THE HOUSE OF MODERNITY
The Living Room
stockholm & london
The house of modernity
Modernity presents a catalogue of carefully curated spaces to showcase where the timeless elegance of vintage Nordic design meets contemporary living. The pieces in our collection were designed by some of the most innovative minds of the twentieth century. It was their belief that design should not just be admired but should be integrated into everyday life. The House of Modernity series displays various home settings that embody the essence of Nordic design – a harmonious blend of simplicity, functionality, and beauty. Each piece of design, while holding its ground as a high-end vintage collectable, has been selected by our team for its ability to create a living space that is both stylish and approachable. Our aim is to demonstrate how these exquisite pieces can bring the warmth and understated luxury of Nordic design to a home. We invite you to explore our collection, where each piece of furniture, lighting, textile, ceramic, and glass tells a unique story of craftsmanship and timeless design that is ready to become a part of your everyday life.
table lamp model 2468
josef frank
‘the egyptian table’ mogens lassen
‘FLORA’ CHEST OF DRAWERS Josef Frank
Together with Estrid Ericson and her furnishing company, Svenskt Tenn, Josef Frank developed his highly personal style with elements of Viennese elegance and Swedish functionalism. He wanted to incorporate natural forms and colours into his interiors, so that the inhabitants could breathe freely in the enclosed spaces. He believed that “ornament and complexity create peacefulness and get rid of the disturbing aspect of pure functional form.” A perfect example of this ideology is the presented ‘Flora’ chest of drawers. For this project, Frank used hand-coloured botanical paper prints from Carl Lindman’s book ‘Bilder ur Nordens Flora’, which he then delicately applied onto the mahogany front of the piece. The contrast between the delicate floral motifs and heavy wooden form instils the chest with a light, playful and organic sense. Contrasting materials evoke an echo of the past, but create an indisputably modern piece.
Rug ‘Nyponblomman’ Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Märta Måås-Fjetterström established her workshop in 1919 in the small coastal town of Båstad, in the south-west of Sweden. Over the course of the next decades, she would become one of the most prominent figures in the history of the Scandinavian textile industry; the woman who took textile into the realm of fine art. By bringing traditional weaving techniques back to life, she produced compelling work of exceptional quality and craftsmanship. The exceptional craftsmanship used in weaving the rugs have long been recognised by people in the industry. Her works merge rural Nordic traditions with modernist trends in an unparalleled way. Increasingly, these rugs are being considered by collectors as genuine works of art. They can be found in many museums such as: The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Louvre, Trondheim’s Museum in Norway, The National Museum (Stockholm), The Röhsska Museum of Design and Decorative Arts (Gothenburg), Nordiska museet (Stockholm) and many others.
Pair of chairs model ‘Lovö’ axel einar hjorth
cabinet ‘Lovö’
axel einar hjorth
Table lamp model 9224 paavo tynell
The table lamp in the image is a rare brass piece, model 9224, also known as the Horseshoe Lamp, designed by Paavo Tynell for Idman Oy in the 1950s. This Scandinavian Modern style lamp is characterized by an adjustable brass shade that can be positioned as needed. The stem is wrapped in leather, adding a touch of elegance and tactile quality. It also features the original manufacturer’s stamp, indicating its authenticity. One of the best loved and most acclaimed Finnish designers – Paavo Tynell (1890-1973) was born in Helsinki, Finland, in 1890. He was an industrial designer, often referred to as ‘the man who illuminated Finland’ through his world-renowned and extremely soughtafter work, formed mostly from perforated and polished brass. He was a true pioneer of Nordic lighting design, with his early work proving to be of a functionalist nature during the first stages of his awe-inspiring career. Tynell became the lighting designer of choice for a number of distinguished architects including Aarne Ervi and the remarkable Alvar Aalto. He went on to be the managing director of his own company, Taito Oy, into the late 1930’s. The growing accessibility of electricity during this time meant that more and more private households were looking to install light fixtures; thus, hugely boosting sales for Taito Oy and spreading the word of Tynell’s classical yet charming aesthetic.
Sofa ‘Utö’
axel einar hjorth
From 1927 to 1938, Axel-Einar Hjorth was the chief architect and designer at the department store Nordiska Kompaniet in Stockholm—which was known as one of the most important producers of modernist furniture in Sweden. Hjorth’s Utö line forms part of his sportstugemöbler (cabin furniture) collection, which was designed for the vaction homes of Nordiska Kompaniet’s affluent clientele in the Swedish Archipelago.
floor lamp ‘bridge’ severin hansen jr.
lounge chair ‘pernilla 3’ bruno mathsson
Trolley model 900 alvar aalto
Alvar Aalto’s trolley model 900 has become a classic piece emblematic of mid-century modern design. The Tea Trolley 900 was initially created for the World Exhibition in Paris in 1937 and showcases Aalto’s modernist approach, which was influenced by British tea culture and Japanese woodwork and architecture. The trolley’s design includes a ceramic tile serving tray and a handmade rattan basket for storage. Alvar Aalto is a recognised master of modern architecture and design. His work includes furniture and houseware designs, which evolved organically from his architectural work. Aalto’s singular aesthetic defined Finnish design like no other. Through attention to detail and an innovative use of materials, his pieces achieve a sense of harmony with nature whilst combining functionalism with beauty.
Vase ‘Surrea’ Wilhelm Kåge
The ‘Surrea’ vase was made by Wilhelm Kåge for Gustavsberg in 1940. The Swede began his career as a painter before becoming Gustavsberg’s artistic director between 1917 and 1949. It was during this time that Kåge developed numerous ceramic designs that were infused with what he had learned from the modern movements in painting and sculpture. The ‘Surrea’ vase, for example, can be seen as a nod to Cubism because of the way the vase is cut in half and attached to the bowl, resulting in one unified form. Acquired from Kåge’s own collection, this vase is one of the most prominent ceramic pieces in our collection.
stockholm
london
Sibyllegatan 6 114 42 Stockholm Sweden
Newson’s Yard 57 Pimlico Road London SW1W 8NE United Kingdom
info@modernity.se +46 8208025
london@modernity.se +44 (0)20 3931 8937