How to luxuriate in quotidian stillness: the timeless appeal of Scandinavian design

Quotidian stillness is not by any means confined to the sound of silence. More often than not, it lies in shapeshifting, kaleidoscopic bursts of humanness. Not measurable or definable yet powerful enough to move mountains. Quotidian stillness is about connection. Founded by Carl Philip Bernadotte and Oscar Kylberg in collaboration with Nordic Nest, renowned design e-tailer that has been making functional simplicity and timeless beauty accessible since 2002, NJRD (pronounced “Njord”) is a Swedish design brand that has raptured the world of Scandinavian design with a fresh perspective following its launch in 2020.

NJRD’s design language blends modernity and simultaneously pays homage to Scandinavian design traditions. Narrative-driven, meticulously crafted and a rhapsody that awakens the senses, the brand’s new winter collections entitled VIOR and ASPEKT put the accent on individualistic, personal experience in the realm of Scandinavian-style domesticity. 

Featuring a dining table, chairs, and a kitchen sofa and named after the Norse word for “wood,”  VIOR marks a new chapter for NJRD as the brand’s debut furniture collection. The pieces combine the warmth of oak with organic, inviting shapes and thus inspire meaningful dialogues and moments of togetherness. ASPEKT feels more like a natural extension of the brand’s DNA–the collection of vibrantly-colored wool rugs conveys a shift away from the linear perspectives found across previous collections toward more urban and contemporary compositions. 

Since its inception in 2012, design studio Bernadotte & Kylberg has been building a rich portfolio of distinct collaborative designs including standout pieces such as the Helix collection for Georg Jensen, the Stockholm collection for Stelton, and collaborations with Skultuna. The duo’s ability to visually entwine the past and the present is very much in unison with what has become NJRD’s unduplicatable aesthetic and is detected throughout both VIOR and ASPEKT. 

As an enchanting tribute to “The Scandinavian Moment,” the furniture pieces that make up VIOR are designed to set a minimalist tone for warm gatherings between family and friends. The thoughtfully crafted assortment includes dining tables and chairs of soft, instinctual shapes, superb seating comfort, and natural materials. As a nod to Scandinavian tradition, VIOR reintroduces the kitchen sofa—a historical staple in Scandinavian homes that can now rarely be found. The kitchen sofa reflects NJRD’s commitment to honoring heritage by marrying it with modern functionality.

Drawing inspiration from the brand’s previous bold geometric rug collections, Shapes (2020) and Edges (2021), ASPEKT builds on NJRD’s signature aesthetic. Evocative of playful elegance, ASPEKT showcases new types of expressions and wider silhouettes through a daring color palette and carefully selected materials. Made of 100% hand-tufted soft New Zealand wool, the collection of rugs elevates any space with ease. It tickles the imagination and adds nuance to those upbeat intimate discussions that somehow can never be quite framed.

In NJRD, Bernadotte and Kylberg are led by their focus on crafting visually enticing pieces that are first and foremost functional, long-lasting, and expertly crafted. Durability is at the center–using high-quality materials, such as New Zealand wool and recycled cotton, that are well-considered ensures that their products will accompany you for generations to come.

Stemming from color dynamics found across Scandinavian nature and a desire to continuously celebrate the layers of the Scandinavian way of life and design culture that precedes it, NJRD’s ever-expanding product portfolio is about deep-rootedness as much as it is about the modern spirit of creation.

Moments of affection–of feeling like you’re with the right people at the right time and most importantly, that you belong–transcend time and space. In amalgamation or not, all the pieces that form NJRD’s VIOR and ASPEKT collections will propel spellbinding intimacy.

ASPEKT and VIOR are both available to purchase at Nordic Nest and Svenssons, online and in stores.