Copenhagen-based textile designer Margrethe Odgaard plays with perception of colour and space in this line of satin-woven curtains for Danish brand Kvadrat.
Debuted at this year's Stockholm Furniture Fair, the new curtain collection includes three different styles: Diorama, Panorama and Suite.
Diorama has a delicate pinstripe effect, whilst Panorama has a subtle split in the middle where the direction of weave changes, and Suite has bold vertical stripes in contrasting shades.
All three designs boast a rich colour palette, dyed in a range of 32 colours. They also all features one half that is a "polarised mirror of the other", as one section uses a weave with a subtle shimmer effect, while the other has a more matt finish.
Odgaard looked to classic architecture and interior design when creating the three patterns, finding particular inspiration from the technique of wainscoting – a type of wooden panelling that lines the lower parts of the walls in a room.
Her designs put a modern spin on these historical traditions through the use of horizontal lines.
"When creating the collection, I did a lot of research into traditional interior architecture," said Odgaard.
"During the baroque period in the 1700s, for instance, it was common to divide walls with profiled timber one third of the way from the floor and up. In contrast, French modernism was characterised by the practice of extending the ceiling one third down the wall," she explained.
"The perception of a space depends on where the dividing line is set, and can be used to make a room look larger," she continued. "A low dividing line gives an impression of an overview, whereas a high dividing line adds a sense of security, as if you are in a 'pocket'."
Odgaard based the tonal palette for the curtains on her Northchromatic colour concept, which is built on a binary system of two pairs, such as warm and cold, or light and dark. She translates these pairings into a variety of shades on a colour wheel.
"Northchromatic reflects the light and colour spectrum that is so particular for the Northern hemisphere," said Odgaard.
"Used in interiors, it can influence the atmosphere of a room and create moods that range from vivid and stimulating to light and calming, or dark and dramatic."
Odgaard's curtain collection was displayed at the 2019 Stockholm Furniture Fair, which took place from 4 to 10 February.
To coincide with the launch, Kvadrat also hosted a colour workshop with Odgaard at its new Stockholm flagship showroom, designed by Bouroullec Studio.
A collaboration between Kvadrat, Really and Vitra was also exhibited in this space during the fair, where the brands presented pieces from the Vitra collection made out of Solid Textile Board by Really, in a bid to invite discussion about circular design.
"By casting new light on the possibilities of material, the pieces will evoke broader conversations about the circular economy and the potential of sustainable design to change the way we think about resources," said Kvadrat.
Copenhagen-based designer Karina Nielsen Rios recently developed a line of outdoor upholstery fabrics for Kvadrat that are both hardwearing and eco-friendly, made from a highly durable, flame-retardant polyester.
Both were shown at Stockholm Furniture Fair, which took place from 5 to 9 February as part of Stockholm Design Week.