Check out this incredible shot of a cargo ship in Kronstadt, Russia, passing through frozen waters of the Gulf of Finland. Located on Kotlin Island, the city of Kronstadt is linked to the mainland via the St. Petersburg Dam, a 16-mile long (25 km) combination levee-causeway-seagate. The record low temperature in this part of Russia is −35.9°C (−32.6 °F).
The town of Schuld, Germany, suffered widespread devastation when the Ahr River overflowed its banks during severe rains last week. Flooding damage was widespread throughout Western Germany and the surrounding countries, with high waters inundating towns, collapsing bridges and homes, and causing the deaths of nearly 200 people. The second image here shows an Overview of the Ahr River with its overflowed banks passing through the towns of Liers, Schuld, and Insul.
When thinking of Norway, one is likely to picture awe-inspiring landscapes, fjords, oil and fishing industries. And, perhaps, Edvard Munch’s The Scream.
Some lesser-known facts about Norway are its rich design history and a long tradition of craftsmanship ranging from boat building, weaving, felting to rosemaling, Viking art and furniture making. Yet somehow, Norway is often overshadowed by its neighbours in Denmark, Sweden and Finland.
Enter Eikund. A furniture company ready to shake things up and prove that Norway is no underdog of Nordic design.
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The company is inspired by Norway’s pristine natural environment. “We never take nature for granted. We’re inspired by nature every day, to find ways to improve and do better.” Read more about Eikun’s Green initiatives here. Photos taken at Egersund by Bjørn Hagen Aakre.
Eikund’s mid-century designers (left to right): Eikund Fredrik, Kayser Torbjorn & Bekken Arne Tjomslan.
Oya Dining Table.
Hertug Dining Chair.
Veng Armchair.
Founded in Hellvik in 2016 by Morten Hippe, Frode Tingbø and Jørgen Tengesdal, Eikund’s mission is to uncover long-lost Norwegian design classics and bring them back into production for the world to enjoy. The discovery of these designs was a real labour of love, which saw them scouring attics and archives to source original drawings and information about each product.
Stylecraft now welcomes the Norwegian company into their stable of leading European brands, exclusively bringing these iconic pieces to the Australian market. Eikund’s collection represents the work of several designers who were prominent during the 50s and 60s, aka ‘The Golden Era’ of Norwegian design, such as Fredrik Kayser, Torbjørn Bekken and Bendt Winge.
Fluffy Lounge in Black. Fluffy is made from European oak and American walnut, combined with Norwegian sheepskin.
Norweigan sheep, Spælsau.
According to Eikund, “a great product is timeless by design, made in durable, quality materials that are made to last.” We couldn’t agree more.
The company is committed to sustainable production across the board. Shown here is eco-friendly vegetable-tanned leather, a natural material managed using processes and chemicals that are safer for the environment.
The re-issued chairs, lounge chairs, tables and accessories aren’t recreations but rather original designs themselves. Equal parts elegant and nostalgic, each item has been designed and manufactured to withstand daily use and to be passed through generations. These timeless pieces make for wonderful additions to homes as well as retail spaces, bars, restaurants and hotels.
A stunning combination of classic mid-century aesthetic and high-quality manufacturing, Eikund’s collection is perfectly poised to stand the test of time, exemplifying simple, functional and superbly crafted design.
The range includes three chairs from Fredrik A. Kayser, a well-loved Scandinavian furniture designer from the mid-twentieth century. “His furniture is characterized by elegant design and material sensitivity, with a rare sense of proportions and composition,” explain the founders.
Krysset leather upholstery is from Eikund’s house range includes natural, dark brown or black with the rope for the sewn backrest in a matching colourway. The timber frame is available in solid Oak in white oil, natural oil, black stain or soaped finish or solid Walnut with an oil finish.
With its distinctive cross-legged silhouette, Krysset lounge chair is his most notable piece and a true Norwegian icon. Designed in 1955, Krysset features a solid timber frame with an aniline leather backrest stretched out like a sail and sewn into the frame.
“The front and back legs are fixed together by four wood nails that in a refined way emphasize the construction,” explain the founders. “Kayser was inspired by the trends of the time, but always managed to give his creations a unique personal touch, with an elegance that made them instant classics.”
Fluffy is available in both a white and black fur version with various wood base options including; soaped oak, white oiled oak, oiled oak and smoked oak. This is a brand-new species that can live simply anywhere. Photo by Anna Stathaki.
Kayser’s Fluffy Lounge Chair is another standout in the collection. Ok, seriously though – how freaking fun is this chair?! Draped in ultra-soft Norwegian sheepskin, its sloping armrests basically pull you in for a welcoming embrace.
“Kayser graduated from National Academy of Craft and Art Industry back in 1945 and the lounge chair was designed while being employed at Rastad & Relling Tegnekontor,” explain the founders. “It combines both art and function into one, a floating cloud of fluffiness that builds on the past for the present.”
Hertug Dining Chair.
Evja Coffee Table.
Veng Armchair.
Designed by Puroplan, Amerikalinjen Hotel in Oslo is a project layered with subtle nostalgic references as well as forward-thinking design.
The guest rooms feature an assortment of iconic pieces from Eikund including Torbjørn Bekken’s Evja coffee tables, Veng armchairs and Hertug dining chairs. There is also a bespoke black version of Fluffy commissioned by the owner, Petter Stordalen.
Designed in 1955 by Arne Tjomsland, Isbjørn is characterized by simplified organic shapes and soft yet defined lines. It’s available in two sizes and in natural Oak or white satin lacquer.
An unexpected member of the collection is Isbjørn, Arne Tjomsland’s delightful interpretation of a polar bear dating back to 1955. “Arne Tjomsland was Norway’s leading designer of small-scaled figures in the 1950s and ‘60s, a self-taught creator originally working with advertisement and toy design. He gave shape to animals from the Nordic fauna, as well as Inuits and Vikings, in wood and whalebone.”
Isbjørn was first made from teak and was inspired by Polar literature that Tjomsland read as a child and the time he spent with his father at the Zoological Museum in Oslo.
For more information on Eikund collections exclusively available at Stylecraft, visit stylecraft.com.au/eikund.
Tim Veresnovsky lends his keen eye to a project on the smaller side in this 49 metre squared apartment for a young yacht enthusiast, appropriately located overlooking the river Neva in St Petersburg, Russia. A studio well versed in solutions – and always up for a challenge, Veresnovsky shifted the focus away from the paltry number of square metres, drawing the eye instead to an optical illusion of space.
Fiercely ambitious and never afraid to be daring, I’m thinking of that Vintage PEDUS bed from 1969, the designer got creative with the interior. Texturally graphic and starkly monochrome, the first glimpse of this apartment may leave you thinking it feels overly contrasting or even cold, yet these carefully considered accents are what yield the project to its startingly roomy appearance.
Objects and furniture seemingly dissolve into the walls and additional space and air is freed up through the explicit distinction between the positive and negative, creating a welcome deception.
White chairs by Eugenio Gerli float against the background of the white walls and ceiling, while a black bench and coffee table lose volume and enter the 2D plane. The reversible monochrome graphics of the upholstery and headboard reflect the black and white checkered carpet, while the curved lines of textiles serve as a bridge to the slopes and skirting boards made from marble slabs. A vintage Italian satellite chandelier and modernist “plump” black vases from the Kyiv brand Fainadesign add playful silhouettes to their crisp surroundings.
The apartment has a softer side too with honey-amber wood framing cushioning the geometric forms and repetition of circular motifs in rosettes and vases. The warmth of the poplar root kitchen extends to the bathroom with the rare amber Giallo Siena marble trim defining the arched vanity.
Exploring the realms of perceptions this compact apartment has taken an illusory approach to its interiors. Light, playful and witty it’s a design of deception you can feel good about.
The Great Pyramids of Giza are located on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. Dating back to 2580 BC, the Great Pyramid, the largest structure at the site, is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one to remain largely intact. With an estimated 2.3 million stone blocks weighing 2 to 30 tons each, the 481-foot-tall (146-meter) pyramid was the tallest structure in the world for more than 3,800 years.
Waves roll into Ipanema Beach in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Recognized as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, the sand is divided into segments by lifeguard towers known as ‘postos’.
Lava and ash billow out of Mount Raung, one of the most active volcanoes on the island of Java in Indonesia. Raung towers more than 10,000 feet above sea level and was captured here during a powerful eruption in 2015 with a short-wave infrared satellite camera. The ash produced during this activity forced the closure of numerous airports on the island.
Today is Bastille Day, or La Fête Nationale, as it is known in France. The holiday commemorates the start of the French Revolution, which began in 1789 with the Storming of the Bastille, a fortress and prison. In celebration, we’re sharing some of our favorite Overviews of French cities — (1) Nice, (2) Paris, (3) Lyon, and (4) Marseille. Joyeux Quatorze Juillet!
Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia that is the largest religious monument in the world — first it was Hindu, then Buddhist. Constructed in the 12th century, the 820,000-square-meter site features a moat and forest that harmoniously surround a massive temple at its center.