Highlights from 3 Days of Design 2025 | The New Works Residence

Here’s a line I never thought I’d write: I liked a leopard-print sofa. Not the kind of thing you’d normally associate with the pared-back, neutral interiors that I’m drawn towards, but I saw one at the New Works showroom during 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen and I was surprised by how sophisticated it looked. 

Launched to coincide with 3 Days of Design 2024, the showroom sits on Bredgade – the Neoclassical street that’s home to so many Danish interiors names – on the second floor of an 18th-century building whose ornate Rococo architecture perfectly offsets New Works’ hallmark mix of calm minimalism and honest materiality. This year it was dressed as the brand’s interpretation of a boutique hotel, and it was another of my highlights from the 2025 festival. 

The ‘hotel’ unfolded over a series of rooms, each curated to give a blend of intimacy, grandeur and tactility. Earthy beiges and greenish-browns created a tranquil, grounded ambience, with black accents adding depth and structure. The materials, meanwhile, played on contrast, incorporating smooth marble and steel alongside textured oak, rough stone and soft upholstery. There was also a multisensory dimension to it all, with gentle music delivered by hidden Artcoustic speakers and room fragrances from French perfume house Mad et Len.

The aforementioned sofa took centre stage in the library, which had been styled as a relaxing space where the imaginary guests could sit back and unwind over books and board games. A modular evolution of Swedish designer Joel Fjällström’s existing ‘Shore’ series, it features curved backrests inspired by the rhythm of ocean waves, resulting in a balance of comfort and sculptural form. It comes in plenty of other, more understated upholstery options that I’d probably choose for myself (including a beautiful aubergine that was on display in the building’s main lobby), but I was struck by the way the leopard print made a statement without overwhelming the wider space. 

Alongside the sofa was another addition to an existing product family: the ‘Bukowski’ lounge chair. It retains the same robust, rounded silhouette and bold proportions as Brooklyn-based Steven Bukowski’s original design, but with an upholstered backrest and a lowered seat conducive to lingering. 

Across the corridor from the library, the main lounge was set up as an elegant yet intimate gathering spot, with plush taupe sofas and black marble coffee tables beneath a dark olive-coloured ceiling (painted in ‘Hipster Brown’ by Jotun). On show here was Norwegian designer Falke Svatun’s new ‘Kantarell’ lighting series, whose pendant and floor lamps spread light from a hidden source at their centre. Their poetic metal shades are formed from two concentric circles and available in several sizes and colours, some with flat rims and others curved. 

This being a ‘hotel’, there was of course a bedroom, too. The ceiling here had again been picked out in a darker hue, as had the woodwork and panelling, giving the room the feel of cossetting cocoon. I liked the way the space wasn’t overfilled with furniture just for the sake of it, and every piece had a role to play. The bed (supplied by Swedish company Carpe Diem, as New Works doesn’t yet make its own) had a custom walnut headboard with built-in nightstands; there was also a compact desk that doubled as a dressing table, and a chaise-longue version of the existing ‘Covent’ chair (another new launch) in a striking yet far from gaudy striped fabric. 

The cherry on top of the hotel cake was a pop-up champagne bar in collaboration with Taittinger, opened especially for 3 Days of Design. It offered tastings of some of the French house’s vintages, served up in a quietly luxurious space with bistro-style tables, banquette versions of the ‘Shore’ sofa and wonderful views of the famous Marmorkirken (‘Marble Church’) across the street.  

Another bar occupied the courtyard garden at the back of the building – a beautiful showcase for New Works’ outdoor range and one of my favourite parts of the showroom, both this year and last. It’s dotted with secluded sitting areas, some flanked by lavender and olive trees, others reached via stepping stones across a carp-filled, lily-studded pond. The scent of the flowers, the sound of the water and the dappled light filtering through the trees all combined to form a serene oasis in the heart of Copenhagen, and I could have happily stayed there for hours. 

All photography by Abi Dare

The post Highlights from 3 Days of Design 2025 | The New Works Residence appeared first on These Four Walls.