When it comes to design, the Scandinavian aesthetic will always be ‘having a moment’. Swedish-born Sandra Aughton of Atmosfär has made it her mission to bring the best of Nordic style to our shores.
Bringing Nordic Design To New Zealand
A recent import to Kiwi-land (which she calls “the best country in the world”) Sandra Aughton hails from Sweden, but has lived — working and/or studying —in London, Germany, Australia and the United States as well. She met her Kiwi husband in Sydney, and the couple moved to Auckland with their two young children in July 2017. Missing her work as a marketer, Sandra turned an entrepreneurial corner and created atmosfar.co.nz
Simplicity & Quality
“In Sydney they have an amazing selection of high-end pieces, as well as lots more disposable designs. The majority of it is based on Scandinavian design,” says Sandra. “We Swedes worship older items and pass them down from generation to generation. The secret lies in the simplicity and the quality of the materials. The clean lines and superior craftsmanship means they still look great years later. I wanted to bring that beauty to Kiwis.”
Clean Lines & Functionality
It’s well known to design aficionados that the hallmark of Scandinavian design is chic minimalism and stylish functionality. “Nordic design is clean and simple and never dates. We don’t need to throw things away because we buy quality which helps create a sustainable environment,” says Sandra.
Homewares & Jewellery
Sandra launched Atmosfär in September 2017. “I’ve chosen the highest quality and the brands that sell very well in Scandinavia,” she says. The homewares and jewellery lines include Stelton, Menu, Skultuna, KumKum, Linum, Magisso, FUSS and Smaelta. “They’ll bring joy and luxury to your home,” says Sandra.
Did you know the terms Scandinavian and Nordic refer to Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden?
Form Versus Function
Magisso’s incredible ceramic cooling technology serves up glasses, carafes and salad bowls that have the ability to keep your food and drinks chilled for hours. Bonus? You can label the items with chalk to let your guests know what lies within. The range even offers pet bowls so your fur-babies’ food stays cool.
King Karl IX of Sweden
Then there are delicious rings by KumKum, glorious cushions (we love the cotton velvet), leather oven mitts and the incredible quality and style of Skultuna — an uber-cool accessories range, which was originally a brass foundry created by King Karl IX of Sweden in 1607. And that’s just a snapshot of what you’ll discover at Atmosfär.
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring
“When I arrived in New Zealand it rained for four months solid,” says Sandra. “And that’s given me the idea of introducing stunning raincoats that double as winter coats and the most beautiful gumboots. I’m working on that right now.”
Generations of Style
Sandra takes the utmost care to choose pieces that take the environment into consideration and use only the best materials.
“Many of the items can be viewed as art objects while also providing a function,” says Sandra. “The core idea behind Atmosfär is based around timeless products that last. I invite you to come and visit us at atmosfar.co.nz.”
