When we were invited by the wonderful team at Amara Living we couldn’t have been more excited as you know how much we love colour and clean lines. But we had no idea just how far we would fall for all things Copenhagen.   

We began on the first day with a scene setting boat tour of this glorious city, revealing its historic roots with awesome industrial buildings of its shipping days to the vast developments of the past 5 years. It really is a city that knows how to live with one foot firmly in its past and another firmly in a beautifully designed future. 

The scene is set, the food is delish, the people are beautiful and we were allowed behind closed doors of 3 top brands to get the scoop on what makes these Danes tick when it comes to how we live in and decorate our homes. 

Normann Copenhagen are as forward thinking as ByLassen are steadfastly true to their heritage – both offer quality Danish design with simplicity and refinement that can give your home a simple elegance. 

And then there is superbrand Hay, like pop stars with natural flair for quality and playfulness combined. The style of working and approaches of each brand are so refreshingly different. 

Normann Copenhagen are a relatively new brand, unafraid to create some ripples and think outside the box but still looking to heritage designs and the historic architecture around them for inspiration. 

By contrast, ByLassen approach all new work as a form of worship for the original design classics in their archive, slavishly recreating pieces from old drawings, one off auction finds and using all their own craftsmen to do so. The resulting work has a simplicity and refinement that is clear to see. 

Then there is Hay – perhaps owing more to David Bowie’s legacy than that of any particular design scene – with their maverick approach to how we live in our homes that is so infectious. 

One thing they all share though, is a passion for putting Denmark, and more specifically Copenhagen back in its rightful place on the design map. New designers nurtured, problems of modern living solved, archive inspiration found. 

Take the Tired man chair, for example, an archive piece re-created meticulously at ByLassen, giving you a bear hug and giving us some serious future armchair goals – with its divine sheepskin upholstery, undeniably pleasing curves, and big price tag to match, demanding its place on our ultimate dream interior list. 

Or the new stationary section at Normann Copenhagen making us go wild in the aisles and their freshest young talent, Hans Hornemann, making us weak at the knees for his totally ace, Ace chair. 

For that matter, we can’t get enough of the new Hay Uchiwa chair and their ever changing eclectic cushion collection is on the verge of turning us into cushion hoarders. There is something for everyone in this new Nordic design scene, from high end luxury with a reverence to its design roots to an ever changing stationary and ceramic collection with Pop prints and a playful use of colour. 

The Danish have already proven their staying power as world class designers and now they are proving that they know how to shake it up and keep moving with the times to keep their products fresh and vital. You will certainly be seeing a Danish influence in our upcoming projects and we think once you see some of the newest designs, soon to be released, you won’t be able to resist that Copenhagen magic either. Let’s all get Totes Copes!