There has been a constant flow of inspiration this week, courtesy of the brands exhibiting at the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair and Stockholm Design Week. Today I'm sharing news from Carl Hansen & Sn, as they present a stunning range of novelties including Brge Mogensen's Daybed, a new lighting collection from Mads Odgrd and more. Let's take a look...
Comfort for Wellbeing // BM0865 DAYBED Designed by Brge Mogensen
Shown for the first time at the 1958 Carpenters Exhibition on a stand called Landhuset (Country House), Brge Mogensens BM0865 Daybed is being relaunched by Carl Hansen & Son as part of a growing collection of the renowned Danish architect and designers work. Created with comfort and tranquillity in mind, the daybed is highly versatile, and can be used as a daybed, sofa, bed, or lounge set depending on how many are grouped together.
Conceived by Brge Mogensen in response to lifestyles that were already becoming hectic by the 1950s, the daybed provided the perfect conditions for wellbeing by enabling busy people to put their feet up and relax as soon as they returned home. Cylindrical headrests and armrests, rectangular back pillows and a soft cushion ensure physical comfort, while visual tranquillity is achieved by the simple yet considered design.
Knud Erik Hansen, CEO of Carl Hansen & Son, acknowledges the need for such a piece: A good resting spot is always needed. It is now and will continue to be into the future in fact it will only become more and more necessary for us to have a spot we can call our own, where we can relax and pull back from a hectic day or week, he says.
Mogensen continued to develop the design after 1958, so the design exists in different expressions and iterations. Carl Hansen & Son has chosen to focus on its versatility, creating this definitive and multifunctional version in close collaboration with Mogensens sons, who run his studio today. Like many of Mogensens designs, the BM0865 Daybed is crafted in solid oak, and in this case, it uses heartwood, the dense and flawless inner portion of the trunks. The elegant cabinetry joints, elongated legs and robust construction pay respect to the heritage of these magnificent trees and are typical of Mogensens considered craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Craftsmanship Revived // BM0488 TABLE BENCH Designed by Brge Mogensen
The BMO488 Table Bench, also shown for the first time at the 1958 Carpenters Exhibition, was originally created by Brge Mogensen to compliment the BM0865Daybed. A multi-functional piece withwoven detailing, flawless solid oak (also taken from the heart of the tree), precise joints and rounded edges, it forms part of Mogensens building furniture concept through which he conceived enduring furniture that could be added to and adapted over time in response to changing needs and living situations.
How exquisite is the weaving detail? When the BM0865 and BM0488 are used in combination, the woven tabletop is at the same level as the soft surface of the daybed cushion, making them perfect partners in pairs or in groups, enabling versatile seating landscapes to be configured and reconfigured to suit the space or the occasion.
Testament to the building furniture approach is the versatility of the piece, which can be used as a bench in an entrance hall or at the end of a bed, or as a coffee table or side table paired with a more conventional armchair or sofa. It is an independent furniture piece, which can stand alone or be part of different indoor environments, creating a calm environment that exudes wellbeing wherever it is placed.
The expression of the BM0488 Table Bench is one of effortless excellence. The double weaving is simultaneously durable and decorative and demonstrates the highly crafted finish that gives this furniture piece a soul you cannot live without. It will look beautiful for generations to come, says Knud Erik Hansen.
Lamps that make you feel safe // MO SERIES Designed by Mads Odgrd
The new MO Series is Carl Hansen & Sons first collaboration with Danish designer Mads Odgrd. The series is based on simple shapes that symbolise lights comforting effect on people. In their own discreet way, the lamps complement Carl Hansen & Sons furniture collection and retell the story of Danish design.
How can I create the simplest design? Mads Odgrd asks himself this question every time he sits down to design a new product, as a way of avoiding any unnecessary details. The easily recognisable and simple shapes of the lamp also came about through a research project in which he explores lighting technology in collaboration with Aalborg University and the Technical University of Denmark. Learning that light makes people feel safe, Mads realised he had to create a shape for the lamps that would symbolise safety, while complementing Carl Hansen & Sons furniture range in the most natural way.
The series consists of a wall lamp, a floor lamp, a table lamp, and a pendant lamp that have a wide appeal with their minimalist style and individual lighting purposes. The two basic shapes used by Mads Odgrd in the design are the hemisphere and the cylinder. He chose the hemisphere because it represents a part of lights logical, natural form: Its essential for light to be a sphere, or part of a sphere. As the sun rises above the horizon, it starts spreading a small dome of light, which then grows into a hemisphere and later a sphere. The reason why were uncomfortable with fluorescent tubes is that theyre not spherical. It just doesnt fit with our consciousness, says Mads Odgrd, referring to the knowledge he gained in the research project.
The idea behind the thin cylinder is to give the lamp both functional and visual stability and balance. By having the cylinder and the hemisphere in all four lamps, Mads Odgrd creates a sense of calm through repetition. This means that the four lamps can all be part of the same environment, and that several lamps of the same model can work together and bring harmony.
When it comes to longevity and timeless appeal, this lighting collection certainly delivers. To me, Carl Hansen & Son is synonymous with tradition. Its very Danish. Some might think the lamp series lacks something distinctive and modern or trendy something to make it fashionable. But noneof Carl Hansen & Sons furniture pieces are fashionable. They are simply timeless. And so is the MOSeries,says Mads Odgrd. And Knud Erik Hansen agrees:The lamps will fit in perfectly with a contemporary style, but thanks to their timeless quality, theyll also be modern and relevant 20, 30, and 40 years from now, he says and continues: Thats why the lamps fit perfectly with our other lamp series as well as with our entire furniture collection.
Foldable Furniture for Outdoor Togetherness // Designed by Brge Mogensen
For the third consecutive year, Carl Hansen & Son is expanding its range of outdoor furniture with a set created by one of the most distinctive Danish furniture designers. Brge Mogensens functionalist mindset is expressed through every detail of the table and benches that can bring family and friends together. After use, it can be folded up so it only requires a minimum of storage space.
Thomas and Peter Mogensen grew up with a father who found solutions to most of the problems he encountered in everyday life: Brge made furniture for pretty much everything we needed at home and in life, say his sons. This mindset is evident in the set of table and benches designed by Brge Mogensen in 1971 when he lived in a house with a garden.
The table and benches are the epitome of simple and precise design with its wooden slats and welcoming expression. The combination of table and benches invites people to get together side by side and enjoy outdoor togetherness, and thanks to the design of the narrow frame, no one will end up sitting with a table leg in the way. When the table has been cleared and summer is coming to an end, the benches and table can easily be folded up and locked in place with the stainless steel screws that are also used in the furniture joints. Thanks to this flexible solution, the set only takes up a minimum of storage space when not in use.
Carl Hansen & Son has recreated the set according to the original design by Brge Mogensen, but has chosen to increase the height of the table and benches slightly to accommodate the average height of people today. In addition, Carl Hansen & Son covers the bench with a channel-stitched cushion with stitching that follows the direction of the slats. The cushion is made from durable, weather-resistant Sunbrella fabric, which is easy to clean and made from up to 50% recycled Sunbrella fibres. The cushion filling allows rainwater to pass through, thus ensuring shorter drying time.
Carl Hansen & Sn is available in NZ/AU from Cult.
For Flagship stores and global dealers visit Carl Hansen & Sn.
For Flagship stores and global dealers visit Carl Hansen & Sn.
Images courtesy of Carl Hansen & Sn