Applicata – Danish Design at its best! 

Applicata unites everything we love about the Danish design – traditional craftsmanship, high quality, unique design! And all this in addition to local production in small workshops using materials from Scandinavia, for sure mostly from Denmark.

Since long time I was curious to learn more about the story behind this well known brand from Scandinavia. And who can tell us more about personal background and the roots of the brand? For sure the owner René Lot. Thank you so much René for being my guest today and letting us have a look behind the scenes.

Danish label Applicata was founded 2012 by Mette and René Løt. The couple has 3 boys together and live outside Aarhus in a village with lovely nature close to the sea.
For sure they love to go to Aarhus, but also to Copenhagen or Hamburg. But every time when they return home by car there is a small hill with a beautiful view of the ocean just before arriving, where they always take a deep breath and think oh, home sweet home! For Mette and René it is important to be surrounded by nature. A Sunday stroll along the seaside is good both physically and mentally. The founders love to spend their holiday in Denmark. Løkken a small spot on the coast in the north is very dear to Mette and René, here they find peace, here they recharge. This is a place they have both been visiting regularly during their childhood. And they have also visited Bornholm several times both on business and with children on holiday and it has been a great experience every time. Outside Denmark Italy has been an all time favorite, due to the much better summer weather, the food, drinking coffee, eating ice cream and just looking at people is a joy.
Also the design inspiration is worth traveling for. While the Danes are very traditional when it comes to material, the Italians are much better at embracing industrial possibilities. Not only in business, but also as a family Mette and René are quite focused on Danish traditions, maybe even more in these strange times.
They like cooking traditional danish food, when not Italian. They read danish authors, wear danish designed clothes, listen to danish music both new and older, go to the movies for the Danish movies such as DRUK and others. And this makes this talented couple and their brand Applicata even more adorable, right?

“LUNA can be used as an everyday candleholder and tray on the dining table with nuts or fruit, or it can be decorated for the holiday seasons. The 4 small candleholders are movable or can even be removed to create a very own decor.
LUNA is inspired by the night sky, changing and admirable, with the moon as the focal point and the stars around – sometimes a few, sometimes many.”

The story of Applicata started in 2012. How did you get the idea to create your own company?
We started applicate with a business idea and a plan but we couldn’t make the Budgets balance. So we looked around and saw that there was other companies who was doing alright. So we dived right in and then had to learn how to swim.
applicate started as an agency for design goods.
We sold Italian, Germen and some American products in Scandinavia.
But after some years the idea of a own collection could not be ignored, and applicate introduced the first own products, designed by danish architects and produced in Scandinavia.

How is it to work together as a couple? Are there some challenges, advantages, disadvantages? Do you have any task division?
Working together is natural to us.
We both grew up with parents running their own business together, Mettes parents in the fashion industry and mine running a furniture shop.
Especially with smaller kids the advantages are huge, coordinating a family life is much easier if you have a mutual interest in getting the work done.

Normally you work with different architects and designers. Please tell us more about it.
We selected the first local designers from looking at their portfolio, liking what they have already done in the area of architecture, furniture, lightning.
We then asked them to come up with ideas for home interior items.
Today we have a wider perspective looking at art, cooking, fashion etc. for inspiration.

“Copenhanger – The limited space of small Copenhagen apartments inspired designers Lise Vilslev and Mathilde Møberg to create a floating coat rack that hangs from the ceiling, or if you are lucky from a beam. Copenhanger can be used anywhere in your home where space restrictions are challenged by storage needs. The functional product, named after its place og origin, fits into every room – from kitchen and nursery to the hallway and bedroom.”

You work mostly with Scandinavian designers. Is there any reason for that?
We work with Scandinavian designers as the references are the same.
The design understanding and the material awareness doesn’t need to be explained.
We are very influenced by the 50 and 60 ties danish furniture design.
And the craftsmanship and handmade quality is hard to beat.

Do you think one day we will find a product designed by you both? What could that be? 🙂
No there will be no applicata design team products , we will leave it up to the designers, architects and artist to design products. We are design lovers, afficionados who is happy organizing the production and sale. This is our natural role. We love connecting young designers with skilled craftsmen. The satisfaction of moving from vague sketches to a “real” product can keep us busy for months, and sometimes the process is almost more giving than seeing the final product.

Could you please describe your brand in 3 words?
Our brand is all about Design, Tradition, Local production, Pure materials, Eco friendly production and packing.

Most of your products are made from oak wood. Does this wood have a special meaning to you?
The solid material such as oak, brass etc patinates very beautifully and this is important to us. We prefer oak as it locally available at a reasonable price and has the quality and finish we cherish
It doesn’t seem logic to import wood from far away when you have usable resources just around the corner.

Which of your products you don’t want to miss in your own home?
For some time we have been especially happy about the the balance vase and candleholder in brass and the Pernille Snedker Tapas boards which we have tested in the kitchen for some time now.
But also the Luna Tray is an all time favorite used for serving, and for small displays. We cannot do without the Watch:out clock in our kitchen or dining room.

What do you wish for your company in the coming years?
We are on a constant search for new collaborations with inspiring people who makes us do better!

“Sarah Cramer and Anders Engholm from Studio FEM has created the mush Collection. With references to classic oil lamps, mush candleholders add a warm touch and fill the room with cosiness. A modern piece in exclusive materials and beautiful, delicate colors.
The mush candleholders are made of SOLID BRASS and MOUTH-BLOWN COLOURED GLASS. They are produced LOCALLY at family-owned workshops. The mush candleholders are packed in an EXCLUSIVE GIFTBOX designed by the artist Pernille Snedker.”

“Blossom is a series of turned wooden candleholders. Maybe the most popular Applicata design”

Thank you so much to you both dear Mette and René for telling us the interesting story behind Applicata. I am sure my readers will enjoy it as much I did. And there is a nice surprise waiting for our communities on the Instagram today. Don’t miss it and visit Applicata and Petitsouriredesign this evening.

I wish you all the best for your family and a lot of success for Applicata in the coming years.

Sunny greetings from France,

Arminka aka Petit Sourire

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In collaboration with Applicata