THE HOME OF HUSBAND-AND-WIFE HAY CO-FOUNDERS: A Modern-Day Cabinet of Curiosities

Rolf and I appreciate art deeply, which is why it has become one of HAY’s key influences. Over time, we have steadily built a collection together that can be experienced throughout our home. Here, we have some vibrant, figurative paintings by American artist Emma Kohlmann, with whom we are launching a tableware collection next year. I’ve been an admirer of her work for years, having been introduced to her by V1 Gallery here in Copenhagen, and I’m very excited to show how her illustrative motifs will translate onto various objects for HAY. I firmly believe that art can exist in the objects we use in everyday life.

Here you’ll spot another one of our favourite artworks — a balloon by Danish artist Jeppe Hein. This one was one of the first that the artist made, and I received it as a present from Rolf. It can easily be mistaken as a real balloon that someone has accidentally let go of, as if it’s unintentionally ended up there. There’s something magical about balloons, and I love having it hang in our kitchen. You can also see it alongside a piece by Swedish painter Kent Iwemyr and a vase from Puglia, Italy.

Elmgreen & Dragset are a Danish-Norwegian duo known for their subversive, often humorous artworks that challenge conventional perceptions of the objects we use every day. Rolf and I are big fans of their work and have seen many of their exhibitions. We are fortunate to have two of their pieces in our home, including this deceiving bronze sculpture that appears to be a beach cooler. I love it, and it holds a central place in our home.

We have been working with the Belgian design duo Muller Van Severen since 2021, and the Arcs Wall Sconce seen here is one of the first products we created together. Our collaboration has evolved since then. Both Hannes and Fien have backgrounds in the arts, which is evident in their understanding of form, proportion, and colour.

Beneath the Arcs Lamp, we have installed a ceramic artwork by Danish artist Rose Eken. From a distance, it might appear functional, but as you approach, its handmade character becomes clear. Next to it is a Castiglioni stool, a treasured gift from my parents many years ago.

In 2021, we had the pleasure of launching a range of limited-edition glasses with Danish artist Nina Nørgaard, handmade in Denmark by Holmegaard Værk. I look back fondly at the products we create, even though they’re no longer available.

Many years before we embarked on this collaboration, I remember one of my first encounters with Nina’s work, when she created a glass collection for NOMA. Her work caught my eye immediately as being exquisitely crafted and plain beautiful. Her skill and sense of beauty captured me straight away.

The Palissade Collection has been a significant part of HAY’s offerings since we launched it with Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec in 2016. You could say that it’s become a bit of an icon for HAY. When we travel, Rolf and I are always proud to see it displayed in front of stores in European capitals, restaurants, and outside people’s homes.

This coming spring HAY will update the collection with a new expression. Retaining the same design language as the original Palissade, recycled polyester has been handwoven onto the steel frame, adding a softer, more relaxed look.

We have many books about design around our home – they’ve been collected over many years. This book, first published in 2007, documents Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa's practice. He has become known for designing minimalist objects that seamlessly blend into everyday life. This approach deeply aligns with our values. At that time, HAY was only five years old, but we dreamed that one day we would get the chance to work with him. Fast forward to today, Rolf and I have had the privilege of working closely with him on a series of projects. More recently, he designed an elegant water bottle called Miz for HAY – it serves its function beautifully.

In 2018, HAY and SONOS came together to explore the relationship between sound and home design. The limited-edition collection, which reimagined the Sonos One speaker in five colours, celebrated the brands’ common commitment to designing accessible, contemporary products with a focus on modern living and high-quality industrial manufacturing.

We still use these speakers at our creative HQ in Copenhagen, and when I see them they serve as a good reminder of what we can create when different expertise are combined.

Rolf and I often take products home to see if something feels right for HAY. At the moment, we’re enjoying the X-Line Chair, a design by Niels Jørgen Haugesen, which we’ll be relaunching next spring.

After Denmark’s Golden Age of design in the 1950s and 60s, the high tech movement expanded globally, but few designs from this movement made a significant impact in Denmark — except for this one, Rolf would say. One of things the movement is known for is its transparency; this chair being a prime of example, where no part of its construction is left to the imagination. You can see how it’s made and what it’s made from.

This Dauphine Calculator is one of my most prized possessions. Designed by George Sowden in the 1990s, it was given to me by my father in my twenties. He wrote me a short poem to accompany it, about things working out, as life falls into place, which is now taped on the back of the calculator. This gift is priceless to me. In 2019, HAY launched a range of kitchenware with Sowden, followed by kitchen appliances in the following years.

The HAY Colour Crate is an important product in the HAY collection. In a way it represents what our accessories range is all about. It's practical, flat-packed, useful, and very colourful. You can use it for so many things, and I love products that help people organize their belongings at home and in the office.

In Denmark, we are quite fond of our flag — it appears in settings where it perhaps wouldn’t in other countries. One specific occasion is birthdays, where people decorate tables with flags or place one outside to signify that their home is hosting a birthday celebration. Quite literally, it is a symbol of celebration.

After my father retired, he began making things in his small workshop, often assembling items from materials he finds. Now, it’s a tradition for us to receive a handmade flagpole decoration each year for our birthdays, with our name and the year written on the bottom.

They’re charming, and I’ve enjoyed watching my collection grow over the years. I love getting them out when the right occasion presents itself.

My daughter recently started a company, with her friend, called Fichi Collection, Fichi meaning "figs" in Italian. Among other things, they produce garments using deadstock fabrics. They started with boxers, and their collection has since expanded to include other pieces of clothing. She’s beginning to find her way in life, and I’m proud to watch her journey unfold.

My family and I have a soft spot for Italy — as I imagine many people do! Dotted around the house, you’ll find items from our travels together.

In the kitchen, you’ll see a collection of decorated jugs and colourful Murano glasses, alongside Muller Van Severen’s Salt and Pepper Grinders for HAY, and a teapot by George Sowden for HAY. Although everything in our home is meant to be used, it does hurt a little when one of these glasses gets smashed — each one is so unique and beautiful.

Elsewhere, we have other ceramic objects displayed for decoration. I like to look at our things, even when they’re not in use.

For years now, I have been collecting different containers — they’re not particularly fancy in any way, but I appreciate all the colours and patterns on them. My collection is now comprised of soap holders, jewellery boxes, and other smaller containers for keeping things that otherwise don’t have a place. In one of these here, I am sure I have a beaded necklace that my daughter made for me. Even though I don’t wear it — it’s always a nice rediscovery to make.