Brand Spotlight: Eikund
Eikund’s mission to relaunch classic Norwegian furniture designs from the mid-20th century has been a labour of love. Uncovering hidden gems that could be brought to life, they have created a new brand which takes its name from one of the most ancient places in the country.
Eikund’s mission to relaunch classic Norwegian furniture designs from the mid-20th century has been a labour of love. Uncovering hidden gems that could be brought to life, they have created a new brand which takes its name from one of the most ancient places in the country.
Why is Mid-Century Scandinavian design so enduring?
There is one main reason to why Scandinavian design is so enduring in the world of furniture. In my opinion, the most defining reason is its versatility. It works in all kinds of interiors, from a new minimalist setting to a traditional old environment, it kind of goes with everything. Even though I think that versatility is the main reason, it is not the only reason. Other aspects like materials, craftsmanship, quality, also helps convince the buyer, it is not a cheap trend-based throw away product. It has that “extra” vibe; minimalistic and exciting at the same time.
To what extent have you had to adapt the designs of the 50’s and 60’s for modern living?
We have made small changes to some of our products to make them more suitable for today’s living. The Veng armchair had for example leatherette and not natural leather. We decided to go for the real thing. There have also been some adjustments to certain measurements, like seat height on a dining chair or width on the dining table leaf. These are no major changes, only necessary adjustments for the needs of today.
Have modern production methods made it easier to produce these designs?
The combination of craftsmanship and modern production is still complex. Many products from the mid-century era were not designed for a large-scale serial production, modern machines make this possible, but most details have to be done by hand.
Which design from the archives have you most enjoyed bringing to life?
Every process of bringing a product back to life has been different, but each individual product has been a confirmation of our initial assumptions for the Eikund collection; we love them all!
Do you have any projects coming up this year that you are particularly excited about?
The boutique hotel in Oslo named Amerikalinjen is my favorite! It will open now in March 2019 and has a similar concept to Eikund. They preserve the story of the building and focus on bringing back everything that was good with the design. We will help them to tell a complete story, giving them a package of five different furniture pieces to complete the look.
Can you tell us about any new designs that you are currently researching for development?
We have currently a new dining chair under development, designed by Sven Ivar Dysthe in 1956. This is a chair that has a combination of steel and wood, and it’s a bit more modern than the other products we have. The Era chair is our first stackable chair and therefore a super chair for both the retail and contract market.
A fun fact worth mentioning about Dysthe, is that he designed the giftbox containing the royal crown for Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953, while he was studying at the Royal College of Art in London.
Who is Eikund’s ideal customer?
People who value good design! By this I mean customers who appreciate the timeless form and quality of an Eikund product.. knowing that buying cheap often is the same as buying twice!
Could you describe Eikund in 3 words
Heritage, Craftsmanship and Edgy.
