Known as the lifestyle magazine of creatives, Kinfolk has in just a few years garnered a large global following with its keen focus on art and design. Inspired by the Scandinavian way of living, the magazine in 2015 decided to move from Portland to Copenhagen, where they opened the doors to their new gallery.
Commercial — Copenhagen
Norm Architects
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Bespoke furniture in Oak
The magazine Kinfolk was established in 2011 by Nathan Williams, a then 24-year-old Canadian expatriate living in Portland. By delving deeply into the concepts of home, work, style and culture, the magazine from the very beginning stood out by advocating creativity, a slower pace and quality of life over rampant consumerism and digital immersion casting a sidelong glance to the Scandinavian way of living. The Scandinavian lifestyle crept under the skin of the Kinfolk’ers in such a way that they decided to move the organisation to Copenhagen in 2015, where they opened a new office.
Danish Norm Architects is behind the design of the new Kinfolk workspace. The local studio worked closely with Nathan Williams, and Kinfolk communications director Jessica Gray, to develop the design, which features a gallery as well as an office. The aim was to create a collaborative space where friends and partners of Kinfolk can come together to share ideas and showcase their work.
With inspiration from both Scandinavian and Japanese design, the interior architecture is minimalist, but thoughtful with attention to every little detail. The colour palette consists of soothing, warm greys, white and black, mixed with fair wood and metals for contrast. Every single tone, nuance and material in the space has been carefully selected to create a harmonious and natural feel that is suited for the Kinfolk credo of slow living.
The new space is divided into three different zones increasing in privacy as they recede back from the street entrance. The first space functions as a gallery, while the second space is designed to be more like a dining or living room, with a large, round table in the middle and shelving on the wall, both elements bespoke made in Dinesen Oak. In addition, the space also features a small lounge area with plush orange sofas and a glass coffee table.
In the final section is an open-plan workspace disconnected from the public areas – both physically and in terms of style. The office area has heavy curtains, sandy-toned walls and is furnished with banks of tables designed by Norm Architects and produced by the Danish design company Paustian in Dinesen Oak.