We bought our house in 2002 and had a first major renovation in 2007. The most difficult decision was the kitchen. We visited plenty of stores and made plans, but once we saw the sober line of Antonio Citterio for Arclinea, the choice was easily made. Now almost 15 years later we don’t regret the decision. The industrial design looks as modern as when we installed it.

If we were to design a new refuge we would probably opt for Vipp. Danish Vipp has many similarities with Arclinea, yet it is totally different. And it started as a bin. Holger Nielsen designed a metal bin in 1939 for his wife’s salon and then produced it for doctors and dentists. His daughter Jette wanted to make it available for design lovers around the world. The Conran Shop in London helped commercialising the bin. In 2009 the Vipp pedal bin was added to the permanent design collection of MoMA in New York.

We moved from Copenhagen to New York. And we brought along our own kitchen. In all fairness, the Vipp kitchen was the reason we left in the first place.

Frank Christensen Engeland, married Sofie Nielsen, granddaughter. They represent VIpp in the US.

Vipp is a family business and has extended its products from bins, over kitchens to hotels where you can experience the products. If you buy a kitchen, your stay at the hotel is refunded. That is smart marketing, but the brand’s philosophy is to create sustainable products.

We dream of a world with fewer but better products favouring staying power over fading trends. This philosophy is taken straight out of our pedal bin from 1939.

Morton Bo Jensen, Vipp Chief Designer

“Twenty Homes, One Kitchen” Vipp’s catalogue is on sale online and in their showrooms.