I recently returned from my latest Scandinavian shopping trip and wanted to share some photos with you.

As many of you know, I travel to Scandinavia several times a year looking for up-and-coming designers, and to secure the latest items for Huset customers.

During this trip, I traveled to Stockholm to visit with houseware vendors, and to Copenhagen for Scandinavia’s biggest fashion fair.

Here are some pics of my trip…

Also, I should point out that we’ve just put over 260 items on sale to make room for the new Fall items. While they last, you can get many of our items for 30-70% off!

New Fall items from Custommade, By Malene Birger and Odd Molly have just been added to our site and more items are being added daily so make sure to check back often.

This video was shot in Helsinki, Finland. It tells the story of the collaboration between Converse and Finnish textile icon Marimekko. The cinematic portrait celebrates the timeless spirit that both brands are born out of, and unveils the story behind the women’s focused Converse x Marimekko Spring 2011 collection. The video’s soundtrack features tracks by Finnish music artists Husky Rescue and Uusi Fantasia.

The sweet doggy patterns that you see below are from the Tillsammans collection and shows dachshunds from around the world, with hats and hairstyles to symbolize different nationalities.
It was created for a very special purpose: Lisa Bengtsson, one of Sweden’s most prominent designers, recently developed a new collection of wallpaper, textiles and posters exclusively for Save The Children. The products are available only in their design shop.

When buying these products, you are supporting a worthwhile cause – to protect and save little ones against violence and sexual assault and to invest in their future by ensuring that they receive a proper education.
“I think that it is fun and rewarding to work with Save the Children. When I received the request, there was no doubt but only joy. I like to do what I can to help, and what I can is to design… So why not do it for Save the Children!” – Lisa Bengtsson



Huset now has in stock the Tillsammans Wallpaper and the lovely dachshunds posters. Come check them out!

The world-famous designer Jasper Morrison has always been fascinated by Danish design. His work has often been described as more Scandinavian than British in spirit, so its no surprise to hear that he has answered a call to curate and stage an exhibition on Danish design in Copenhagen’s Design Museum in Denmark. Danish Design – I like it! is an external and international look at Danish design and the exhibition marks the change of name from the Danish Museum of Art & Design to Design museum Denmark.


“Morrison’s viewpoint has culminated in a selection of pieces that work to embody the classic and humane qualities that make up Danish design – a process he reveals to be more complex than initially anticipated. ‘It is a very condensed selection – you’ve probably notice how jammed everything is’, he explains, ‘On the first day when we started, I was a bit worried we wouldn’t have enough stuff, but by the end, we were just pushing things in and just moving things around, trying to squeeze them all in’.” – Wallpaper

Click here to read an interesting interview from the magazine, Wallpaper with Jasper Morrison.

You can visit the exhibition until October 2nd 2011.
Design Museum Denmark?Bredgade 68 / 1260 Copenhagen?info@kunstindustrimuseet.dk?+45 33 18 56 56

What will client meetings of the future look like? How do you build a space for committed and personal meetings? BVD Design & Branding created a multifunctional space in Skandiabanken’s new branch in central Stockholm where interactive technology encounters natural materials and creative design solutions. Skandia has created a new type of banking experience that is unique in the financial sector, inspired by retail rather than banking.

“The basic elements are inspiration from nature, innovation and Swedish design. We were given a great amount of freedom in this assignment, and Skandia were keen to innovate and dared to invest in our ideas. Skandiabanken wants to be a modern and personal alternative within the world of finance and these premises exude this,” says Catrin Vagnemark, Creative Director, BVD.”

The branch is multifunctional and can be used for different types of meetings. For example, on the first floor there is a room for workshops for creative sessions and a water dispenser when a break in work is needed. The light and airy premises can be transformed easily and simply into a lecture hall. And even the small details have been considered. There is a “mini meeting place” where children can have fun while their parents are helped by Skandia’s advisers.

In the old days the bank was all about the power of money and the interiors reflected that. Expensive materials such as marble and oak wood were used and the bank clerks were located behind glass. It was not an accessible place. In today’s world of consumer power, financial turmoil and demand for transparency even banks must be open and accessible. In this assignment we worked with the idea of Skandia as the enabler; a brand/company/meeting place that can make people’s dreams and ideas come through. The inspiration for the concept was a green house, a place where plants grow and are nurtured.

Thanks to David Report for this information

Hey Huset friends,

Can you believe it’s Spring already? It’s been raining a lot here in So Cal as of late, and I can’t wait for warmer weather!

Around here, each new season is sooo exciting as we get to bring you, our customers, brand new Scandinavian products! Check out some of the new Spring 2011 fashion collections from:

DAY Birger et Mikkelsen, By Malene Birger, Odd Molly, Hunkydory, Custommade and newcomer Chill Norway, a super cute line from Norway. (shown top-to-bottom, left-to-right)

We hope you’ll love these collections as much as we do.

Also don’t miss new items from Rice dkk, FermLiving, Hipp! Design, Isak and some new surprises we’ve found for you.

Breaking News from Huset!

We’re so excited to let you in on some really wonderful news! We’ve acquired a new space on Abbot Kinney in Venice, California for our new store and we couldn’t be happier. Our Stockholm architects are hard at work to make this location something really special, we can’t wait!

Make sure to click the “like” button on our Facebook page to keep up with the progress and receive special store promos. Even if you don’t live in Los Angeles, you can still participate and receive the special offers, but as these are only for our Facebook friends, you’ll have to “like” our page to get them.

Wishing you a joyous and happy Spring!

Warmest wishes,
Holly

Fabulous Lotta Agaton is an interior stylist from Sweden. She can make any interior look interesting. She uses a combination of patterns, texture, shapes and sizes to create intriguing compositions. She knows exactly how to create beautiful, serene space with a lot of character and elegance.

Lotta creates such beautiful and calming spaces, using mainly monochromatic neutral tones that give the interiors a power, in a serene way, that demand attention.

Promoted by Agent Bauer, Lotta has collaborated with the most interesting publications and clients in Europe, USA and South America. She started Swedish Residence Magazine about ten years ago and worked there for four years as drafting and interior design manager. And since, Lotta has been freelancing and working with many big advertising agencies and newspapers both in Sweden and internationally.

Lotta makes every room look cozy, with a lot of character and elegance while still maintaining and informal feeling, the perfect combo for a home we think! We are big fans of this wonderfully talented stylist from Sweden.

Have a look at her blog! Even though it is in Swedish, you can still enjoy the gorgeous pictures!

Recently Lotta put up her Stockholm apartment for sale, so lovely for sure!

3 years in the making, the Molo chair is now launched for the Danish company Duba-B8. Molo is an easy to use and comfortable meeting and conference chair. The chairs in the Molo family is available with a runner frame and 4-leg base for canteen, meeting and conference areas and also includes a bar stool. Both the 4-leg and the runner frame is available with an armrest. Further versions are to be included in the family of chairs during 2012. The seating shell is made out of reusable ABS plastic and is introduced in 5 colours; black, white, lemon, violet and oyster white. For extra comfort one can add an especially designed felt cushion. All chairs are stackable.

Molo is designed by Norwegian design group Norway Says. Molo is most likely the last product from the design group since they decided to split up in the summer of 2009. Today the designers Andreas Engesvik, Torbjørn Anderssen and Espen Voll work out of the designcompanys Andreas Engesvik Design and Anderssen & Voll.

Do you ever wonder how and who styles those great catalog shots that Rice dk does? Well meet Bimo the Stylo:

Bimo the Stylo from RICE people care – we care on Vimeo.

Our new Rice dk pieces will hopefully arrive before Valentines day, make sure you come by and check what we have in store for you!

In our last post, we highlighted a number of  products for the ladies but this time, it’s the guy’s turn…

To see the entire collection, Click Here.

Happy Holidays,
Holly