If you’re reading this, the chances are that you’re as obsessed with interiors, home decor, renos and seriously good design, as much as we are…
We caught up with the talented duo behind the Copenhagen-based kitchen design studio: Reform. They share with us their recipe to making beautiful, high-quality design affordable and ‘do-able’, they tell us how to bring instant character into the kitchen and they spill the beans about some exciting collabs and projects happening this year.
The story starts with two design-savvy friends, Jeppe Christensen and Michael Andersen, and their idea of not only ‘making the coolest kitchens in the world’ but making them accessible for everyone. Michael’s background in engineering, the production of kitchens and materials, and working with designers combined with Jeppe’s Master in economics and carpentry expertise (with a strong interest in the design field) meant they were a force to be reckoned with. They tapped in with all their savings and gave it full throttle from day one…
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
Jeppe: Waking up too early because of my 1 year old son, Winston! Then giving him breakfast, taking him to day-care – together with our dog, then going to the gym before heading off to the office. A typical Reform day is packed with meetings, we break for lunch (eating together with the whole team) and then suddenly another day has passed by. I always strive to be home before 6pm – to kiss my new-born baby girl… And my girlfriend of course!
Michael: I’m always up early. I’ll do my cardio before making breakfast for my family and waking up the kids. After breakfast, Jeppe and I meet in the gym and discuss business while training. I’m at the office around 10. Usually the day is pretty filled up with meetings, Skype calls and so on. I travel more than 100 days a year and try to keep the same regime when I am travelling, but of course some times it works better than others.
HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR COFFEE?
Jeppe: While walking my dog… and then a cortado on oat milk
Michael: I do triple espresso with oatmilk, half and half.
WE LOVE YOUR ‘EXTRAORDINARY DESIGN AT A REASONABLE PRICE’ ETHOS – HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE THIS?
As it is our mantra, we focus on it during the whole process of launching a design. All the designers must be into it – their design kitchens should be accessible for most – and we always have it on the top of our minds. It’s actually quite interesting; we’re working with some of the world’s best and most acknowledged designers, and they all love this idea; that their designs can be bought by all. They are very much into designing kitchens that fits to IKEA. Besides that, our setup where we own the whole chain from developing, production, distribution and own showrooms gives us 100 % control of pricing and margins.
WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN SOURCES OF INSPIRATION?
Jeppe: My environment – buildings/architecture, people on the street, magazines, Instagram. A couple of weeks ago, I went to a concert at VEGA in Copenhagen, and I got inspired by the walls in the music hall for a new kitchen. And yesterday I took a picture of the elevator in my son’s day-care. I’m very curious; so I get inspired by what I see.
Michael: As I am an engineer most of my inspiration comes from materials. I love it when our designers introduce new materials and we all get inspired from that.
TOP TIP FOR BRINGING CHARACTER TO A KITCHEN?
Jeppe: Using the kitchen! It could be with a mix of different items – jugs, plates, plants – this brings personality to a kitchen. Also, focus on details. For me I think the handles on a kitchen front has a lot to say about character in a kitchen; it’s a little detail that makes the whole difference.
Michael: Colours – I think that if you have the guts to use colour you will bring a lot of personality to your kitchen.
FAVOURITE PROJECT SO FAR?
Jeppe: We’re actually launching with two of UK’s biggest designers within the next year (yay!) which we are very proud of and excited to launch. Both are extremely talented and we are in the middle of their kitchen designs at the moment, and I really like them both. We can’t wait to tell you more, and at the moment we are back-and-forth to London very often.
Michael: My favourite project is always the ones we are developing at the moment. I love watching the creative process the designers have and they are all great in very different ways.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Jeppe: We’re opening a new showroom in Los Angeles later this year, and we’re also looking for showrooms in both Hamburg and Colonne. London is actually also on the map, together with Paris and Oslo.
Michael: The pace at Reform just keeps on escalating. We are constantly working with 6-8 designers in different stages and I love that process. Besides that are we launching our own cabinets soon.
GO TO: reformcph.com
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Inspiration/Image Credits: reformcph.com
