Deliciously Danish

SIX MONTHS after opening a pop-up shop at Siam Center, Danish design brand Hay has decided to call Bangkok its home, opening a flagship store – the first in Southeast Asia – with a full range of products to fit every corner of living space.

Sharing the floor with other furniture and home decor brands at the newly renovated Siam Discovery in downtown Bangkok, Hay is outstanding for its Scandinavian minimal yet playful designs that combine cutting-edge technology with innovative research. The 150 square-metre shop is divided into different rooms – living, working and dining – with full-scale, practical household items from chairs, lounges, tables and stools to coffee mugs, glasses, and stationery.

Hay has come to Thailand courtesy of young entrepreneur Veekrit Palarit of Norse Republics who fell in love with the brand’s talent for combining simple and eco-friendly design while he was studying at Instituto Europeo di Design in Milan. 

“Hay is actually a young brand. It was founded by designer couple Matte and Rolf Hay in 2002 and quickly became known internationally for its functional, minimalist and accessible furnishings. The brand collaborates with both up-and-coming and established designers and that’s where it gets its quirky and unconventional ideas,” says Veekrit, 31.

Veekrit adds that the brand never uses advertising campaigns to bring its products to the public eye but instead relies on word of mouth. More remarkably the prices are identical everywhere on the global market, though they are subject to 10-per-cent tax here in Thailand.

“The brand’s playful notebook and pen first caught my eye and led me to learn more about Hay. Its priority is furniture that’s designed with functionality and craftsmanship in mind to meet the lifestyle of urbanites living in compact spaces. People are more knowledgeable and always on the move these days. They know what’s best for them and they know what they can expect. They pay attention to the details and want quality as well as style, whether it’s a coffee mug or a pen,” he adds.

Hay’s new outdoor furniture collection Palissade designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec is a highlight of the newly opened store. Though all the 13 pieces in the collection are made from powder-coated steel, they don’t look visually solid thanks to the angles, curves and the juxtaposition between the frames and slats. Available in black, white and olive, the collection includes dining chairs, tables, low stools, bar stools, benches, a dining bench, lounge chairs and a sofa, each geometrically designed to perfectly suit its function.

Also for use outdoors is the dining chair Hee, named for its designer Hee Welling. Aesthetically pleasing and functional, the chairs are stackable and rust resistant. 

 The signature collection is called Copenhague and was the first collaboration between Hay and the Bouroullec brothers. Originally created for the redesigned University of Copenhagen, it features wooden chairs, bar stools and tables in different sizes from 1.80 metres to three metres in length to suit every room. And again not only does the furniture look good, but it is also convenient with such functional qualities as stackability, durability and ease of cleaning among the design priorities. The base of the table is solid oak while the tabletop offers a choice between plywood and linoleum in black, white, grey or green. 

 “The Copenhague chair is also designed to stack with others to save space when it’s not in use. The chair appears to fold out of the trestle style legs, giving the seat a sense of mobility and lightness, despite its sturdy nature,” says Veekrit. “Hay’s furniture is usually based on the natural colour of beech and oak instead of the darker walnut. The upholstered fabrics for the sofa and lounge chair are made from 100-per-cent wool by the leading Danish textile manufacturer Kvadrat with abrasion resistance from 80,000 to 100,000 cycles. We offer more than 400 types of textiles from which to choose with a waiting time of six to eight weeks from order to delivery.”

Another striking piece is the Uchiwa armchair designed by Doshi Levien who took inspiration from a traditional Japanese rigid hand-held fan. It has a curved high-backed hard plastic shell that can be upholstered in textile or leather on both the front and the back. 

Part of the About a Chair collection is the curvy chair AAC 22 designed by Hee Welling with the four-legged frame in oak and a polypropylene shell. Three upholstery options are available: full upholstery of the whole shell, upholstery on the front of the rounded shell, and a seat cushion. Ideal for a bar or a kitchen counter is the Revolver Stool, designed by Leon Ransmeier, which is a versatile seat that can turn 360 degree. Though it’s made from powder-coated steel, it’s characterised by its slim, slightly dished seat that’s curved on the edge for comfort. 

A great addition to any table and kitchen is a simple but elegant round serving tray in both metallic gold and rainbow-coloured steel. The tray is perfect to hold the Tela glassware collection that’s formed by blowing molten glass into a stitched textile bag, giving a textile-like look to the outer surface.

The playful essence of Hay is evident from the Gym Hooks that resemble a gymnast swinging from the rings. Designed by Staffan Holm, the wooden hooks come |in different colours and sizes and are perfect for hanging just about everything. 

 

SIMPLE ELEGANCE

Hay is on the third floor of Siam Discovery. It’s open daily from 10 to 10.

Call (090) 915 9788 or visit www.NorseRepublics.com.