Kristine Five Melvær

Kristine holds two master’s degrees, both in Industrial Design from the Oslo School of Architecture and Design and in Visual Communication from the Oslo National Academy of the Arts. Her work bridges the two disciplines and includes a variety of products such as lamps, glass work, tableware, furniture, textile objects and graphic design.

She aims to create emotional bonds between her object and the user, often designing sensuous and nature-inspired objects with Scandinavian simplicity. In all her work, and especially seen in her glasswork, she often experiments with shapes, colours and graphic patterns, combining her two backgrounds.

Bridging industrial and graphic design

Five Melvær collaborates with various manufacturers including Norwegian traditional glassworks Magnor Glassverk that makes Multi, a versatile object that can be used either as a candle holder, vase or a bowl. The mouthblown art vases Dew showcases Magnor’s craftsmanship and Kristine’s sense of graphic patterns with its colours and matte sandblasted stripes creating exciting shadows.

Also for Magnor, Kristine and her husband, designer Torbjørn Anderssen of Anderssen & Voll, created Oui - a unique vase that is pinched together at the top forming two parts that can be filled with individual flowers but stilling making up a unity.

Internationally, Belgian When Objects Work is manufacturing Soft Vase, amongst other products, which can be used for one flower or turned upside down for a whole bouquet, and Kristine recently launched the Juice vase for Hay, a colourful vase with vertical opaque and clear stripes.

Also exploring other materials such as textiles, she has designed several woollen blankets and pillows for Røros Tweed such as the Mikkel blanket or the Portør pillows, inspired by the Norwegian shifting horizons and summer skies. In collaboration with Røros Tweed and designer Elisabeth Stray Pedersen, she has also created scarves and bags for E S P.

Nature-inspired colours and motifs

Kristine is often designing to enhance everyday products, such as the beautiful outdoors mats for Heymat in recycled plastic with various patterns inspired by waves, Japanese zen-gardens or straws blowing in the wind.

Moving on to furniture, she recently launched a new stackable stool Vava for Norwegian manufacturer Elementa at the Norwegian Presence exhibition in Milan, again using angles and shapes creating visual patterns.

For the outdoor furniture manufacturer Vestre, she has designed Pop, a series of chairs, tables, urban partitions and plant boxes, softening up the industrial materials with nature-inspired colours and motifs.

Acknowledged nationally and abroad

Melvær has contributed to renewing traditional manufacturers such as Magnor Glassverk and Røros Tweed, while also being an attractive talent for international brands. She is often receiving international press and has received a number of design awards and grants for her work, including the prestigious Riedel Award for her glass work.