Three days of walking and biking while discovering new designs in beautiful Copenhagen sounds like a dream for any interior designer. The city’s annual event, 3daysofdesign—a fast-growing design fair that takes place every June—features activations in dozens of showrooms and venues throughout 11 districts in the city. The 11-year-old fair is better than ever, with over 350 Scandinavian brands (including a growing array of international lines) inviting journalists, buyers, and the design trade into their showrooms for an intimate presentation of their new product launches and brand values.
These companies include well-known heritage manufacturers like Fritz Hansen, Carl Hansen, and Fredericia. Along with the growing international brands, the fair also showcases an increasing number of young designers who may be difficult to discover otherwise, adding a new dimension for visitors who might otherwise be disconnected from the Scandinavian market.
As I toured the exhibitions, I saw new collections that strayed from the typical view of Scandinavian design. There was a departure from the usual beige and neutral aesthetic, yet the essence of the style remained. Inspired by fashion and nature, many of the works complemented each other and inspired me to dream about incorporating them into a design plan. A nod to Jil Sander colorways and 90s minimalism, one of the inspiration points Note Studio took when re-designing the space, was evident.
Susanna Wåhlin of Note Studio tells us, “We wanted to create a new color and material palette for the brand, to increase the dynamics of it and bring the fresh and the crisp to it. Before, the palette was rather white/beige/black. Now, there are elegant tones of ochre, lemon yellow, burned umbra, deep green, and peachy pink added to the textile collections, as well as a bigger diversity in the materiality: glossy, matte, fluffy, and some patterns have been added. These now work well with the many stones, wood, and metals in the existing brand palette, that take a step further towards a more international aesthetic, to not stay in the more comfortable Scandinavian look.”
These companies include well-known heritage manufacturers like Fritz Hansen, Carl Hansen, and Fredericia. Along with the growing international brands, the fair also showcases an increasing number of young designers who may be difficult to discover otherwise, adding a new dimension for visitors who might otherwise be disconnected from the Scandinavian market.
As I toured the exhibitions, I saw new collections that strayed from the typical view of Scandinavian design. There was a departure from the usual beige and neutral aesthetic, yet the essence of the style remained. Inspired by fashion and nature, many of the works complemented each other and inspired me to dream about incorporating them into a design plan. A nod to Jil Sander colorways and 90s minimalism, one of the inspiration points Note Studio took when re-designing the space, was evident.
Susanna Wåhlin of Note Studio tells us, “We wanted to create a new color and material palette for the brand, to increase the dynamics of it and bring the fresh and the crisp to it. Before, the palette was rather white/beige/black. Now, there are elegant tones of ochre, lemon yellow, burned umbra, deep green, and peachy pink added to the textile collections, as well as a bigger diversity in the materiality: glossy, matte, fluffy, and some patterns have been added. These now work well with the many stones, wood, and metals in the existing brand palette, that take a step further towards a more international aesthetic, to not stay in the more comfortable Scandinavian look.”
1. I created a dream design plan inspired by one of Jil Sander’s 2024 resort looks in their iconic yellow (1), which I saw as a common thread throughout the presentations.
Photograph courtesy of Jil Sander
2. I loved the minimalist and versatile Heirloom Lamp, designed by Gabriel Tan for Origin Made, which I would use as a sconce or as an overhead bathroom lamp.
Heirloom Lamp by Gabriel Tan for Origin Made
3. For decor, Johannes Nagel's vase on view at Peach Melba at Peach Corner caught my eye. Nagel’s work is crafted using his signature technique of burrowing into sand to form negative gyrations for casting.
Johannes Nagel's Vase at Peach Corner
4. My all-time favorite cafe-style table, by the fantastic Danish designer Maria Bruun for Fredericia.
Islets Dining Table by Maria Bruun for Fredericia
5. This year’s expansion of Fredericia’s multifunctional Plan Collection was created in collaboration with British design duo Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby. The steel and soft leather have the perfect minimalist appeal.Fredericia.
Plan Collection by Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby for Fredericia
6. Audo, whose showroom-hotel is our featured image, presented a redesigned lobby and concept shop by Note Studio. The Tea Chair, an OG of Audo’s collection, was re-imagined in a new buttery yellow boucle.
The Tea Chair by Note Studio for Audo
7. Hay’s centrally located showroom is like a candy store for any design lover. They presented a new collaboration with Asics which I want to get my hands on, but in terms of design, nothing beats a classic. Their Nelson Angled Sphere Bubble Pendant is my pick for the perfect minimalist overhead lamp.
Nelson Angled Sphere Bubble Pendant for Hay
8. As for the sofa, nothing beats New Works. I own the original Covent sofa, but if I were to get a new one, I would get the new squishier and deeper Covent Residential.
Covent Residential by New Works
9. DWC’s iconic Mantis Floor Lamp plays with the tension of balance and imbalance.
Mantis Floor Lamp by DWC
10.So many wonderful emerging design discoveries were featured in House of Nordic Design’s exceptional NoDe Exhibition. I was immediately attracted to Better Weather’s Solid Drape vase, part of a series of containers crafted by molding sheet metal cutoffs—without any cutting or welding—resulting in a series of uniquely formed pieces.
Solid Drape Vase by Better Weather for NoDe
11. Who wouldn’t covet Nendo’s monolithic coffee table for Depadova Also available in various stones and glass surface shapes.
Monolithic Coffee Table by nendo for Depadova
12. Another one by Maria Bruun, I love the Pioneer Stool’s friendly and sculptural design, as well as their updated colorway in a greenish yellow wool.
Pioneer Stool by Maria Bruun for Fredericia
13. The easiest way to add a minimalist design with a pop of color is with Hay’s brilliant cutlery and Rainbow Mug.
Cutlery and Rainbow Mug by HAY
14. And finally, Vandra Rugs, told an unforgettable story about moving their Ukrainian weaving atelier into Sweden, and impressed me with their craftsmanship and dedication to social responsibility. I look forward to owning one of their beautiful rugs, especially the Mountain Fantasy design (described as chic folkloristic—love that) in a blue wool yarn mix.
Vandra Rugs
