé fabrics and soft textures, with a focus on durability. The pattern collection expands with fabrics printed in England, reflecting a playful spirit in design. Sustainability is a key focus, with additions like fireproof and recycled curtain fabrics such as Sunniva and Astral, as well as the growth of the responsible greencare-collection, introducing recycled upholstery fabrics like Ripley, Kilt, and Reel.
atelje Lytkan
Relooking product portfolios is an incumbent part of charting the ways of sustainability – and atelje Lyktan did just that. As a part of the exhibition at Form Us with Love showroom, ‘Testing Grounds: Parts of Tomorrow’, the brand showcased their already well-received product Hood Pendant Light in a more sustainable edition.
Originally made with a blend of recycled and virgin polyester, the Hood now offers two alternatives: wool and hemp. The wool variant, launched during Stockholm Design Week 2024, consists of 55% wool and 45% biodegradable polyester from Swedish farms. Processed in a GOTS-certified Belgian laundry with untreated wool and biodegradable detergent, its price increases by 10-20% compared to the original. The Hemp version, still in development, uses 50% hemp fibre and 50% biodegradable polyester from North France. The biodegradable polyester in both variations, created by adding enzymes to regular polyester, breaks down rapidly, reducing long-term microplastic impact.
Normann Copenhagen
The Mat Chair Collection by Normann Copenhagen stood out due to its distinct approach to material innovation. Its silhouette and crude materiality were further highlighted by a photography campaign that spotlighted the simple and strong curve against architectural backdrops of Stockholm.
These dining chairs and barstools are made of hemp and step in the direction to redefine industry standards. The result of years of meticulous research, prototyping, and testing, the Mat Chair boasts a circular production process that showcases engineering expertise. Its shell, composed of 75% hemp, not only exudes a unique aesthetic but also aligns with a dedication to utilising rapidly renewable resources. An alternative version of the chair includes eelgrass, a type of seaweed, adding another layer to its eco-friendly composition.
Ege Carpets & Gabriel
The True Trash exhibition during Stockholm Design Week 2024 offered visitors the opportunity to engage in talks and social events. The showcase encouraged exploration of the potential within overflowing waste streams, presenting trash as a starting point rather than an endpoint. Instances of repurposed materials turned into new products were highlighted, aligning with a circular movement actively embraced by Ege Carpets and Gabriel through their sustainable offerings.
Porcelanosa
The Porcelanosa booth at Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024 was a vision of sophistication. Designed by Lotta Agaton Interiors, the booth spanned over 100 m.sq. and was named”Hotel Porcelanosa.” The space encompassed a reception space, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and a Juice Bar. The use of neutral and natural tones mirrored the inherent connection with nature commonly associated with Scandinavian design. Through this soothing narrative, Porcelanosa subtly displayed its prowess in solid surfaces by curating a textural journey.
Bla Station
Bla Station is known for their quirky products, and basing the design of their repertoire on emotions and consciousness. Being bedecked in bouts of colour is not unexpected from them, but their Able Chair stole the limelight for more than its eccentricity. Masquerading as a polyfunctional chair, it can adapt to many heights and widths, can be dismountable and adaptable. For the Able Chairs, sustainability comes in many colours and forms.
Very Simple: Kitchen
Who said kitchens have to be neutral toned, inflexible or only made of stone? Very Simple Kitchen produces kitchens that are ‘nomadic’, made of metal and extremely vivacious. At Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024, the brand had two installations. One inside the ‘New Ventures’ section, where they revealed their new ‘chocolate’ shade. Another one (a makeshift bar designed by Stamuli) was at the Greenhouse Area, where professionals socialised and network. In either case, the message was clear – Kitchens need not be afraid of bold colours.
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15 February, 2024
