Exploring the Minimalistic Nordic Designs of Kristina Dam Studio

Dam Talks Danish Design Inspiration and the Roots of Her Famed Design Studio

Name:
Kristina Dam
Photography:
Photography Courtesy of Kristina Dam
Words:
Erica Nichols

It’s Kristina Dam’s detailed expertise that makes her minimalistic designs so captivating. The Copenhagen-based designer’s ability to see the refined beauty in simple lines has launched her career in designing home furnishings and accessories expressive of Nordic minimalism. For Dam, the style captivated her for its natural ability to evoke a sense of calm and tranquility. In a tech-driven and work-focused society, Dam believes people lean toward minimalistic interiors for a place to recharge and unwind from our busy, day-to-day lives. With use of natural materials and a simplistic monochromatic palette, Dam and her design studio creates stylish pieces that will stand the test of time. We spoke with her on why she thinks minimalism is so popular and which projects excite her the most.

VISUAL PLEASURE: Talk to us a little bit about how you got started, before you founded your design studio. What first drew you to the art/design world?

Kristina Dam: Since childhood, I’ve been painting and creating small hobby-like objects that I would sell by the road or that small shops would take in. I sold my first painting as a 14-year-old. My mother always mentions that I loved to re-organize my room and did this once a month— not always what my parents loved since all my belongings had to stay in the living room while I was re-decorating. I attended a high school offering classes in design and architecture and I immediately fell in love. After high school, I worked for a year in an interior store while I prepared my portfolio and refined my skills in drawing in order to apply to get into The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. My application was accepted and I entered the school at only 20-years-old. Five years later, I graduated with a Masters degree in architecture and graphic design. After working in the bureau business for five years as an illustrator, visual identity maker, and graphic designer, I wanted to start my own business—it just felt right and that "now" was the time.

Have you always been drawn to minimalism? If any, what were some of the other styles, trends or designers that influenced your earlier work?

Building and structures by Mies van Der Rohe, Tadao Ando, Oscar Niemeyer have always fascinated me. The world is complex enough, and when boiling architecture and design down to the pure essentials, I get this kind of pure and clean feeling that makes me calm. Modern design and architecture initiated by The Bauhaus School in Germany is also of great inspiration to me and I love the idea of “Gesamtkunstwerk:” the idea of bringing all the work of the art together. I try my hardest to bring art into my interior design objects. This is the reason why I always launch sculptures in my collection regardless of the fact that these structures don’t have a specific function, other than pleasing the eye of the observer. Many of the teachers at the former Bauhaus school are also of significant importance to me: Walter Gropius, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Christian Dell, and, last but not least, the work of Josef Albers.

“Nowadays, where “speed” and being extremely busy is almost a virtue, I believe that people crave a home where they can feel at ease the second they step in the door.”

— Kristina Dam

Your first product collection quickly became a success. Walk us through what that was like. Was that the moment you realized you could make this your career?

My first products were my architectural drawings, and my first sculpture was a diamond-like steel sculpture that was made in a limited edition of 100 pieces. It was sold out in no time and I was compelled to do more designs—leading to the design of my Cube tables. One thing just led to another and all of a sudden, I had a handful of small furniture and accessories to sell.

How has your design style developed over the years?

I believe that my style and graphic approach to designing is the same, but what has changed might be the scale of my work and the amount of materials I use when designing. I started with posters and small objects and then into small furniture and, for the future, I will focus more on large-scale furniture.

You create such a wide range of products. Do you favor specific projects over the others? What products or projects excite you the most?

The most recent products in my collection are always the most interesting to me. Maybe just because they are new and fresh. If I had to pick, I might say my Bauhaus Trolley, Stool, (I love the design and I was able to make both products go "flatpack") Desk Sculptures (loving how the composition of the four materials used) and Dome Vases (because of the texture and tone of the grey engobe slip).

Who or what have been your greatest sources for inspiration?

The greatest inspiration for me this very moment, when focusing on bigger furniture, is the Danish designer, Poul Kjærholm. I love his way of forming chairs, tables, and sofas. I would very much like to take his way of thinking form and structure into other materials besides the glass, leather, and steel he normally works with. But, also, Tadao Aldo, his work is state-of-the-art.

When designing a new product or collection, what are some key questions or factors you always consider? Walk us through the process.

A handful of years back I decided not to work with trend colors. All my designs are within the monochromatic palette from black to white (greyscale) and additional coloring from the type of natural material I decide to use. That unity is key in my collections because that helps you “make sense” of my universe and the quicker you’re able to do so, the more aesthetically pleasing you’ll find it. My aim is that every product I make should have a sculptural approach besides its function—hence my tagline of sculptural minimalism. Some of my designs develop from a need of that specific type of product in my own home—both my Grid Coat Stand and the Grid Coat Hanger are examples of this. Other designs develop when I visit my production, the base of my double moon mirror is actually a piece of waste marble that I found during a visit and got the idea to transform that piece into a product. I always carry my little sketchbook with me and find inspiration at art exhibitions, contemporary art museums, or fashion shows. I sketch up all my ideas, place them on my board at the studio and from there on decide what would fit into my current collection and what material to use. From there, there is a lot of prototyping, sometimes you have to kill your darlings.

Why do you think there is such a great market for minimalistic products and why so many are drawn to the style in their homes?

Simplicity is easy to understand and process, and it evokes a sense of calm and ease. Nowadays, where “speed” and being extremely busy is almost a virtue, I believe that people crave a home where they can feel at ease the second they step in the door. A minimalistic interior might help you to feel unworried and composed; I know that a minimalistic interior does that for me.