Swedish company and one of our partners Kallemo recently presented a new product by Matti Klenell. The “Spectra” Easy chair was introduced earlier this year and have gotten some world wide recognition in Dwell and Wallpaper.

And what’s not to like about this comfy lounge chair? With its 10 pillows in two layers that creates the seat in this chair. The pillows has different texture, density and size and can be arranged to create desires seating position.

Please inquiry with Louise@morenorth.com for prices and options. More North is the only company in North America that offers the full Kallemo line.

Earlier this year Arvinius publishing released a book about Swedish Design and Architect master Thomas Sandell.

Sandell is one of Sweden’s internationally most widely noticed architects and designer, with the ability to take on projects across the chart and come up with beautiful and smart results. Some under his own name, others under his firm SandellSandberg that he formed with Ulf Sandberg & Joakim Uebel.

We at More North are familiar with Thomas greatness through the beautiful pieces he designed for Asplund. The Bermuda desk and table series, the gorgeous rugs and storage units to name a few.

Most people might have seen some of his work for IKEA as well as some pretty breathtaking architectural ideas. He’s the designer who almost always agrees to a project.

Thomas Sandell relates Danish architect Bjarge Ingels’s explanation for this tendency to spontaneously say ‘yes’ when invited to take on a new assignment. Simple: – “Yes is more!”

Language: English, Authors: Tomas Lauri (editor), Mark Isitt and Kieran Long. Graphic design: Peter Danroth. No. of Pages: 320. Format: 220×240 mm. Soft cover. ISBN 978-91-85689-36-1

Much like the French BNP Paribas HQ major make over last year by Ausset of Zoevox, Swedish bank “Skandiabanken” gave their biggest Stockholm branch a face lift.

BVD Design & Branding created a multifunctional space where natural material blends with new interactive technology and smart design solutions. It’s a dynamic space with a layout more common in the retail area and rarely seen in the financial sector.

The branch is multifunctional and set up to be used for different types of meetings. Upstairs there’s a big room for workshops and creative meetings,the light and airy environment can easily be transferred to a lecture hall. We love the attention to everyone’s needs, with the “mini” meeting room, for kids whose parents are taken care of by the banks advisers.

Back in the day when banks were made out of expensive marble and oak and where the bank clerks where behind thick glass windows seems dated. In today’s world of consumer power and the shaky financial climate banks must be open and accessible.

The inspiration for the concept was a green house, a place where plants grow and are nurtured.

“We want to be innovators and want our clients to experience this at all levels in their encounters with us. Our starting point is for our client meetings to be simple and entertaining in everything from choice of technology, advice areas and interaction between the customers and staff. Everything is aimed at creating the right experience for the client,” says Johan Hopstadius, creative director, Skandia.

We used to carry Swedish designer Pia Wallén’s great felt pieces in our TriBeCa showroom. She is world renowned for her smart innovative design solutions and work in felt.

Pia recently released three new prints under the group name “Homage”. Three chain patterns, Coco, Karl and Paco, a homage to the three designers who created the style history. The patterns were awarded “textile of the year” by ELLE Magazine.

On the inspiration the artist says:

“The chain has played a role in strengthen their collections to enhance women’s empowerment and eccentric forms. The chain also symbolizes people’s strong ties to each other. This total has been an inspiration in my creative work, says Pia Wallén.”

This year is the iconic designers 75year anniversary of the stool 60. To celebrate this Artek have released the stool 60 in classic Bauhaus primary colors, red, blue and yellow. Buy the stool and other Artek products from us.

Are you on of those people who dread having to go to the laundromat every week and get bored just by thinking of it.

In Oslo, Norway they’ve managed to make laundry day relaxing. At the “Laundromat Cafe” you can do your laundry while enjoying a meal, free wireless or read any of the 4000 books they have on site. The atmosphere is cozy and very retro and well worth a visit even though it’s not laundry day.

The New York summer have been hot so far, don’t we all wish we could just live on a boat with a nice breeze from the water.

In Denmark, with views of Copenhagen’s waterfront and the Royal Danish Playhouse, Architect Nils Jeppe Hansen re-did a old ferry that used to go from Jutland and Fyn in Denmark. Hansen kept the original look and integrity of the Ferry with the raw riveted steel contrasting the beautiful skylight, colored glass panels and furniture from Arne Jacobsen and Poul Kjaerholm to name a few.

Arna Jacobsen Ant chairs in the dining room

The Pink Swan Project is a series of Swan chairs designed by 18 internationally-known creatives that will be auctioned off to benefit The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). The chairs were generously donated by Fritz Hansen and the auction will be through charitybuzz during October, which is the Breast Cancer awareness month.

Windsor Smith

Kelly Hoppen

Margherita Maccapani Missoni

If you haven’t yet seen it, The Bard Graduate Center is currently showing  a retrospective on Knoll textiles, the exhibition will go down July 31st,2011. It’s the first comprehensive exhibition of the leading producer of modern textiles.

The exhibitions is divided into four major areas.

The first part considers the formation and shaping of the brand over time. The importance of the leadership and the design directors who took huge risks in order to push boundaries to enhance and promote creativity and embracing new ideas and resources. This as we know ultimately lead them to success in the design industry. This section also includes the importance of Knoll’s promotion and marketing of textiles.

Handwoven H940

The second part focuses on the innovations in materials and methods of products between 1945-1965. How Florence Knoll introduced a line with a more modern style, that used color and texture as a primary design elements. It also brings up the guts it took to hire young, untried designers to develop these new exciting patterns.

Pebble weaving on 657W rocking chair

The third part brings up how the textile division thrived in the conjunction with the success of the Knoll planning unit from the 1940s to 1960s. It was during this time that Knoll obtained many of the most important corporate commissions of the 1950s, the textile department received large orders as well.

Small Bertoia Diamon chair in Prestini

The fourth and final part brings up what happened with the division after Florence Knoll’s retirement in 1965. The design directions shifted towards Europe and more international recognition during the 1970s and 1980s. Several new designers where tied to the division. The pioneering use of materials and continued to present day. with the introduction of Knoll Luxe, the new line with a more fashion forward edge.

Auden by Laura and Kate Mulleavy of fashion brand Rodarte for Knoll Luxe

Remember that you can buy all Knoll textiles as well as upholster any of your Knoll furniture with More North.

NY Times recently posted an article about Cooper-Hewitt teaming up with Artek as part of Target’s design education program. Families were invited to re-design and put their own spin on the classic and timeless chair 69 originally designed by Alvar Aalto.

The price their very own  vintage samples of chair 69. A couple of years ago the Fininsh company started a program to buy back used Artek furniture under the project name “2nd cycle”. And with them teaming up with Martela, Artek now have the possibility to refurbish used pieces and sell affordably.

Executive VP of Artek Simone Vingerhoets-Ziesmann is not only one of the nicest people you’ll meet, she also gets the importance of a program like this and the need to educate the society that even if a piece is 50 years old it still have a lot of life to it.

And truthfully that’s what makes these timeless classics different from these mass produced copies, the length of life and the ability to be passed to generations to come.

Read the full article at NYT, look at the Artek line on our website and buy the full collection from More North.