In the world of interiors, Danish style has become synonymous with contemporary chic. So what is it about Denmark's homeware designs that has us all so enamoured?
Long known for its great design heritage (think 1950s/60s Danish legends Arne Jacobsen and Verner Panton), the designers of Scandinavia in general and Denmark in particular have retained a stranglehold on both our collective design consciousness and the high-end homeware market for decades.
With one or two notable exceptions (Malene Birger, I salute you) Scandinavia hasn't traditionally been known for its fashion design chops, so why does it excel when it comes to what's chic for the home?
Kim Dohm, founder of leading Danish (and by concession Swedish - the 5% -) homeware site www.95percentdanish.com, believes that when it comes to the appeal of Danish design: "It's all about simplicity; non-fussiness. It's about pure materials – glass, ceramics, leather and wood. With Danish furniture, there are no unnecessary fancy bits - it's all there for a purpose."
Brought up in London by Danish parents, Dohm who was surrounded by the best of Danish design from an early age adds: "In Denmark in particular, design is higher up on the list of priorities. There are 5 million people in Denmark and we know that 3 million of them are interested in the very best design products. It's a similar number in the UK, but from a population of 60 million."
For me, and at the risk of stealing a line from Ikea's latest catalogue, it's also about bringing happiness into the home. Scandinavian design is, generally speaking, feel-good design. Simple, elegant, well-thought-out shapes, bold colours and funky, unfussy prints lift a person's spirits. And it doesn't hurt that it ties-in nicely with our seemingly insatiable craving for all things retro. All this and functionality too.
Great Danes, great homeware
With this great table you can decide not only where to put it, but also its form. Made up of separate removable pieces, you can choose what height, colour and shape to have, depending on your mood.
Shuffle table by Mia Hamborg, £399, www.95percentdanish.com
Produced using an old-fashioned printing technique called surface print; this stylish black and gold wallpaper has a stencil-like finish and could bring any room back to life.
Monroe Wallpaper, £68 per roll, www.scandiliving.com
It's a toy, it's storage and it helps to achieve the dream of keeping the kids' rooms stylish while keeping them happy too. Everyone's a winner.
Small Trojan horse by Leka, £54.99, www.nordickids.co.uk
Designed in 1969 by iconic Danish designer Verner Panton, this classic lamp is as popular and relevant today as it ever was. Sometimes, simple is best.
FlowerPot lamp by Verner Panton, £252, www.95percentdanish.com
Cheer up your morning tea and toast with another feel-good Danish design classic. Available in eight vibrant shades.
Bistro toaster, £45, www.bodum.co.uk
Vibrant colours and a strikingly simple design. This is 100 per cent Danish, 100 per cent affordable and is one tea towel you won't want to hide away in a drawer.
Apple tea towel, £9.95, www.95percentdanish.com
Pricey for a tea pot, but design junkies take note – this classic was awarded the ID-prize 1967 by The Danish Society of Industrial Design.
Stelton AJ tea pot by Arne Jacobsen for Stelton, £259, www.indish.co.uk
Sleek and fresh, these childhood spinning top-inspired lights already feel like a classic.
Spinning lights, £245 and £315, www.95percentdanish.com