lifeiscarbon®

Pure Scandinavian Interiors

During our research for various interior design projects during the last year, we have often stumbled across the work of the talented Scandinavian photographer, Ditte Isager. Whether shooting interiors, personalities, lifestyle or travel, her style is always simple, sparse and typically Scandinavian.

New Anglo Scandinavian Designs

In an effort to write about the best art, design and fashion from the Nordic Region, lifeiscarbon® has just returned from a visit to Ambiente in Frankfurt. Ever on the look out for the best new designs from Scandinavia, we were not disappointed and will be sharing our favorite finds with you in the near future. Beginning with the latest offerings from one of favorite young designers from the region, Jenk Design Office.

New Nordic Lighting

The young Norwegian lighting company, Northern Lighting, has come a long way since first wrote about them in 2006 and this year has seen the introduction of an impressive range of new products. Moo, their homage to the humble Scandinavian elk, is hard to miss these days since it’s quickly become the favorite design object to adorn the walls of design based businesses in Oslo.

Naturally Inspired Design

Given that Monica Förster is the creator of some of the most internationally renowned objects in contemporary Swedish design, it’s taken far too long for lifeiscarbon® to mention her in their pages. Even more so because she is the designer of the legendary Cloud, one of our all-time favorite pieces of Scandinavian design.

New Norwegian Cushion Designs

It seems we becoming somewhat predictable in our old age (did we mention that lifeiscarbon® is almost 2 years old). Last time we were inspired to write about cushions, snow was lying thick on the ground outside and it’s no different this time. Much of Norway got a shock yesterday morning when it awoke to face a winter wonderland outside and many took the decision to stay at home rather than face the traffic chaos caused by the early arrival of snow. We were no different, and perhaps spending a day lounging about on the sofa with a Powerbook reminded us of the need for some new cushions.

New Danish Design Toy

One of the great things about being a parent is that fact that, despite being an adult, one has the perfect excuse to buy all the toys that one never had as a child. Given that many of us live in open plan spaces these days, toys have ended up becoming interesting design objects liberally scattered about the home, well used and highly visible. Perhaps this explains the Scandinavian trend of creating beautifully crafted toys that often end up becoming highly collectable design objects for children and adults alike.

Yellow Is The New Black

Despite our penchant for all things monochromatic (did we mention that lifeiscarbon® love white and also happen to love black?) we have to admit that, with the hours of daylight shortening fast and the gloom of Winter descending upon us, we’ve fallen for a shockingly cheerful new color. Quite out of character for us but, in Scandinavia at least, yellow is the new black. And luckily for us, it seems that our Danish design favorites, Muuto love yellow too.

21st Century Scandinavian Modern.

It’s been way too long since lifeiscarbon® has written about its Scandinavian design favorites Muuto, and now there are simply too many great new designs to squeeze into one post. So we hope you’ll forgive us for writing two quick articles about this remarkable Danish design company, a company that’s almost single handedly defining the look of Scandinavian Modern in the 21^st century.

Modern Swedish Classics

It’s rare that official company showrooms are as inspirational as the eclecticism of smaller independent design stores but together with Normann Copenhagen’s showroom in Copenhagen, the Swedese Shop in Stockholm ranks as one of lifeiscarbon’s favorite stores in Scandinavia. Of course, much of the store’s appeal is do to Swedese’s own range of furniture but it’s also due to their careful selection of Scandinavian design classics that accessorize the interior.

Pan-Scandinavian Design Collaboration

Linde&Sandström, a Danish-Swedish design firm, creates furniture that seem destined to last. Their designs are classic yet somehow edgy and innovative whilst always remaining elegant and functional. Intriguingly based on either side of the Oresund Bridge with offices in both Copenhagen and Malmö, Linde&Sandström was founded by the Danish 3D designer Anne Linde and Swedish interior designer Monica Sandström.

Smart Swedish Design

In a fruitful new collaboration, the Swedish based designers Johanna Strand and Åsa Elmstam have developed a highly functional and stylishly minimalist new piece of furniture. Powerwise is designed to help people handle their everyday electronic devices in a smarter way. As we all know, cell phones, Mp3-players, cameras and handheld computers are forever in need of recharging and rather annoyingly they all come with their own adaptors. By now, most of us also happen to know that a charger that's constantly plugged in to the wall is not only an environmental burden and an unnecessary electricity cost but also a potential fire hazard. Sadly, if chargers aren’t plugged into sockets they seem to have a tendency to go missing just when they’re needed most.

Education Through Humor

Considering the style and functionality of Nordic design and the liberal attitudes towards the body and nakedness in Scandinavia, it should be no surprise that the Pee & Poo brand exists. Originally designed as two friendly personalities to help children feel more comfortable with the potty training experience, Pee & Poo work equally well as cuddly companions for children or as humorous gifts for adults...at least those who have never quiet outgrown potty humor.

Pee & Poo, literally a yellow droplet and chunky brown dollop, were developed by the Swedish/English designer Emma Megitt as part of her masters degree in Graphic Design at Gothenburg University. Since its creation in 2004, the brand has grown to include clothing for both children and adults, together with a range of accessories. Successfully marrying together aesthetic and educational elements, the brand has become popular at home in Sweden and around the world with children and adults alike. See more of the range below:

Young Scandinavian Minimalist

As is often the case with young up and coming Scandinavian designers, you won’t find much information about Mats Seitz on his website. No matter, luckily his fast growing body of work speaks for itself including his latest design, the simple yet effective Klossel.

A puzzle based on a simple truck motif, Klossel is the first product in a series of educational building block toys for children. As with much of Mats Seitz’s work, the toy is strictly minimalist in design, in this case with the intention of allowing children to express their imagination.

Some of our favorite designs include the highly functional though cute looking CanCan (a modular clothing hanger), his Wall-E resembling floor lamp and his distinctively designed side table, which is sure to become a design classic. Take a look below to read a brief profile of the designer and to see a selection of his work:

New Danish Designs

Given the rate at which they launch new designs, it’s no surprise that one of our first postings after the long Summer break is about a whole host of new products from our Danish design favorites, Normann Copenhagen.

As always, the new products, with simple yet intriguing names such as Moon, Drop and Fusion, are the usual mix of stylish form and clever function with a small dose of humor thrown in for good measure. Normann Copenhagen also seem intent on enlisting the help of some of the more interesting designers not only from Scandinavia but from around the world. The latest series of products have been designed with the help of Herbert Krenchel, Matthias Demacker, Odoardo Fioravanti, Rikke Hagen and Jakob Helberg.

Take a look below at some of our favourites from the new additions to Normann Copenhagen’s already impressive line-up of products:

Creative Swedish Hospitality

A fully equipped designer hotel room in the middle of Gothenburg that’s totally free to stay in. Sounds almost too good to be true but that’s precisely what’s on offer at the Creators Inn. By partnering with different local independent organizers, Creators Inn are able to offer visiting creatives short-term accommodation during their stay in the biggest city on the west coast of Sweden.

First and foremost, Creators Inn by Elvine (to give you its official name) is aimed at visiting creatives but in the spirit of Scandinavian democracy everyone is welcome to register at the official website and explain why they should be granted a free stay. The room itself is very much a work in progress with the space being continuously updated in response to ideas or suggestions from guests or visitors to the website.

Despite having been something of a buzzword in the corporate world for quite some time, for once CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is the genuine inspiration behind the Creators Inn. Intended as a way for companies to manage their business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society, all too often CSR tends to result in nothing more than superficial window-dressing. We’re pleased to see that at Creators Inn by Elvine they’ve tried to add some creativity to the CSR equation.