Product Manager at Danish lighting brand Nordlux speaks with darc about the design aesthetics and culture the brand adhere’s to, along with her role in trend predictions and material selection within the company.

stablished in 1977, Danish brand Nordlux has since grown to produce and distribute lighting across more than 50 countries. With a passion for inspiring people to make the most of lighting, it is dedicated to bringing great lighting with top-end technology at a competitive cost for a wide audience.

The Nordlux Group consists of three brands: Nordlux, Design For The People, and Energetic. Nordlux provides attractive, value-for-money light sources and luminaires, while Design For The People focuses on award-winning Danish design products. Energetic provides LED products (mostly lamps) with the newest technology.

Speaking with darc, Lone Bødker Pedersen at Nordlux discusses her journey into the design world and how she became Product Manager at the brand.

Bødker Pedersen grew up in Aalborg, Denmark, where she continues to live with her husband and two boys. Aside from her career in product design, she has a keen interest in the world of fashion and interiors while also taking pleasure in spending time with her family, travelling, and CrossFit.

“I studied business but didn’t go on to university,” she says. “[But] I think I knew from an early age my career would be in something creative. I grew up surrounded by a family passionate about the arts, but I gravitated most to my grandmother, who was a tailor. She taught me how to sew and about the differences in materials, patterns, and spotting trends. As I grew up, my passion for interiors grew, and I knew I could uplift these skills to guide my career.

“I started my early career working in fashion, where I quickly worked up the ranks to a management position and then on to be a buyer. This is where I realised I have a passion and keen eye for colours and materials, and looking further ahead than the current trends. My interest in interiors then led me to a sales role at a design practice where I was able to use my skills from the fashion industry, and where I really found my career focus. Doing such versatile roles gave me a well-rounded perspective on the challenges within interior design and the products I was working with.

“Lighting has always been a fascination of mine, and the impact it has on a space. This prompted my move to Nordlux where I started in Press and Brand focus, which gave me a great understanding of the company culture and DNA. I would be asked my opinion on product launches, future planning ideas, trends within the market, and it felt very natural for me to give my perspective and ideas, which led me to my current position here at Nordlux.

“I’m currently in charge of all the creative material and design briefs for our external designers for decorative lighting. I also visit the various shows across the globe that cover lighting and interiors to keep up to date and know what’s new. I work closely with our technical manager, who helps with structural elements and the finer details. Also, I’m working with our suppliers to follow the production and quality very closely from the initial design, to receiving material swatches, to the first product sample, if there are changes or adaptations needed, right through to the final, ready-to-sell product. I also oversee the design protection and trademark of product names.”

When it comes to trend predictions and market responses to product launches, Bødker Pedersen takes inspiration from her travels. “A mix of many things inspires me, but I would say travel inspires me most; capturing how different cities make trends their own, from architecture, interiors and fashion. I also take inspiration from the traditional styles from the past, walking through Milan or Paris and observing the classic, vintage lighting and thinking how it can be adapted to a more contemporary look, tastefully pulling the past into the present. For me, Italian designers from the 1950s and 1960s produced some of the best design ever made, and that goes for lighting, furniture, and perhaps even fashion.”

When it comes to inspiration for a new design at Nordlux, the team takes inspiration from the brand’s Danish heritage and contemporary view on lighting. “We have also developed a design DNA that is established by key phrases we stick to in the process, ‘made to last’ being one. Lighting that lasts for many years and is timeless in its design. I look at materials that age well, that adapt to different settings and consider them based on the overview of CO2 emission as well. We also try to keep our decorative option retro-fit, but will base the decision to use integrated LED if we feel the design requires it.”

Bødker Pedersen continues, explaining how a light is so much more than an accessory or piece of furniture. “Light for me is a mood maker to a room, it’s the final touch, and without these light spots, there would be no feelings. There is a rule from Frida Ramstedt’s Interior Design Handbook that says we should have five to seven lighting points in every room, more than what we initially think. It’s how we can create light and shadow to give the space depth and atmosphere, and how the true effect and colour of the other elements like paint and fabrics are seen to our naked eye.

“For me, lighting should bring atmosphere and the finishing touches to a space. We have a Danish term called Hygge, which means cosy and content. For example, at home I will always switch just my Talli floor lamp on in the corner of the living room, this light is just hygge for me, I really love the ambience it creates and what makes my home feel more than just a home, but a cosy place for me to enjoy.”

Reinforcing the idea of longevity, she goes on to explain that a product’s “made to last” quality is one of the key elements a well-designed product should hold. “For me, it’s a mix of the design itself but also the way the materials work together and how they are put together, which of course needs to maintain functionality and look aesthetically pleasing in every setting.”

When asked whether she has a signature design aesthetic and if that influences the brand’s direction, Bødker Pedersen explains that she aims to route everything back to the Scandinavian and Danish way of working. “What is significant to us and our best successes is when we work with the mixing of materials, for example, the Strap series combines metal, leather and now felt. We also provide different colours of the leather so the end user can decide this on installation to complete the look. We see this works well and will continue to work this way. We also mix the shapes we use, both organic and geometric, to create a counterbalance effect within the collection.”

Continuing, Bødker Pedersen explains that one of the most frustrating aspects of product design is realising when a design cannot be brought to fruition as you intended, despite many iterations and attempts. “[This is especially true] with lighting, where we want the light output to be beautiful and uniform.”

On the flip side, she adds: “The most rewarding part is receiving the feedback from our internal team, our customers, and the interior designers and then seeing how our lights are used on such a variety of projects, both residential and commercial.”

With reference to technology, like many, she regards fixed LEDs as one of the best and worst developments within product design. “It has been so innovative to create new designs and shapes, however, we have found a market that still very much prefers the retrofit option, and it’s finding the balance to meet the needs of the end-user but not having to compromise on great design.”

Reflecting on one of the most significant moments in her career, Bødker Pedersen highlights her work on the Glossy table lamp, the first product she launched. “I worked with Danish designer Maria Berntsen, who thought of a small acrylic table lamp with a mushroom shade that was initially for outdoor use. However, I found something within the shape so distinct and recognisable, so I wanted it to be more exclusive in the materials chosen and change it to an interior lamp. We looked at what materials would work and have the right effect, which led us to look at marble for the base. We then added the small brass detailing and developed the shiny, or should I say glossy, glass shade. Our Technical Manager also developed the inner side of the shade so there would be no dark spots or shadows. I feel the product is my total darling. It has won a Red Dot design award, and we have now developed it further, creating a mini version using Pink Jade, which I found inspiration for at Clerkenwell Design Week 2024, where I saw many coloured stones with that almost translucent effect.”

Summing up what it means to work with light, Bødker Pedersen describes it as “life-changing” yet retracts that for sounding too cheesy! “Light has such a big effect on so many people, so I do stand by that, even though it is just light. We are actually doing something to change people’s lives. We are lifting people’s quality of life with light.”

Catching up on current trends, we asked what Bødker Pedersen is observing in the industry at the moment. “I would say shape-wise, it seems to be chubby shapes and volume items that fill up a space. In lighting, we are seeing bigger pendants that fit this, too. Materials like fabric, in particular Linen and Tyvek, are also popular. I feel the fabric gives the same experience as opal glass, where the light is warm, and we can appreciate it most. Regarding colours, it is the warm, earthy tones. Black is not as popular at the moment and is being replaced with more chocolate brown tones. I also think we will still see burgundy even later in the year, as it has been dominated in fashion, and I think it will follow in interiors. Chrome and stainless steel were among the top trends at 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen last year, and I think we will continue to see these cooler metals. Wood has never been out of style, but we are seeing a shift from the lighter wood to the darker, which adds warmth and richness to the products.”

Looking ahead, what can we expect from Nordlux? “We will continue with our current successes, but we will be looking into new materials, moving away from metals and looking more at stone and fabric and the more organic materials. In terms of colours, we will be continuing with the neutral none-white pallet, such as beige and brown. We will also move away from the brushed and shiny brass and look more at the antique brass, which I feel is more timeless.”

Catch some of the brand’s timeless pieces on show at Clerkenwell Design Week this May in the Light exhibition at the House of Detention.

www.nordlux.com