The Nordic Cabin at Downtown Design
A Moment of Calm, Craft and Connection in the Heart of Dubai
At this year’s Downtown Design, one installation quietly transformed the energy of the fair: the Nordic Cabin. More than a stand or a design showcase, it became a space where visitors instinctively slowed down, breathed a little deeper and felt an immediate sense of warmth and welcome. Created by Nordic Homeworx in collaboration with Styled Habitat, the cabin captured the spirit of Swedish living, rooted in nature, simplicity and an honest connection to materials. It brought it into the centre of Dubai’s leading design fair.
While Nordic Homeworx has participated in Downtown Design before, the 2024 showcase marks a shift in the narrative. This year, the focus wasn’t on product displays or industry conversations. It was about an experience. A place to feel at home.
A Cabin Inspired by Swedish Retreats
The Nordic Cabin draws its inspiration from Sweden’s countryside; clusters of wooden cabins where families retreat to rest, reconnect and enjoy a slower pace of life. These spaces are often modest, crafted from natural materials, and harmoniously integrated into the landscape. They are places of stillness and grounding.
Bringing that essence to Dubai was at the heart of the concept. The cabin was designed not as a showpiece but as a lived-in dwelling, a place that invites visitors to step away from the rhythm of the fair and settle into a more intimate moment. The exposed structure, the natural light and the scent of wood created a sensory experience that resonated with visitors throughout the week.
Designing with Purpose: Modular, Honest and Sustainable
From the outset, the intention was clear: create a cabin built with sincerity, heart and respect for materials. Styled Habitat’s creative direction played a defining role, shaping a structure that feels authentic rather than styled for effect.
Many of the exterior planks used to clad the cabin carry stories of their own; they were repurposed from previous Nordic Homeworx installations, showing gentle marks of use that add depth and character. This approach reflects a key belief: sustainability isn’t a concept, it’s a practice. It’s about choosing to reuse, adapt, and honour the material rather than discard it.
The cabin is also fully modular, allowing it to be disassembled and reconstructed for future showcases. Its next destination? Downtown Design Riyadh in February. But the team hopes its story continues even beyond that, perhaps as a future playhouse, or a permanent structure that brings joy in a new context.
From the Swedish Forest to Dubai: A Journey of Craftsmanship
Earlier this summer, the team travelled to Sweden to explore the origins of the materials that shape the Nordic Cabin. In Nybro, home to the Kährs factory, the forests stretch endlessly; dense, serene and deeply connected to the craft of timber flooring.
Standing among these trees, the connection between material and environment becomes undeniable. The way the wood is harvested, the care taken in production, the respect for nature at every step, these values informed the design of the cabin. The craftsmanship seen in Sweden carries through to the calm, textural quality of the finished space in Dubai.
This journey brought a new layer of meaning to the installation, reinforcing its purpose: to reconnect visitors with the source of the materials that ground their homes.
A Sanctuary Amid Downtown Design
In the midst of a vibrant and bustling fair, the Nordic Cabin offered something rare: a pause. Visitors stepped inside and instantly felt the shift in atmosphere. The softness of the natural light, the warmth of the timber and the grounding texture of the flooring encouraged people to linger, to talk, to reflect.
The Nordic Cabin was designed intentionally to be a sanctuary; a small piece of calm that reminded visitors that design isn’t only about aesthetics or innovation. It’s about how a space makes you feel. The decision to focus on atmosphere made the cabin stand out among the surrounding pavilions and installations, transforming it into a place of genuine connection rather than a traditional exhibition stand.
Nature at the Centre: Inspired by Allemansrätten
In Sweden, nature isn’t a destination; it is a way of living. The principle of Allemansrätten, the right to roam, gives everyone the freedom to explore forests, lakes and landscapes, so long as they do so respectfully. This philosophy guided the concept of the Nordic Cabin, emphasising respect for the natural world and the value of mindful interaction with the environment.
To reinforce this connection, the cabin features footage filmed during the team’s summer trip, scenes of the tranquil forests of Småland visible through the cabin window. With more than 70% of Sweden covered in forest, and at least two trees planted for every one harvested, the installation reminds visitors that every plank begins its life as something living.
This connection between the natural world and the built environment is what gives the cabin its grounded, calming quality.
Inside the Cabin: Warmth, Character and Craft
Stepping into the cabin feels like entering a private retreat. The interior is clad in Urban Brown from the Beyond Retro collection; the same flooring is used in the brand’s Nordic Living showroom. Its rich tones shift with the light, adding depth and warmth to the compact space.
Soft textures, tactile surfaces and natural scents reinforce the experience of home. Every detail, from the flooring to the arrangement of light, echoes the values of Swedish design: honest materials, quiet refinement and a closeness to nature.
This interior is not only a display but a lived expression of the brand’s philosophy, making it one of the most personal installations ever presented by Nordic Homeworx.
All photography: Oculis courtesy of Nordic Homeworx
A Full-Circle Moment
For Nordic Homeworx, the Nordic Cabin represents a full-circle moment. What began as a playful deconstructed cabin in 2018 has transformed into a fully realised space, first constructed in their showroom and now brought to life at Downtown Design.
But beyond its architectural features, the cabin is ultimately about a feeling. The feeling of warmth when you step into a welcoming space. The feeling of grounding when surrounded by natural materials. The feeling of home, wherever you are in the world.
At Downtown Design Dubai, thousands experienced that feeling. And as its journey continues to Riyadh and beyond, the Nordic Cabin is set to inspire even more visitors, inviting them to slow down, look closely, and reconnect with what matters.
So when you step inside, take a moment. Notice the textures, the scent of the wood, the weight of calm.
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