Forest Retreat by Norm Architects, Reimagined with Karimoku Case

Situated deep in the Swedish forests, a cabin designed by Norm Architects has been given a new life — one that feels even more entwined with its surroundings. Originally completed in 2021, Forest Retreat has now been reimagined with a curated selection of Karimoku Case furniture, adding a new layer of intimacy and refinement to the already serene escape.

Karimoku Case’s designs integrate seamlessly with the architectural character of the retreat, shaped by a shared devotion to detail, material honesty, and understated beauty. Hand-applied dolomite plaster walls, oak floors, and natural textures provide a calm canvas, with each furniture piece contributing to a harmonious whole. Generous proportions, refined ergonomics, and a language of restraint offer both visual and physical comfort, enriching the atmosphere of calm and clarity.

While this new chapter adds a distinct softness, the essence of Forest Retreat remains rooted in its original concept. Rustic yet refined, it was designed for slow living during both summer and winter months. In a modern, urbanised world that often overwhelms us with excess, the retreat demonstrates the beauty of choosing less — and steering life in a direction that creates happiness and well-being.

The secluded property comprises a main house spread across two floors and a guest annex built between the tree trunks. With the ability to host up to three families, each with their own suite, it offers both connection and privacy. The lower floor of the main house functions almost like a hotel suite, complete with bedroom, bathroom, minibar, and sauna, while the annex is entirely self-contained.

Inside, tall slender wooden cabinet doors lead from the main living space into bedrooms and bathrooms, saving space while visually elongating the rooms. Large windows and doors now open the retreat to the outside, framing valley and forest views to the east, south, and west. From dawn to dusk, daylight moves through the interiors, bringing nature inside and serving as a a visual connection between the indoor, the outdoors, and the natural environment.

As Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects explains, “Creating homes is often an exercise in restraint. And while the creation of a simple, authentic, and welcoming space might seem effortless and natural once completed, the journey to simplicity and the exercise of finding essence is often rather complex and not an easy task.”

It’s this philosophy that makes Forest Retreat so compelling. The inherent warmth and tactility of the chosen materials, paired with Karimoku Case’s refined designs, ensure the home feels rich and layered rather than sparse. Nature is ever-present, yet the interiors hold their own quiet strength — a seamless balance of rustic authenticity and timeless refinement.

Credits

Architect & Partner: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, Norm Architects 

Photography: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen

Cabinetry: Kolon 

Walls: St. Leo 

Furniture: Karimoku Case

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Restaurang ÄNG by Norm Architects

Located in the undulating fields of one of Sweden’s largest vineyards, the Michelin-starred ÄNG restaurant is designed by Norm Architects and furnished by Japanese brand Karimoku to create a stimulating interplay between architecture, food, wine, interiors, and art - a culinary experience out of the ordinary that engages all senses.

The experience of ÄNG begins with a winding pathway leading through the lush meadow to the sparkling glasshouse that stands as a modern and refined interpretation of a greenhouse turned inside out. A small herb garden out front discloses the local touch and approach to the culinary experience, and outside stone flooring continues inside where there is an open kitchen with a grounding stone counter.

Solid wood lounge furniture by Karimoku features visible woodworking details and soft upholstery. Talented Norwegian artist Anders Pfeffer Gjengedal (Løvfall) has created seven wooden and stone sculptures with an organic design language. In addition, Danish designer, Sara Martinsen, contributed with bespoke artworks that bring further warmth and new stimuli to the space.

“With the new interior design concept for ÄNG, Karimoku has successfully completed its sixth case study, continuing the collaboration with Norm Architects and Keiji Ashizawa Design. With inspiration found in both the unspoiled Nordic nature surrounding the premises of ÄNG and Japanese sensibilities in design aesthetics and craftsmanship, the interior provides a holistic, sensory experience that refines the culinary offering and reflects the identity of the restaurant.”—Frederik Werner, Norm Architects & Creative Director for Karimoku

Connected by a shared belief in timeless aesthetics and an ambition to create products that meet everyday needs, Norm collaborated with Swedish design studio Bonni Bonne to create a curated range of tableware for the restaurant. In order to emphasize ÄNG’s strong connection with nature, parts of the collection are made from green wood – an ancient woodworking method that creates natural silhouettes and raw textures perfect for the atmosphere in the restaurant.

Tiles cut like a brick floor foster the cave-like feeling of the wine cellar. These are met with a wooden floor from Danish brand Dinesen in the main dining room, where there are floor-to-ceiling views of a natural lake and the rich fauna surrounding it.

“With the changing of light, we play on the phenomenon of Chiaroscuro; a technique from visual arts used to represent light and shadow as they define objects in order to achieve a sense of volume. When stepping into the shadows, the vision weakens while the remaining senses intensify. One automatically pays more attention to sounds, smells, tastes and touch and even the intuition and instinct are strengthened. This way, the surprising transition and changing of scenery prepare the guests for the next part of the holistic dinner experience.” —Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, Norm Architects

Inspired by the Japanese Karesansui gardens of raked sand and stone, renowned for their transcendent beauty, Norm travelled to Växjö to collect the ready-made sculptures of nature from a giant quarry. Small vases that look like stones from the field are a way of translating Swedish nature and its aesthetics in an honest and modern way.

“In addition to references to Swedish nature and the use of renowned Japanese furniture design, we implemented acoustic walls made of canvas from Kvadrat, chosen in a shade reminiscent of jute sacks in which you place crops and grain. It’s not just a backdrop, but a real experience.” —Frederik Werner, Norm Architects

Filled with curated sculptures and ceramics by Viki Weiland and Ulla Bang, the shelves in the open kitchen add a personal and warm atmosphere to the striking room – creating a strong coherence between food, art, design and architecture.

As the evening moves on and the colour scheme of nature turns even more vibrant, the colours of the selected materials within the restaurant seem to change with it; the oakwood obtains a red tone and the open kitchen in grey stone appears softer. The evening ends back in the glass house, where the experience comes full circle as the sun has set when the desserts are being served. ÄNG truly is a venue enabling both guests and staff to explore, learn, elaborate and create memories.

Credits

Architect & Partner: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, Peter Eland

Designer & Partner: Frederik Werner

Interior Designer: Hedda Klar

Client: Ästad Vingård 

Photography: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen

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New and Noted

Sculptural design elements run through today's collection of design news. Paris-based interior architect and designer Emmanuelle Simon has launched Ary, a new furniture collection comprising wall-mounted consoles, a coffee table, desk and bench, sideboards and bedside tables. All sculptural in form with wavy curves, the unique pieces are handcrafted in France and feature fluted oak detailing with burl oak tops.

Japanese ceramicist Shiho Hayashi works with clay to create minimal, yet elegant sculptural pieces. Her new collection, currently being exhibited in Auckland as part of the Modern Japan Craft 21 Exhibition at Public Record, juxtaposes soft gentle curves with defined outlines and forms to reference isolated parts of the body. With a vast depth of knowledge around different techniques, Shiho explores this by experimenting freely with elegant forms and tactile texture.  

In addition to taking inspiration from nature, Shiho is greatly inspired by the work of Japanese artist Isamu Noguchi, whose world-famous Akari lamps designed in the 1950s are still sought after today. Her most recent collection uses a lot of black as a result of the firing processes and she hopes that by reducing it down to one colour people will see the beautiful hidden landscapes that arise within the pieces. Modern Japan Craft 21 runs until 12th December.

The work of Danish duo Kristina Krogh and Christian Andersen of studio Krogh Andersen is built around a certain dynamic with a graphical language. Their minimalist works, often inspired by curves, surfaces and calming meditative lines found in nature, leave only shape and shadow visible in an effort to draw the viewer closer and create a quiet and intimate conversation. Their goal is to make work that is an invitation to observe the world through shape and surface. Their latest works, a series of Relief Mirrors are a perfect example. Made from plaster, wood and mirror glass, each mirror is handmade and designed to float from the wall, which casts a beautiful shadow behind the mirrors. A special wall bracket is attached to the back, making it easy to hang.

At the intersection between old and new and design and art, Danish brand New Works pays homage to the strong Scandinavian history of craftsmanship and materiality, whilst challenging the contemporary forms of today. Collaborating with an international group of renowned designers and artists, who display a matching fascination with sculptural forms and honest materials, they have teamed up with long-time collaborator Lotta Agaton Interiors and photographer Mikkel Mortensen to create their  Autumn '21 campaign imagery. The airy, light-filled location provides a beautiful backdrop for the sculptural collection of furniture and lighting.

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