The Nordic Kind way of living
I often get asked to help with sourcing products that are both good in quality and price, for little, one-bedroom projects, to much larger - full house - deals. I find myself turning the pages of magazines to identify emerging designers and trending online shops because everyone wants to have unique pieces in their homes, from vases to art and everything in between.
An ongoing interiors theme that is popular with many, is the nordic way of living in design: simplicity in lines and colour ways. Parents find this easy to incorporate in teenager rooms. Couples love it in living rooms and around their kitchens as it is modern and easy going and oh, so familiar. And because everyone is talking about Hygge and Lagom, the style keeps getting bigger.
With furniture giants like IKEA introducing affordable designer quality collections every year (like the Sinnerlig collection in 2015 with Ilse Crawford; and Ypperlig, their collection with Hay in 2017), buyers are looking for similarly affordable designer products to finish their rooms.
Introducing Nordic Kind
Malmo based Nordic Kind is an online retailer that answers this gap in the market, offering affordable pieces that are designed and produced by a pool of talented designers who collaborate with them directly.
Founded by Maria Richardsson who has over 9 years experience in this sector, it is a business run together with Maria's husband Kristoffer, and Louise Andersson and Jessica Johansson who joined the team earlier this year.
The common ground between the management team? The passion they have to help small independent designers grow their businesses and getting their products in front of a bigger audience.
Maria Richardsson, wearing Double Lines necklace by Saga Melina
Before launching Nordic Kind, Maria ran Nordic Design Collective which was an online marketplace for independent designers. But what they learned was that as the e-commerce landscape and customers evolve and get higher expectations, they needed to take a bigger role.
Curated Content
So this is why they decided to launch Nordic Kind instead, where collections are much more curated to make sure all products and designers are presented in the best way. And judging by the look of their website, they have done a great job on that.
I totally understand where she is coming from. A number of online marketplaces - including ETSY and TICTAIL have fallen in the showcase-as-many-indie-shops-as-possible trap over the years and although there are a number of good - great - products in there, to find them you need a four-leaf clover in every single search.
My Nordic Kind style
Inspired by the website's colours - a dusky pink that resembles Farrow & Ball's Peignoir - I can totally imagine soft leather accessories teamed with natural wood shades and the deeper, plum colours of the brand's small furniture (seen below, the contrast pouf, £293, one of my favourite pieces).
Add some drama with black accessories or throw some copper in the mix. Peytil's artwork introduces warm taupe shades which feel particularly comforting this time of the year.
For those who love gallery walls, their collection will help you create a consistent look based on colour way. Here are some examples that I virtually tried in my home office, by superimposing their prints onto my existing frames.
One cohesive collection
Nordic Kind works with designers to produce a cohesive collection of products that work in synergy and cater for a variety of styles - all obviously embracing the Scandinavian interiors trend, Hygge and Lagom.
Love black and white in your home? Perfect. Picture this: You are lounging in your living room wearing a black wooden bead necklace by Langaeble Stockholm. Sweet. A Magdalena Tyboni B&W artwork adorns the wall behind you, while a black Calabaz Street pendant line hangs low over the white coffee table where a trio of Skandinaviaform vases each hold a small eucalyptus branch. Job WELL DONE. I rest my case.
Corporate social responsibility
Passionate about design as well as about telling stories, Nordic Kind have a simple motto that should be at the heart of every business: do good things and business in a kind way. That sounds obvious but how often is it not overlooked? Social responsibility, environmental-friendly production processes should all feature highly on corporate agendas.
Richardsson praises everyone on the designer network.
"They are all so very talented when designing and creating amazing products, but as most designers they are not equally passionated about sales and marketing... And they shouldn't either! So we help them with that instead".
Beautifully products, made well, and business made kind. As a buyer, I could not ask for more. Their website features homeware and fashion products as well as art. If you are going for a complete look as an interiors stylist or homeowner then definitely have them in mind. You will be pleasantly surprised by the variety of coordinating products to help you create vignettes or finish whole rooms.
CONNECT
Find artisanal pieces that talk to you and have a story to tell. Research their designers and their stories and see if they relate to your own personal style. And don't forget to connect with Nordic Kind on Instagram here.
