Nordic Design
Nordic Design is an Italian brand representation agency founded in 2006 in Verona, exclusively representing ten Nordic and Scandinavian furniture and lighting brands in Italy. It provides sales, marketing, and business development services to architects, hotel groups, developers, retailers, and brand owners across the Italian market.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersVerona, Italy
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Nordic Design does
Nordic Design (legal name: Nordic Design di Susan Steiner) is an Italian brand representation agency founded in 2006 and based in Verona. It exclusively represents ten Nordic and Scandinavian design brands in the Italian market — Normann Copenhagen, String Furniture, Nuura, Pholc, Extremis, Tiptoe, Moooi Carpets, Mindo, Northern, and Motarasu — providing sales, marketing, and business development services that translate Nordic brand identity for Italian audiences. The firm operates with a small team (1-10 employees), led by founder Susan Steiner (Contract segment, working with architects, hotel groups, and developers) and Hanna Kaisa Karttunen (Residential/Retail segment, managing key accounts online and offline).
The business model is professional services revenue from brand representation: Nordic Design earns commissions and consultancy fees on the sale of represented brands' products through Italian dealers and direct B2B channels. It does not develop proprietary technology; its digital footprint is limited to a Squarespace website, Instagram (@nordicdesign_italy), LinkedIn, Facebook, and an email newsletter. Go-to-market combines dedicated direct sales (enterprise contract sales by Susan and retail key-account management by Hanna) with a network of specialized Italian dealers, supplemented by a sample box service for architects and designers. Customers span hospitality (Copenhagen Airport, Marriott, Radisson, Restaurant Sult), corporate offices (Adidas, Volvo Car Mobility, Swisscom), retail (Illums, Norman Brooklyn), and media (CPH Dox), with no single industry dominating. Nordic Design is registered as a sole proprietorship in Italy, with no disclosed funding, parent company, or institutional ownership.
Nordic Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nordic Design
- Legal name
- Nordic Design di Susan Steiner
- Website
- https://nordicdesign.it
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Nordic Design is an Italian brand representation agency founded in 2006 in Verona, exclusively representing ten Nordic and Scandinavian furniture and lighting brands in Italy. It provides sales, marketing, and business development services to architects, hotel groups, developers, retailers, and brand owners across the Italian market.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nordic Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Design Brand Representation Services
- NAICS
- Interior Design Services (54141), Interior Design Services (541410)
- SIC
- Household Furniture (2510), Office Furniture (2520), Retail-Furniture Stores (5712)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM), Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design (BPAHAKAL)
Keywords
Where Nordic Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Verona
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Nordic Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Brand Representation Services: Nordic Design operates as a brand agency representing Scandinavian and Nordic design brands in the Italian market, providing sales, marketing, and business development services. They facilitate communication between consumers, dealers, architects, and brands.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Nordic Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nordic Design is an Italian sales, marketing, and business development agency that exclusively represents a curated portfolio of Nordic and Scandinavian furniture and lighting brands in the Italian market. The company acts as an intermediary between Northern European brand owners and Italian architects, designers, hotel groups, developers, and retailers, providing tailored brand strategies, contract market support, and residential/retail channel development.
Product overview
Nordic Design is an Italian sales and marketing agency representing a portfolio of 10 Nordic and Northern European design brands in the Italian market. The company serves as an intermediary between brand owners and Italian consumers, dealers, architects, and designers. The represented brands include Normann Copenhagen (Danish furniture and lighting), String Furniture (Swedish shelving systems), Nuura (Danish lighting), Pholc (Swedish lighting), Extremis (Belgian outdoor furniture), Tiptoe (French sustainable furniture), Moooi Carpets (customizable carpets), Mindo (Danish outdoor furniture), Northern (Norwegian design), and Motarasu (Danish-Japanese fusion). Nordic Design provides brand strategy consultancy, sample services, and facilitates connections across the contract, retail, and residential market segments. The company was established in 2006 and is based in Verona, Italy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Normann Copenhagen Distribution Exclusive Italian sales and marketing representation for Normann Copenhagen, a Danish furniture, lighting, and home accessories brand founded in 1999 known for blending clean lines with playful twists.
- String Furniture Distribution Exclusive Italian sales and marketing representation for String Furniture, a Swedish shelving system brand established in 1949 offering customizable designs for bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, and retail environments.
- Nuura Distribution Exclusive Italian sales and marketing representation for Nuura, a Danish lighting brand founded in Copenhagen in 2017 creating lighting collections unified by mouth-blown glass, sculpted metal, and Nordic-inspired forms including pendants, table lamps, floor lamps, and wall fixtures.
- Pholc Distribution Exclusive Italian sales and marketing representation for Pholc, a Swedish lighting brand redefining Scandinavian design with expressive simplicity, offering pendant lights, floor lamps, and distinctive lighting fixtures.
- Extremis Distribution Exclusive Italian sales and marketing representation for Extremis, a Belgian outdoor furniture brand established in 1994 by Dirk Wynants, embodying 'Tools for Togetherness' with pieces designed to enhance social experiences and promote sustainability.
- Tiptoe Distribution Exclusive Italian sales and marketing representation for Tiptoe, a Paris-based sustainable furniture brand founded in 2015 and certified B Corp, crafting furniture built to last with principles of simplicity, minimalism, material integrity, longevity, and disassembly.
- Moooi Carpets Distribution Exclusive Italian sales and marketing representation for Moooi Carpets, offering carpets, wall-to-wall installations, and tile collections with high-quality printing techniques designed as works of art for hospitality and residential interiors.
- Mindo Distribution Exclusive Italian sales and marketing representation for Mindo, a Danish outdoor furniture brand creating durable and stylish outdoor furniture using high-quality recyclable materials for residential and contract outdoor applications.
- Northern Distribution Exclusive Italian sales and marketing representation for Northern, a Norwegian design brand capturing the essence of Scandinavian design with focus on simplicity, natural elements, clean lines, and earthy color palettes for furniture and lighting.
- Motarasu Distribution Exclusive Italian sales and marketing representation for Motarasu, a brand fusing Danish and Japanese design aesthetics guided by 'poetic simplicity', reflecting commitment to sustainability, innovation, and minimalist visions combining Scandinavian functionality with Japanese wabi-sabi.
- Brand Strategy & Consultancy Services Comprehensive brand strategy consultancy including sales, marketing, and business development tailored to the Italian market, connecting Northern European design brands with local Italian decision-makers, architects, and designers across contract and retail channels.
- Sample Box Service
Quantifiable outcome
- Established since 2006, bridging Italian and Nordic design cultures for nearly two decades
Companies that use Nordic Design
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Nordic Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Nordic Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Normann CopenhagencoreNordic Design represents Normann Copenhagen in the Italian market. Founded in 1999, Normann Copenhagen is a Danish furniture and lighting brand known for blending clean lines with playful twists. Nordic Design provides sales, marketing, and business development support to scale the brand's operations in Italy.
- String FurniturecoreNordic Design represents String Furniture in Italy. Since 1949, String Furniture has produced versatile Scandinavian shelving systems. Nordic Design supports the brand's market penetration and dealer network development across Italy.
- NuuracoreNordic Design represents Danish lighting brand Nuura in Italy. Founded in Copenhagen in 2017 by Sofie Refer, Nuura creates lighting from mouth-blown glass and sculpted metal. Nordic Design brings this considered, wellbeing-driven approach to Italian homes and hospitality projects.
- PholccoreNordic Design represents Swedish lighting brand Pholc in Italy. Pholc redefines Scandinavian design with expressive simplicity, creating distinctive lighting fixtures from pendant lights to floor lamps. Nordic Design facilitates market access and project specifications.
- ExtremiscoreNordic Design represents Extremis, a Belgian outdoor furniture brand established in 1994 by Dirk Wynants. Extremis embodies 'Tools for Togetherness' ethos. Nordic Design supports the brand's presence in Italian contract and residential outdoor markets.
- TiptoecoreNordic Design represents Tiptoe, a Paris-based sustainable furniture brand founded in 2015. Tiptoe crafts sustainable furniture built-to-last and is a certified B Corp. Nordic Design facilitates the brand's entry into the Italian market with focus on sustainability-conscious buyers.
- Moooi CarpetscoreNordic Design represents Moooi Carpets in Italy, offering exceptional carpets, wall-to-wall, and tiles collections with high-quality printing techniques. Each carpet is described as a work of art. Nordic Design supports specification for hospitality and residential interiors.
- MindocoreNordic Design represents Mindo, a Danish sustainable outdoor furniture brand. Mindo creates durable, stylish outdoor furniture using high-quality recyclable materials. Nordic Design supports market development for residential and contract outdoor applications in Italy.
- NortherncoreNordic Design represents Northern, a Norwegian design brand capturing the essence of Scandinavian design with focus on simplicity and natural elements. Northern produces furniture and lighting reflecting Nordic landscapes. Nordic Design brings this collection to Italian homes and projects.
- MotarasucoreNordic Design represents Motarasu, a brand embracing the harmonious fusion of Japanese and Danish design. Motarasu unites Danish and Japanese designers, guided by poetic simplicity. Nordic Design supports this unique brand positioning in the Italian market for design-conscious consumers.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Nordic Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- B&B Italia: Italian high-end contemporary furniture manufacturer under Haworth's Lifestyle Design division. Comparable premium positioning and channel overlap with Nordic Design's represented Nordic brands in Italian contract and residential specification work.
- Poltrona Frau: Italian premium furniture and leather goods manufacturer, part of Haworth's Lifestyle Design division. Comparable as a heritage Italian design brand sold through similar contract and residential channels to the architects and designers Nordic Design serves.
- Boffi: Italian luxury kitchen, bathroom, and wardrobe systems manufacturer. Operates in the same premium Italian contract/residential specification ecosystem Nordic Design serves, addressing architects, developers, and high-end residential buyers.
- Molteni&C: Italian contemporary furniture and kitchen systems manufacturer. Comparable premium positioning in Italian contract and residential channels, addressing the same architect, developer, and high-end residential buyers Nordic Design serves.
- Foscarini: Italian decorative lighting manufacturer with strong contract and residential presence. Overlaps with Nordic Design's lighting portfolio (Nuura, Pholc) for the same Italian architect/specifier customers.
- Flos: Italian premium architectural and decorative lighting manufacturer (part of Design Holding). Competes with Nordic Design's represented lighting brands (Nuura, Pholc) in contract projects across Italy and globally.
- Cassina: Iconic Italian premium furniture manufacturer (part of Poltrona Frau Group/Haworth). Operates in the same Italian high-end design ecosystem Nordic Design serves, with overlapping architect/specifier customer base in contract and residential projects.
- Minotti: Italian contemporary furniture manufacturer known for premium indoor/outdoor collections. Overlaps with Nordic Design's contract and residential channels and competes for the same architect/specifier mindshare in Italy's premium design segment.
- Artemide: Italian premium architectural lighting manufacturer. Directly competes with represented brands Nuura and Pholc in the same Italian specification channel and shares Nordic Design's architect and hospitality customer base.
Others
- Kartell: Italian design furniture and home accessories manufacturer. Adjacent ecosystem player sharing Italian distribution channels and design-conscious consumer base with Nordic Design's represented portfolio, though positioned at a different price/design tier.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Nordic Design social profiles
Digital presenceNordic Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nordic Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Nordic Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nordic Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nordic Design
What does Nordic Design do?
Nordic Design is an Italian sales, marketing, and business development agency that exclusively represents a curated portfolio of Nordic and Scandinavian furniture and lighting brands in the Italian market. The company acts as an intermediary between Northern European brand owners and Italian architects, designers, hotel groups, developers, and retailers, providing tailored brand strategies, contract market support, and residential/retail channel development.
Is Nordic Design a public or private company?
Nordic Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Nordic Design founded?
Nordic Design was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Nordic Design based?
Nordic Design is headquartered in Verona, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Nordic Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: brand Representation Services.
Who are Nordic Design's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are B&B Italia, Poltrona Frau, Boffi, Molteni&C, Foscarini, Flos, Cassina, Minotti and Artemide. Kartell is listed as an others.
Does Nordic Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nordic Design.
What industry is Nordic Design in?
Nordic Design's product category is Design Brand Representation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAM, Industrial/Product & Furniture Design. Its NAICS code is 54141 and its SIC code is 2510.