Sustainability & Design
Pelican chair being handcrafted in Copenhagen, 3 Days of Design, 2025.
What does sustainability mean to you?
For us, the most sustainable choices we can make - are to invest in quality, buy vintage and restore our furniture and homes.
Adopting a long term mindset is one of the key values prevalent in Denmark that I believe we are not fully embracing just yet, here in Australia.
There have been many studies showing that, over time, the person that bought 1 quality chair and held it for 30 years, is miles ahead of another person that bought a cheap and cheerful chair, several times over - they've spent much less and the environment is also grateful, saving land fill, production costs and a stream of other benefits.
Our approach to design embraces this very Danish ethos - we place great emphasis on sourcing quality and vintage pieces to restore and make your own, that are above all, practical for everyday living. Just like the Danes, we understand that good design is an integral part of everyday life and therefore a wise investment, to prioritise good design, through quality over quantity.
And on the home/building side, our floor plan reviews often uncover clever ways to utilise the current spaces you have, with no need for an extension. It is about being strategic and smart with your budget and scope, knowing where to invest and where to pull back and every square metre counts.
Buy once, buy well
Build once, build well
When I visited my Danish family & friends last year, it was 30 years since I first met them and shared home cooked meals, coffee and hygge together at their dining tables.
I felt all the feels last year, I shed a few happy tears with them all, as I am so grateful for the connections and the path I have taken as a result of my year living in Denmark.
Enjoying a celebration dinner at Parliament House, celebrating 30 years of love and friendship
Last June, we all gathered for dinner (with lots of grandkids now in tow). With candles lit and plenty of chatter, we sat around the same Piet Hein dining table (now extended for 12), on the same dining chairs (Series 7), under the same pendant light that they had 30 years ago when I first arrived!
Quite a remarkable feat for many of us in Oz, but definitely not for Danes - investing long term is normalised and anything else is almost frowned upon.
Good design stands the test of time- Denmark might be a small country, but they punch above their weight when it comes to sustainable living and adopting a 'less is more' approach to their homes and lifestyle.
Here are a couple of images from 1995 and 2025 - my ongoing love affair with Denmark and Design :-)
Here I am, 17 in Copenhagen, with my Mum and Nan visiting for Mum’s 40th, her first time overseas. We had just devoured Lotte’s amazing food, including some Danish classics - Roasted pork and Rhubarb with cream for dessert.
I will cherish these memories forever and the gift of living in Denmark, that has given me so much over the last 30 years.
June 2025, Copenhagen