Norwegian Design with a Sense of Humour

Norwegian design is coming out of the shadow of its Scandinavian neighbours and is developing a reputation of its own. It is a mixture of quiet understatement and ecological awareness--and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The Harvest coat hook (pictured) shows how functional an old rake can be. It comes in a range of bright colours and can be used inside or out—for keys, hats, coats or bags. The Elk is a free standing coat stand, with four interlocking “antlers” of polished laminates. Both are designed by Hive, a London-based Norwegian design studio that likes to do ironic re-evaluations of ready-made products. They do a playful stool that is made of upturned wooden coat hangers which form the slatted seat. Simplicity and functionality ( sounds almost Canadian). :: Hive :: 100% Norway at the London Design Festival