The Dinesen Apartment by David Thulstrup

Dinesen, Denmark's leading manufacturer of high-end wooden flooring, has unveiled the Dinesen Apartment by David Thulstrup in Brooklyn, New York — a temporary showroom and immersive space designed by acclaimed Danish architect David Thulstrup. The apartment will be open until February 2026, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience Dinesen wood in an intimate and beautifully curated residential setting.

Dinesen Apartment by David Thulstrup moves beyond traditional showroom displays, instead presenting Danish design within a carefully curated living space that captures the poetic essence of Dinesen wood.

"Everything I design is about crafting a sense of place," said Thulstrup. "The apartment is not just about showcasing materials — it's about evoking emotion through scale, light and texture. Dinesen's wood, grown over decades, carries a quiet power. This project allows visitors to feel that in a completely immersive way."

Located across the 1st and 2nd floors of 144 Vanderbilt Avenue, a thoughtfully designed building by SO—IL, and developed by Tankhouse, the project highlights the seamless integration of architecture, interiors and craftsmanship. Tankhouse’s contractor and developer role ensured the building became a complementary canvas for presenting Dinesen in a warm, homely context.

The pop-up showroom marks Dinesen’s first spatial venture in America. It is the brand’s second apartment concept, following the celebrated launch of the Dinesen Apartment by John Pawson at the Copenhagen showroom in 2024.

At the heart of the space is Dinesen Layers Oak in the Classic variant, chosen for its calm elegance and engineered stability. Seamless surfaces unify the interior, while select uses of Layers HeartOak add depth and character with natural cracks held by oak butterfly joints. The wood extends to cladding and a bespoke staircase in Layers Oak, a built-in bookcase in solid Oak Classic and a solid HeartOak headboard, creating a warm, continuous visual language.

The interiors are furnished with a curated mix of David Thulstrup's designs, including the Arv Collection for Brdr. Kruger and pieces by John Pawson for Dinesen. Thulstrup chose the upholstery made of Levino fabric by Sahco.

"I like to layer different timelines and characters — contemporary, classic, and crafted," said Thulstrup. "The overall mood is quiet and grounded. I wanted the atmosphere to slow down time."

Danish vintage pieces by Arne Jacobsen and Severin Hansen, by Dagmar, lend a historical layer to the space.

“We hold deep respect for materials, traditions and craftsmanship from the golden era of Scandinavian design,” said Dagmar. “We proudly share these values with Dinesen and David Thulstrup and contribute to this collaboration with reissued furniture by Danish icon Severin Hansen.”

Every element of the apartment reflects Dinesen's dedication to quality and craft. The Danish carpentry duo Ocular installed the flooring and carried out the meticulously crafted joinery details, from the half-turn staircase, wall-claddings and doors to the built-in furniture. Walls are painted in Titian, Sand and Suede, developed by David Thulstrup for Bleo. Their nuanced pigments complement the warmth of the wood and the natural light. Softness and texture are thoughtfully layered throughout the apartment, with rugs, drapery, upholstery, bedwear, blankets, towels and bathmats from Kvadrat, Sahco and Magniberg.

The finishing touches include Penumbra, a sculptural hollowware piece by David Thulstrup for Georg Jensen, and door handles from FSB, further emphasising the story of material sensitivity and Danish design heritage.

Beyond being a showroom, the Dinesen Apartment by David Thulstrup is a working residence, event space and meeting hub. It invites guests to experience Dinesen in context — light steps on Oak floors, conversations around handcrafted furniture and textures felt with the whole body.

"In an age of hyper-visual design, we wanted to offer something deeper," said Thulstrup. "Spaces should be sensed, not just seen. This apartment is an invitation to connect with materials in a way that photography alone can't convey."

Dinesen Apartment by David Thulstrup will be open by appointment until February 2026.
Schedule a visit here.

Photography by Eric Petschek

VIEW STORY

Artek Celebrates 90th Anniversary by Reintroducing Gems from the Archive

As part of Artek’s 90th anniversary in 2025, the iconic brand is reintroducing a selection of designs to honour its co-founders Aino and Alvar Aalto. These beloved pieces from the archive — both festive form and function — have been out of production for decades and are now returning to the Artek collection as limited anniversary editions or standard products.

Gems from the Archive includes Screen 100 in a wider range of heights to accommodate modern living, the return of Cabinet 250 to Artek’s standard collection, and two special limited editions of Stool X602 featuring the “X-leg”— one of Alvar Aalto’s most significant later innovations.

Screen 100 is the most architectural of Alvar Aalto’s designs — a room divider with a soft, undulating form inspired by the organic wave motif seen in many Aalto buildings. Now available in four heights — 100, 130, 150, and 180 cm — Screen 100 meets the needs of contemporary interiors, bringing both structure and sculptural elegance to a variety of spaces.

Beyond dividing rooms, Screen 100 can shield or conceal areas, create an inviting backdrop for seating, serve as an informal coat stand, or even provide an elegant, easy-to-install background for video calls — reflecting the evolving needs of the home.

Light and well-proportioned, the screen can be rolled up for storage and shaped to suit the space. It is crafted from Finnish pinewood, rather than the birchwood typically associated with Aalto furniture. Pine is a soft wood that grows throughout Finland, with a bold character that deepens into a rich patina as it ages gracefully.

Often referred to as the “cocktail cabinet,” Cabinet 250 rejoins the standard Artek collection following the success of a limited edition from the Artek + Moomin collection earlier in 2025. Simple in form and celebratory in function, its understated beauty makes it a stand-alone centrepiece for living and dining spaces, perfect for housing special tableware and refreshments.

While Cabinet 250 is credited to Alvar Aalto because of its L-leg, archival documents reveal that Aino Aalto first attached a cabinet body to this design. Its compact size and well-proportioned interior make it a practical storage unit for everyday items such as bed linen and clothing, reflecting Aino’s belief that no object or function is undeserving of aesthetic beauty.

Two special limited editions of Stool X602 celebrate ninety years of Artek, highlighting one of Alvar Aalto’s most refined innovations: the fan-shaped “X-leg.” First presented at the 1954 Konstruktiv Form exhibition at Stockholm’s Nordiska Kompaniet, the X-leg is a sculptural evolution of Aalto’s iconic L-leg. The hexagonal seat features a “curly birch” veneer applied with marquetry—a rare Finnish silver birch with wavy, irregular rings that create a fiery, richly textured pattern.

The stool is offered in two models: one fully honey-stained, the other with a honey-stained seat and natural lacquered legs, emphasizing the X-leg’s sculptural form. Each model is limited to ninety individually numbered pieces, making them unique collector’s items.

All pieces are crafted in Finland and will be available from 15 October 2025.

Photography by Joachim Wichmann, © Artek

VIEW STORY

Nordiska Kök Reveals New Interior Concept in Grand Designs Villa

Swedish brand Nordiska Kök, long admired for its timeless kitchens and meticulous craftsmanship, is expanding its vision beyond the heart of the home. The company now offers bespoke interiors for the entire house — from bathroom vanities and wardrobes to storage and custom carpentry — all designed and built in its carpentry studio in Gräfsnäs, Sweden.

The concept has been unveiled in one of Sweden’s most notable houses, Pine Edge Villa, featured on Grand Designs Sweden. Designed by architect Max Holst for magician Jonas Ljung and his family, the villa draws inspiration from the Case Study houses that redefined residential architecture in post-war America. With its concrete and wood exterior, expansive glazing, and dramatic site set amongst tall pines, the home embodies minimalism, restraint, and a deep connection to nature.

For this modernist home, Nordiska Kök designed and crafted the entire interior in dark oak. The kitchen, bathrooms, walk-in closet, wardrobes, storage solutions, and a custom-designed living room shelf were all designed as a cohesive whole. The result is an interior that merges seamlessly with the architectural expression, where minimalism, natural materials, and a consistent aesthetic form the guiding principles.

“We have long noticed a growing interest from both architects and homeowners in interiors that feel cohesive throughout the home. Extending our bespoke approach beyond the kitchen is a natural next step, always maintaining the same uncompromising quality,”

— Johan Lundkvist, Founder and Creative Director at Nordiska Kök.

Inside the villa, hand-finished oak recurs in every room, its warmth echoing the tones of the surrounding landscape. Combined with concrete, limestone, and glass, the palette is deliberately restrained, allowing light, materiality, and views of nature to take centre stage. Each detail — from the thoughtfully designed storage in the kitchen and bathrooms to the custom-built walk-in closet in the bedroom — integrates seamlessly with the architecture, reflecting Nordiska Kök’s philosophy of craft and continuity.

The project illustrates the brand’s natural evolution from kitchens to full-scale home interiors. What began with a singular focus on refined, sustainable kitchens now extends into every corner of the home, offering architectural partners and homeowners the opportunity to create interiors defined by cohesion, craftsmanship, and timeless Scandinavian design.

Credits

Home: Pine Edge Villa

Architecture: Max Holst Arkitektkontor 

Styling: Pella Hedeby⁠

Photo: Kristofer Johnsson for Nordiska Kök⁠

VIEW STORY

Forest Retreat by Norm Architects, Reimagined with Karimoku Case

Situated deep in the Swedish forests, a cabin designed by Norm Architects has been given a new life — one that feels even more entwined with its surroundings. Originally completed in 2021, Forest Retreat has now been reimagined with a curated selection of Karimoku Case furniture, adding a new layer of intimacy and refinement to the already serene escape.

Karimoku Case’s designs integrate seamlessly with the architectural character of the retreat, shaped by a shared devotion to detail, material honesty, and understated beauty. Hand-applied dolomite plaster walls, oak floors, and natural textures provide a calm canvas, with each furniture piece contributing to a harmonious whole. Generous proportions, refined ergonomics, and a language of restraint offer both visual and physical comfort, enriching the atmosphere of calm and clarity.

While this new chapter adds a distinct softness, the essence of Forest Retreat remains rooted in its original concept. Rustic yet refined, it was designed for slow living during both summer and winter months. In a modern, urbanised world that often overwhelms us with excess, the retreat demonstrates the beauty of choosing less — and steering life in a direction that creates happiness and well-being.

The secluded property comprises a main house spread across two floors and a guest annex built between the tree trunks. With the ability to host up to three families, each with their own suite, it offers both connection and privacy. The lower floor of the main house functions almost like a hotel suite, complete with bedroom, bathroom, minibar, and sauna, while the annex is entirely self-contained.

Inside, tall slender wooden cabinet doors lead from the main living space into bedrooms and bathrooms, saving space while visually elongating the rooms. Large windows and doors now open the retreat to the outside, framing valley and forest views to the east, south, and west. From dawn to dusk, daylight moves through the interiors, bringing nature inside and serving as a a visual connection between the indoor, the outdoors, and the natural environment.

As Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects explains, “Creating homes is often an exercise in restraint. And while the creation of a simple, authentic, and welcoming space might seem effortless and natural once completed, the journey to simplicity and the exercise of finding essence is often rather complex and not an easy task.”

It’s this philosophy that makes Forest Retreat so compelling. The inherent warmth and tactility of the chosen materials, paired with Karimoku Case’s refined designs, ensure the home feels rich and layered rather than sparse. Nature is ever-present, yet the interiors hold their own quiet strength — a seamless balance of rustic authenticity and timeless refinement.

Credits

Architect & Partner: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, Norm Architects 

Photography: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen

Cabinetry: Kolon 

Walls: St. Leo 

Furniture: Karimoku Case

VIEW STORY