At the Stockholm Furniture Fair, bold, exaggerated shapes and strong colors reminiscent of the 70s atmosphere stood out. Design Stories was touring the fair and the showrooms – check out our picks from Stockholm!
Chunky sofas and lots of wood
Lately, in design and interior decoration, inspiration has been drawn from the 1970s. At the Stockholm Furniture Fair in February 2024, this trend was evident in furniture, not only in robust shapes but also in earthy materials, with solid pine especially gaining popularity.
At the Stockholm Furniture Fair, we saw what one of the most renowned designers in the design world, Ronan Bouroullec, has achieved with this current material. The Finnish company Vaarnii presented Bouroullec’s Maasto dining chair, which combines solid Finnish pine with expressive pine plywood – double the pine, in other words. The Maasto dining chair will be available for purchase later this year.
Alongside chairs, the design of sofas and lounge chairs is now drawing from the aesthetic of the 1970s. Sofas are characterized by horizontal lines and plushness – some are downright chunky, like Massproductions’ modular Patch sofa.
There’s also an earthy, plank-like feel in the new Bullnose chair series by Swedish Hem, designed by Italian-born, UK-based Marco Campardo. The Bullnose chair collection will be available in the summer of 2024.
Tubular chrome and brutalism
Chrome is now allowed to shine! Functionalism-influenced tubular furniture and chromed surfaces have made a comeback in furniture and lighting. Inspiration for design has been sought from the origins of functionalism, the Bauhaus movement of the 1920s and 1930s, as well as the aesthetics of the 1980s and 1990s.
Bent metal tubes with shiny chrome surfaces were visible in the new table and chair designs.
&Tradition introduced Verner Panton’s Wire Stool, dating back to 1981. This stool, which also functions as a side table, comes with a detachable seat cushion available in several colors.
In lamps as well, classic chrome was visible alongside rough, untreated aluminum. The brutal aluminum surface had been introduced as a new option, for example, in Alma wall lamp designed by Bolle Tham and Martin Widegård for Wästberg.
Splashes of strong colors
Alongside the restrained Scandinavian minimalism, the fair also offered something for lovers of colorful interiors. Strong colors are now on the rise, such as fire engine red and bright orange – echoes of the 1970s – combined with candy-like hues, electric blue, green, and purple. The splashes of color were evident not only in the exhibition stands but also in individual furniture pieces and lamps, providing inspiration how to add pops of color to home decor.
A masterful and bold combination of colors was demonstrated by Tekla Evelina Severin, better knows as Teklan, whose rugs were on display at Layered’s showroom.
Nikari, known for its high-quality wooden furniture, introduced Pekka Koivikko’s new Kumu chair. Nikari, which has not been previously associated much with colors, offers the flexibility to paint this birch chair in any desired shade. The stackable chair is versatile and comfortable to sit on.
“Kumu utilizes the possibilities of modern manufacturing but refrains from all exaggeration. The idea of the chair is functionality, simplicity, and consistency,” describes Pekka Koivikko.
String Furniture presented the new Relief furniture collection designed by TAF Studio, which is particularly suitable for clothing storage. Alongside harmonious colors, Relief is also available in a bright orange shade. At the same time, we raise a toast to the String System shelf series, designed in 1949, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year – grattis, String!
Attention to more sustainable materials
The discussion about the sustainability of design has prompted companies to seek new solutions for furniture production and materials. Normann Copenhagen introduced in Stockholm the Mat chair series, which required years of development work and features seats made from hemp fiber and beach-washed eelgrass. The Mat series was designed by the Danish design firm Foersom & Hiort-Lorenzen.
The innovative material of the Mat chair series is the result of years of development work.
The first prototypes of the chair were made as early as 2005, and after years of refinement, the material has finally become durable and consistent. This new material solution provides a beautiful and more environmentally friendly alternative to chairs whose seats were previously made from oil-based plastics.
3D printing is also becoming a method of furniture manufacturing. Reform Design Lab produces sculptural chairs and tables by 3D printing wood-based material. One advantage of this manufacturing technique is that there is no waste material generated during production.
New forms of alfresco living
Based on the Stockholm fair, there will be plenty of new and excellent options for outdoor furniture this summer. &Tradition is introducing not one but two outdoor furniture series: Space Copenhagen’s curvaceous Thorvald metal furniture series and Anderssen & Voll’s sturdy and sleek Ville dining set.
Vaarnii’s new outdoor furniture innovation is indeed a real showstopper. Designed by Faye Toogood, the Peace lounge chair is a new, more rounded version of the classic Adirondack chair. Comfort is maximized with the addition of a matching ottoman from the same series. A fantastic collaboration between Toogood and Vaarni!
• Read also: Vaarnii’s Peace outdoor lounge chair by Faye Toogood exudes strength and serenity >
From Carl Hansen & Søn, more teak outdoor furniture is on the way. Icelandic designer Gudmundur Ludvik, working in Denmark, has designed the GL101 Timbur bench, featuring wide armrests that double as useful side tables on which to rest a cup or small plate.
The whole spectrum
It’s clear that there’s a wide range of interior design styles available – everyone now has the freedom to choose their own path. Stockholm Design Week’s events, exhibitions, and showrooms offered interior design inspiration ranging from sparse minimalism to lavish maximalism.
At Muuto’s Stockholm Store & Space, spring novelties were showcased, including Rhys Cooper’s Arced mirror and Thomas Bentzen’s Dedicate desk lamp. Muuto excels in combining colors, and the store’s exhibition was executed inspiringly, as always.
Fogia had decorated the cocktail bar and restaurant Tjoget with their popular Bollo chairs, featuring custom upholstery. With these dining chairs, one can comfortably sit even after dessert!
Psst! Happy family news!
Many popular furniture families are getting bigger with new pieces. &Tradition’s bestselling Little Petra armchair, designed in the 1930s, now has a larger version – apptly named Petra. The lounge chair designed by Viggo Boesen features a taller backrest.
The rumor has it that other popular furniture series are also getting new additions: HAY’s wooden Crate outdoor furniture series, unveiled last year, is expanding to become even more versatile. Hem, on the other hand, is expanding its Chop collection, introduced to the market last year, with taller bar stools and tables. Additionally, Hem’s iconic Puffy series is growing. We’ll surely hear more about these and other spring novelties very soon!
See also:
• New arrivals at Finnish Design Shop >
Text: Anna-Kaisa Huusko and Mikko Vaija Images: Manufacturers