I was invited to visit the Norwegian Ambassador’s UK residence to meet eight Norwegian Design Industry businesses who are all members of the Norsk Industri, Design Industry division. The event was yesterday, and it’s the first time I’ve put on proper clothes for a while, which felt strange but good. I made my way down to High Street Kensington to get a peek inside the grand house, which was stunning. I had a lovely time chatting with the contract and retail interior company representatives and viewing their fabulous furniture, sumptuous rugs, quality tableware and bespoke glass lighting. Let me introduce you to the eight Norwegian design industry companies – Figgjo, Eikund Whatson, Northern, Fora Form, Hadeland, Heymat, Volver and Lundhs Real Stone.
Norwegian Ambassador’s UK Residence
Meet Eight Norwegian Design Industry Companies
Figgjo invited me to the event, so I’ll tell you about them first. They are known for their excellence in high-quality Norwegian porcelain since 1941, with a focus on tableware. Most of their products have a no-chip guarantee, even for professional use. They cater to the hotel and restaurant sector but do sell to some retailers. The key to their designs is usability, thanks to their durable glazed porcelain. The Figgjo plates are understated with effortless elegance. In a restaurant, the food should be the focus, but you should never underestimate what the perfect plate can do for the overall presentation, and this is what Figgjo has got right. Figgjo Ela (above) is their new design with a muted colour palette and natural pattern.
Eikund Whatson is a furniture company focusing on reproducing Norwegian furniture classics from the 50s and 60s. At the moment, they have eleven chairs (dining chairs and armchairs) and tables (dining tables and coffee tables). They seek out the original furniture drawings or products so that they can replicate it. The exact shape and production qualities are paramount, but the materials may be different. The seating includes the Veng Lounge Chair and Era Dining Chair. My favourite is the fabulous Fluffy Lounge Chair (above), initially designed by Fredrik A. Kayser in 1954. The Norwegian sheepskin upholstery in black makes this seat a work of art. I want one!
Northern is a brand that began making beautiful, functional lighting (pendants, wall lights, floor lamps, table lamps), such as their Snowball and Birdy collection. Later they introduced furniture wall consoles, bar stools, bar cabinet, seating) and interior accessories (hooks, mirrors, flowerpots). The collection has simplicity at heart with streamlined designs in premium materials. One of my favourite pieces is the black painted oak Loud Bar Cabinet (above). If you want to create a laid-back luxe interior, this is the brand for you.
Fora Form is a Scandinavian furniture manufacturer for social areas where people meet, particularly within the working environment. Their overall aim is to aid interaction to improve social interaction. The company began in 1929 with an emphasis on laminating wood furniture. Today, the collection includes seating and tables. A couple of the pieces to highlight are the Popcorn Chair, a furniture icon from 1968, designed by Sven Ivar Dysthe for the Henie Onstad Art Center. It’s made from recycled plastic and stacks horizontally like supermarket shopping carts. I love Kove (above), designed by Morten and Jonas. It’s a modular sofa with an iron fence that allows you to create a cosy division in an open plan environment. The clever bit is that you can customise the ‘fence’ with shelving, baskets and flowerpots.
Hadeland is a glassware company making drinkware and decorative objects such as candle holders and vases. They were showcasing their glass lighting collection at the event, which is stunning. Maud Gj Bugge designed their Crystal Ball range (above), a fully customisable lighting system. The crystal spheres are for chandeliers, pendants or lamps in different colours, shapes and arrangements for inside or outside use. Every glass crystal sphere is made to order and made by hand. If only I had known about them when I was refurbishing my apartment!
Heymat makes functional doormats, kids mats, large mats, round mats and carpet tiles. A husband and wife team came up with the idea after realising that the weather conditions in Norway mean that a good doormat is essential to keep the wet and mud outside. The doormats are of industrial quality made from recycled plastic bottles with Norwegian designs. They are thin with a non-slip rubber backing, and you can wash them, which is a great idea. The material traps the dirt to keep the rest of the house clean. Heymat has also introduced Zen Carpet Tiles (above) with one design that you can customise into your pattern and a choice of three colours.
Volver is a Norwegian design studio making premium rugs for private and public spaces. They use natural materials which they hand tuft. The rugs are a work of art using rich colours and luxurious materials to create texture and a durable rug that can withstand high traffic. You can admire the stunning designs and patterns at a distance, and when you get close up, you can see the textural detail. The collection includes Scandinavian Modern, Contemporary Art, and Nature Inspired designs. My favourite is the Yggdrasil Red Rug (above), made from New Zealand Wool.
Lundhs Real Stone makes unique and durable surfaces using natural stone from Norway. The stone has multiple internal and external uses, including kitchen worktops, bathroom surfaces, building cladding and swimming pools. The natural stone is treated without using chemicals with gloss and matt finish options. Benefits include 100% natural material, heatproof and stain resistance. If you have a kitchen refurbishment project in the pipeline, you must check out Lundhs Real Stone as your kitchen countertop.
Eight Norwegian Design Industry Companies Credits
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Feature image from Northern and other pictures from Homegirl London, Figgjo, Eikund Whatson, Northern, Fora Form, Hadeland, Heymat, Volver and Lundhs Real Stone. Thanks: Figgjo, for the invitation.
