Northmodern
Copenhagen
13-15 January
Review by Gareth Gardner

KK Daybed from By KlipKlap

Contemporary Denmark isn't all about brutal murders whose investigators wear iconic knitwear. The flipside is a reputation for laid-back friendliness, an atmosphere pervading north modern in Copenhagen. The design show aims to be 'sharply curated', yet the ambience is so genial it's easy to forget you are visiting a trade fair.

DOMU lampshade by Droobski

In its third edition, the latest show was split into several components, including two decent-sized halls of furniture and satellite spaces featuring, among other things, student work, handmade crafts and sustainable design.

Droid floor lamp by Rewired

Possibly the biggest challenge facing the twice-yearly show's latest outing was that it kicked off a winter extravaganza of design fairs including the behemoths imm cologne and Maison&Objet in Paris, not to forget Scandi rival the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair. In contrast, northmodern's relatively diminutive size is very much in its favour, as is the consistent high quality of its exhibitors.

Detroit light by Pierre Coddens

The influence of Dutch modernism was felt everywhere, with more timber than you could shake a stick at. The results included the reconfigurable KK Daybed system from By KlipKlap and Noyer's beautiful tables, seemingly hewn from solid walnut tree trunks and sawn into angular shapes with copper connections.

B15 lamp by Jordi Veciana for Parachilna

Other notable Scandi offerings included Handvärk's dining table with a slender frame topped with marble tiles, Menu's equally spindly midcentury-style Afternoon Bench, and Ferm Living's stackable Herman chair, designed by Aarhus-based Herman Studio. Blå Station's Couronne 'easy to place' table picked up a vibe harking back to the manufacturer's roots in the Eighties.

Conference table by Noyer. Image: hagedornhagen

As well as a smorgasbord of furniture, there was also a feast of lighting products to gorge on.

Rewired, an offspring of Danish hotel-lighting specialist Frandsen Project, showcased its growing range, including pendants originally created in the Fifties by architecture practice Fries & Moltke, as well as the similarly modernist vibe of its Droid floor lamp. More flamboyant in their appearance were Droobski's pleated pendant shades, each painstakingly hand-folded by owner Morten Droob.

While most exhibitors were from Denmark, there was decent representation from further afield. Vienna-based chmara.rosinke demonstrated conceptual pieces alongside the more practical 'cucina futurista' range, including chairs fabricated from bent metal tubes and dining tables seamlessly combining timber and marble.

cf2.0 chair by chmara.rosinke

A Belgian group stand combined art pieces such as Observer by Jonas Van Put, which places an Arne Jacobsen Butterflychair perilously atop a 5.2m-tall tower, with more practical offerings including Detroit lamps by Pierre Coddens in colours straight from the set of Miami Vice.

Further lighting inspiration came from Studio Truly Truly, established in the Netherlands by Australian design duo Joel and Kate Booy. Its Levity light combines an LED source inside a woven textile exterior, its form dictated by gravity's pull. Spanish manufacturer Parachilna unveiled its versatile B15 lamp, designed by Jordi Veciana, made from aluminium with an extruded glass diffuser, which can be hung either horizontally or vertically.

northmodern's relaxed environment at Copenhagen's Bella Center. Image: Gareth Gardner

There were enough exclusive product launches and exhibitors not showing elsewhere to make northmodern a worthwhile trip. This is likely to further improve in 2017 with a shift to one show a year, accompanied by a greater focus on the contract furniture market.

And while located towards the edge of the city, northmodern's venue the Bella Center is set to become the heart of a new mixed-use neighbourhood. It's also next to a metro station, with a zippy 10-minute journey to the city centre. So there is ample reason to combine a visit to the show with a stroll around Copenhagen's friendly streets, with barely a dismembered corpse in sight.