Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category

Do you speak Designísh?

designish

This is Peter and Hirai san. They dont speak each others language. Mr. Hirai san is Japanise and has a very succesfull online stor in Japan called Scope. Peter is our Sales Manager here at Normann Copenhagen. They have met each other many times and they always have a ball together, even without alcohol! How is that possible? Well they speak the same universal language of love for design – and stories. They think alike and even though their cultures are very different they understand and learn from each other…pretty cool when you see them in action.

normannscope

Scope created this “family icon” that you can find on their homepage… which we only understand thanks to Google Translate

Officially Danish

Today I went into a small thriftstore and found this VERY danish plate, wich is, according to what I’ve heard, somewhat the essence of bad taste here in Denmark (correct me if I’m wrong!) I Imagine that a lot of danes grew up with these type of plates as a decoration in their grandparents kitchen and because of that, could never bear with having anything similar in their own homes. I am, as a forigner in this country, totally clueless sometimes when it comes to culturally dependent opinions on good and bad taste, wich is liberating in one way. I know that I’m completely the same with some of the things I grew up with in Sweden, but I somehow feel a little bit priveliged not knowing anything about this in Denmark.

Another example  is when I bought some really nice flowerpots made out of birchtree (they looked like a treelog in fact, very nice!) from my local NETTO store. A Danish friend of mine came by my house and she couldn’t stop laughing, and at first I thought that I, by accident, had bought something that had some kind of special purpose, only I didn’t know about it. Like if the flowerpots were especially made and traditionally used for funerals or something similar!  Imagine the akwardness of that!

Luckily my friend told me that she had never seen that type of pots before, and that she was laughing because she found them truly ugly. 

When I paid the nice lady in the thriftstore the 10 kroners the plate costed she said to me smiling: “You are now more Danish than Swedish”

winblad1

/ Spotted by Emma Margareta

Looking for inspiration?

Check out the wonderful portfolio of photographer and artist Todd Selby! Selby takes photos of famous and not so famous people in their homes, mostly creatives. It’s truly amazing to peak into the interesting homes of all these people!  Visit the Selby here!

photo by Todd Selby

/ Emma Margareta

Objectified

Two years ago Gary Hustwit made a movie about a typeface called Helvetica. By doing so he brought to regular people, in an entertaining way,  a subject that almost litterly no one but graphic designers finds interesting.  This march he intends to do the same thing – only this time with industrial design. The movie will be called Objectified and it will certainly be one of the most interesting films this year if you are interested in any type of design or want a better understanding of the industry. 

The film seems like it will take its style directly from Helvetica – Hustwit will travel around the world talking to the past, present and future rockstars in the field. The website for the film has got a ton of great teaser  pictures and content from the upcoming film so check it out. 

I can’t wait!

Trailer:

Website: www.objectifiedfilm.com

Spotted by Chris Hanz

Made my heart jump twice!

Ok, so they want you to buy their underwear, but in this case, I think that’s kind of irrelevant. This commercial has been airing on swedish television for some time and when my boyfriend told me that a friend of ours, who is pregnant and therefore claims she is more emotional than usually, had started crying while watching commercials, I immediately was sure it was this one. The beautiful cover on the Cindy Lauper song “True Colors” is preformed by Norwegian singer/songwriter Ane Brun.

/ Emma Margareta

Looking back/looking forward!

mon_amie

My mom started collecting china when she was around 14 years old. Since the brand she collected was quite expensive, the collecting process was slow, and from her parents she recieved one coffee cup every birthday and one plate every christmas. When she got some extra money from a summer job or so, she could afford the larger items i the series, like the teapot or a big bowl. When she was 25 the set was complete.

The idea of saving up for something you really want, instead of buying stuff that just seems ok for now, seems both very traditional but also very modern to me. I admit that I (like most of us, I suppose) sometimes fall for fun and inexpensive stuff of poor quality, but those items seldomly stays with me for more than a couple of years. Either they have fallen apart, or I lost my interest and forgot why this or that little thingie was so adorble two years ago. If a relationship is going to last, then maybe the “hard-to-get factor” is more important than we think? If you have to dream and have a bit of a struggle before you get what you want, and that when you finally get it, you will love it and keep it for life, then maybe that is not such a bad idea?

Long-term thinking folks! Good design and good quality is more expensive to buy, yes, but if it lasts a lifetime, you’ll save! I will try to keep that in mind!

My mother’s china is still in use, and mum cherish it now as much as she did back in the early 60’s. That’s true love to me!

/ Emma Margareta

Happy 09

Happy New Year from all of us at Normann Copenhagen. We wish you all the best in 2009.
normann-copenhagen-2009-new-year

Insider info: In 2009 you will be able to buy  selected Normann Copenhagen products (like our famous Cashmere/silk scarf) directly from this blog. 

As time flies

normann-copenhagen

Dear reader,

It has been a lot of fun writing the blog this year.  Here are a few highlights:

We spotted a nice behind… chair in Milano.

Discovered what true passion looks like in Copenhagen

Found the most beaten iPhone of the year

Made the perfect knot on our new scarf

Found cheap gold

Had our first Snog in London

Launched a Plane – and got a tattoo in Copenhagen

My Christmas: Jakob Heiberg

We have asked designer Jakob Heiberg (Herb stand) about his Christmas.

 heiberg
Biggest Christmas wish this year:
A big window for my dark living room – perhaps a bit difficult to fit under the three! Otherwise a new folding top for my MgF or a low rate on my F1 loan. 

Wish to receive a Christmas Present from:
I’m a big fan of Ole Jensen.

Trendy or Traditional Christmas:
Definitely traditional Christmas with a tree from the forest, candlelight and not too much decoration. 

herb-abstrakt
Herb stand top-view – designed by Jacob Heiberg


Best Christmas Present ever:
It has to be a Lego train I got when I was a child. It appealed to the creative spirit as well as transported many nuts that year!

Worst Christmas Present ever:
It can be difficult for a childish soul like me to find joy in a pair of socks!
heiberg-train 

My Christmas: Julie Storm

We have asked designer Julie Storm (Storm flower pot) about her Christmas.

julie-teddy1
Best Christmas Present ever:
When I was a child I got a very ugly teddy bear with a skirt made of tulle.

Wish to receive a Christmas present from:
My mother is a talented painter and a Christmas present from her would be very personal. 

julie storm

Biggest Christmas wish this year:
A flipover for those spontaneous ideas.

Trendy or Traditional Christmas:
Traditional Christmas with duck and loin of venison this year.       

Worst Christmas Present ever:
Five wooden hangers from my dad!

storm-flower-pot

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