It's the little things…

Yes, it is the little things that really matter.

Recently I've been focussing on some of the smaller items available as part of the George Jensen "Living" collection for Christmas and it's been a delight to look more closely at items that may not be as glamorous or as luxurious as a lot of the jewellery we feature but still hold true to the belief that beautiful and simple design can be practical and life enhancing and that stretches to items that can be so easily overlooked. The Keyrings, for instance are a very good example. Designed by industrial designer Klaus Rath, who has worked for companies such as Modulex, Seimens and Motorola, his collaboration with Georg Jensen represents an exciting direction for Georg Jensen–the bringing together of technology and artistic technique.

The key rings are meticulously crafted so as to make them reliable, strong and technically dynamic but also beautiful to look at and to touch. They pack a lot of sophisticated design into a very small package, a portable and affordable Georg Jensen icon that you can appreciate every day.


The Salt & Pepper set by Søren Ulrik Petersen are another such example, bringing a touch of modern Danish style to your dining. Designed with a touch of fun, Mushroom-shaped and complementary black and white, the stainless steel bottom is weighted so that, despite not having a flat bottom, the shakers will always remain upright. Petersen Trained as a cabinet maker Wulff’s furniture firm in Copenhagen before gaining a degree at the Danish Design School.

He has a functionalist approach and bases his products on the goal of promoting close interpersonal relations and combines art and craft with a keen sense of material properties. He has his own design studio SUP design.

The Elephant Bottle Opener was designed by Jørgen Møller in conjunction with his grandchild in 1987, the design went on to be a popular favourite across the world, and it was this form that inspired him to come up with the Moneyphant in 2010, which we featured in an earlier post.

Architect Jørgen Møller worked for the great Danish designer Arne Jacobsen early in his career and his work is included in the collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Stylish, functional and quirkily endearing, the trunk serves as a sturdy bottle opener and I think this engaging and contemporary design shouldn't be hidden away in a drawer but be on show when not in use.

Moving on to something slightly larger, Petit Bloom from the George Jensen Living Collection. This is the little sibling to Helle Damkjaer's Bloom bowl, who created this modern classic taking inspiration from the exotic flowers she found whilst travelling in Asia.

Helle Damkjær is a perfect example of how today's celebrated designers are prepared to work in various categories of design; her latest designs include home accessories, furniture, a jewellery collection and items for international cosmetic brands.

The matt stainless steel is soft to the touch, while the fluid curves create a soft reflection, and can also be seen in Museum of Modern Art in New York.

The larger versions are perfect to use as part of the dinner table setting while this Petit version can be used around the house or even for serving nuts, dates, olives and other delicacies.


As you can see, even the smaller pieces from the ever developing George Jensen Living collection are the result of the same thoughts and design processes that are inherent in the products throughout the history of the company. Simple and seemingly uncomplicated designs that exemplify sophistication and ease, if design can influence the way we behave and feel then feel good, feel beautiful with the smaller things in your life.