ferm LIVING

DANISH DESIGN - MADE WITH LOVE ferm LIVING draws on Scandinavian design traditions and simple aesthetics - but with a distinctive graphic edge that makes every item firmly contemporary. ferm LIVING is rooted in Denmark, where Trine Andersen founded a graphic design studio in 2005. The decision to start her own business sprang from a personal vision of a bird on a branch, ready to take off. That bird remains a part of the ferm LIVING logo today. ferm LIVING soon expanded into design and interior products. As Trine found herself unable to find wallpaper with the kind of graphic design she wanted, she took matters into her own hands – and her first wallpaper collection was launched in February 2006. The response from design-conscious audiences worldwide was overwhelming, and now a full and constant growing range of interior products is available around the globe. Besides sales on the homemarket, Denmark, ferm LIVING work closely together with agents/distributors around the world. Even so, all designs remain rooted in the Danish soil, where it all began. A HOUSE FULL OF PRODUCTS Within the ferm LIVING ”house”, you will find products for every room in your home. The range includes wallpaper, textiles, decorative objects, wallstickers, designs for the kitchen, bathroom and office as well as a large collection for kids. The designs come in many different materials: organic cotton, recycled paper, leather, wood, porcelain and metals. Simply put, ferm LIVING favours honest materials that craftsmen have used for millennia – and prefers sustainable and organic alternatives where feasible. The shape of a house is a recurring feature in ferm LIVING designs. The products are made for people’s homes, and the simple house shape is an iconic symbol that just says “home”. That is why the house shape is a graphic key element on ferm LIVING labels, business cards, shop inventory – and of course also in the ferm LIVING product design. A WORD FROM THE FOUNDER “The name ”ferm” was actually inspired by my grandmother. When she said that someone was “ferm på fingrene” – i.e. skilled with their hands, literally “good with their fingers” – it was high praise indeed. I like to think that she would approve of the ferm LIVING range; it is modern, but also has a reassuring homelike quality – and we try to make sure that every piece is made well.” “My designs have always been based in my own life. The very first wallpaper came into being because I couldn’t find the sort of crisp, graphic design I wanted. So, I simply decided that if I wanted a specific graphic style someone else might want it too – and went ahead and did it. Later, we became parents, and faced a similar situation when it came to design elements for children’s rooms. Later still, we found ourselves needing new things, as we moved into a bigger, loft-like home. Everyday life is my inspiration.” “I have never created anything on the basis of strategy or cool calculation; it has to come from the heart for me. I am very happy and grateful – and still somewhat surprised! – to see that these designs have appealed to so many people worldwide. And I still stick to the same design philosophy that began it all – doing what feels right. Then it has a much better chance of feeling right for someone else too.”