New finds | April 2019

Is it just me or is 2019 flying by? Anyway, the start of a new month means it’s time for another round-up of interesting product launches, new collections and other bits and bobs. Today I have beautiful finds from the UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Poland to share with you, so settle back and take a look at the designs which have caught my eye over the last few weeks…

Revived Norwegian classics from Eikund

First up is Eikund, which was established in 2016 to put mid-century Norwegian classics back into production. The team spent a year searching the archives for long-lost designs to relaunch, and the result is a beautiful collection of timeless pieces that look just as stylish today as they did when they were first created in the 1950s and 60s. Examples include the elegant leather and oak ‘Veng’ chair series (1960) by Torbjørn Bekken, Sigurd Resell’s extendable ‘Øya’ dining table, made for one client only back in 1956, and the striking cross-legged ‘Krysset’ lounge chair, designed by Fredrik A. Kayser in 1955. There’s also an evocative polar-bear sculpture named ‘Isbjørn’, which was created by Arne Tjomsland in 1955 and which is now available exclusively via Eikund’s online shop.

Excitingly, Eikund is now expanding into the UK market and its London launch event took place this week. It also marked the debut of the latest piece to be brought back to life: Fredrik A. Kayser’s wonderful ‘Fluffy’ chair (1954), which consists of an ultra-soft long-haired sheepskin on an oak frame. It will be available from this summer and is quite possibly the cosiest, comfiest-looking chair I’ve come across to date!

Eikund is definitely a brand to watch, and I’ll have a full interview with CEO Jørgen Tengesdal to share with you very soon…

Mleko Living’s first furniture collection

Next is Polish design studio Mleko Living, which was founded a couple of years ago by architects Katarzyna Zaluska and Michal Zaluski. I’ve covered its minimalist ceramics and textiles in previous ‘new finds’ posts, and I was very excited to learn that it’s just launched its first-ever collection of furniture.

The new range has the same understated, timeless aesthetic as Mleko’s existing accessories and consists of three pieces. The ‘Faculty’ desk and ‘Pivot’ coffee table were designed to showcase the beauty of natural oak and feature wooden tops on slender powder-coated steel frames. Both come in three colour combinations: oiled oak with white legs, oiled oak with black legs, and black-stained oak with black legs. The ‘Attaché’ side table also uses steel, but here it’s combined with a sold marble base to create an elegant and versatile piece that’s available in white or black. All three items are made in Poland and available to buy online now, with prices ranging from €270 to €455.

The ‘Liana’ collection from MADE.com x Sebastian Cox

Another furniture collection to grab my attention is ‘Liana’, a new collaboration between London-based designer-maker Sebastian Cox and online homeware emporium MADE.com. Conceived to be restful and understated, it consists of five pieces: a kingsize bed (£799), a bedside table (£178), a glass-fronted cabinet (£699), a solid-door cabinet (£749) and a dressing table (£379). All combine rattan with solid ash and feature soft curves alongside gently tapered legs. I saw the collection in person at MADE.com’s spring press show a couple of weeks ago and loved the woven texture, as well as the simple yet eye-catching shapes. I was also very impressed with the detailing inside the cabinets, which feature nicely crafted shelves and drawers.

Additions to New Works’ ‘Covent’ seating series

Moving on to Denmark, Copenhagen-based New Works (one of my all-time favourite Scandinavian design brands) has just extended its popular ‘Covent’ seating series with several new additions: a bar stool, a love seat, a lounge chair and two- and three-seater sofas.

The bar stool (available in 65 or 75cm heights) and love seat have the same clean lines as the original ‘Covent’ chair, with a sleek upholstered seat on top of slim steel legs. The lounge chair and sofas, however, have a much rounder and more organic expression, with generous cushions and no graphic frame (I tried them out at the Stockholm Furniture Fair and can vouch for how comfortable they are!). All are available to order now, with a range of leather and fabric upholstery options. Prices start at €399 for a bar stool, €1,749 for a love seat, €1,999 for a lounge chair and €2,899 for a sofa.

New art prints and sculptures from The Ode To

Last but not least is concept store The Ode To, which was founded by friends Helena Carlberg and Anna Lukins to counter the gender imbalance in the art world. They have a beautifully curated range of limited-edition prints and sculptures from predominantly female artists, and I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at some of their latest additions when I visited their Stockholm office back in February. My favourites included expressive line-drawn portraits by Swedish artist Kassandra Widmark Utas, flowing ceramic shapes from Sofia Tufvasson, playful vases by fashion designer turned ceramicist Fanny Ollas and delicate mouth-blown glass bonbonnières from Danish artist Helle Mardahl. There are also exclusive new versions of Stockholm-based Kristiina Haataja’s evocative and hugely popular head sculptures, which can be wall-mounted or laid flat on horizontal surfaces. All are now available online, with prices starting at 1,500 SEK (around €144 / £123), and can be shipped throughout the EU.

All images via the respective brands above