Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand August / September 2015 - Art & Education Issue | Page 12

Fashion & Style

Danish Loft Design
SOLID URBAN FURNITURE

Danes are known worldwide for their love of minimalism, and Lars Thomsen and Steven Tynan, the
two Danes behind Danish Loft Design Co. are no exception. Wanderlust met with the two expats to
discuss the design philosophy and inspiration behind their beautiful, modern furniture and décor.

by Shannon Frandsen

W

hen creating, a designer
must address three elements: design, material, and
function. At Danish Loft Design, the
latter takes precedence with design
following close after. Steven explained
their practical approach as follows:
“We start with function by thinking
about the basic functions we need in
an office or a home. We all need a bed, a
chair, and a desk, for example. And then
we make sure the design is kept simple.
We focus on straight lines, no curves.
Being Danish, the design is not to be
overpowering; it’s more like a canvas.”
There are clear benefits to
adopting clean, simple designs
in furniture. Asian furniture tends
to come ornamented, which
immediately limits possibilities
from an interior design perspective.
12 WANDERLUST

Meanwhile, a simple table can be
transformed by decoration, which
the owner chooses and can change
at whim. Keeping it simple, it seems,
means keeping it flexible.
But, with dashes of cherry red
and pumpkin orange, the tables,
cupboards, chairs, and décor available
at the showroom offer more eye candy
than the typical monochrome designs
native to Denmark.
In fact, one of the
most striking design
features is the industrial
grade metal that adorns
the edges of their dining
tables and storage
boxes. Lars explains that
the intention was to
borrow from the trendy,
industrial loft style

evident Bangkok-wide but without rusty
bolts and harsh masculinity. They kept
the metal, dressed it up with industrial
bicycle paint in distinct signature colors,
and made sure the accents were part of
the design. Doing so made the furniture
mainstream or, as Steven calls it, “familyoriented.” And it’s true. What you’ll see in
Danish Loft Design Co. could work in the
offices and homes of many people.