Denmark's Kvadrat, whose colorful woolen fabric often has a rich textural quality, can be found upholstering furniture of Fritz Hansen, the country's prestige design label, and decorating the windows of Noma, the celebrated Copenhagen restaurant.

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The industrial interior design in the airy restaurant pays respect to its neighbor, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, while rustic elements such as reclaimed barn boards and a two-sided fireplace keep it welcoming.

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Set in a Milanese palazzo (a grand public building) north of the city centre, the concept is a winning combination of a three-room hotel, art gallery, design boutique and cafe-restaurant, and Sozzani has since replicated its success in Tokyo and Seoul.

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This movement now makes U.S. landfall in Williamsburg (which has been trendy even longer than Scandinavia), in the shape of Aska, a small restaurant and bar in a space that also encompasses an art-and-design studio.

NEWYORKER: Aska