OPPOSITE The release of matt white responds to
the growing importance of texture in the bathroom.ABOVE Vola has been bringing colour to the
bathroom since 1968. Its current 27-colour range
includes such bold brights as 25 Pink.VOLA MAY BE launching its latest colour –
matt white – but it’s not so concerned with
its newness. That’s because the Danish design
brand isn’t one to follow trends. Throughout
its 51-year-long history, Vola has focused
more on innovation. And it’s done so with
one main goal in mind: to provide sustainable
and timeless modular designs.
While others were playing it safe in
the colour scene, the Vola brand launched
with two eye-catching prototypes. Arne
Jacobsen – renowned Danish architect and
Vola’s designer – dreamed of making the
world’s first concrete tap. Functional issues
may have prevented his vision from being
realized, but there was nothing to stop the
creation of a ‘concrete’ colour instead. Vola’s
founder, Verner Overgaard, had a favourite
shade as well: orange. ‘At first, we were ridi-
culed for suggesting you might want colour in
the bathroom,’ says Birthe Tofting, Vola’s sales
and marketing director. ‘But from then on,
others followed.’
By 1970, orange and grey were joined
by eight other hues, six of which are still part
of Vola’s current 27-colour range. Jacob-
sen’s original 02 Grey, for example, feels as
contemporary today as it did in 1968. ‘Our
approach to colour is based on giving archi-
tects and designers options,’ says Tofting.
‘We allow them to express themselves in the
way they wish.’ And the creative freedom is
immense. Vola can provide any of its prod-
ucts in any configuration in any of its 27
colour options, making 1,000,000 possible
outcomes. Vola is able to offer such flexibility
and efficient turnover thanks to its bespoke
manufacturing service. Unlike many in the
field who mass-manufacture their goods,
Vola makes products to order to a designer’s
specification. ‘You can ask for that style, that
lever, that colour,’ says Peder Nygaard, Vola’s
COO. ‘We call it on-our-toes engineering.’
The Vola-designer relationship is
a mutual one, since its specifiers play a
vital role in driving the brand’s new colour
choices. ‘We like to be closely connected
to our clients through our 12 international
showrooms,’ says Tofting. ‘We listen to feed-
back and work to develop options that offer
more choice and more personalization.’ The
release of matt white is a perfect example.
Vola already had white in its range, but after
the extraordinary success of its matt black
finish, the team realized the growing impor-
tance of texture in the bathroom. ‘Designers
were beginning to work more with natural
stones and matt surfaces,’ says Tofting. ‘Matt
white responds to that feedback.’
White is white, some may say, so what
makes the ‘Vola matt white’ special? The
company conducts rigorous colour testing
until completely satisfied with the outcome.
‘We wanted a true and pure white-white,’ says
Nygaard. ‘As white as possible. And as matt
as possible. If you see a photograph of the
original white next to the new one, you might
not be able to tell the difference. The distinc-
tion is all about touch and tangibility.’
Compared with the bolds and brights
of yesteryear – olive green was unsurpris-
ingly a massive hit in the 1970s and ’80s –
matt white may seem like an incredibly safe
choice. ‘We love seeing designers using our
vibrant colours – our bright-pink tap looks
amazing against earthy tones, for example –
but they also need options for neutral envi-
ronments,’ says Tofting. ‘Variety is key, and
we have an incredible line-up that will always
remain relevant regardless of what’s happen-
ing in the world of interiors. Some colours
are very bold and strong, whereas othersAl
ex(^) W
ils
on
are subtler. That’s the joy of Vola: it can suit
any environment. We don’t have ranges of
different trending styles. We have the iconic
and timeless Vola design, which provides so
many possibilities. Each product is founded
on the principles of the original 1968 designs,
products that are still loved today and con-
tinue to set the benchmark. Our 111 built-in
basin tap, for example, won the 2019 German
Design Award, 50 years on from winning its
first award. It shows how timeless Vola is.’
Vola’s commitment to longevity and
to its past are also evident in its manufactur-
ing process. Since the company has never
switched a shade, products used back in the
1970s can be updated and refurbished today.
As Nygaard says: ‘Our commitment to sus-
tainable, beautiful and modular design is the
foundation of Vola.’ ●
vola.com
VOLA X FRAME 169