Since launching their furniture company in 2002, Rolf and Mette Hay have entered the pantheon of design power couples like Charles and Ray Eames and Florence and Hans Knoll. But while their forebears tried to break the mold of modern American living, the Danish duo’s goal is slightly less disruptive: introducing a touch of frivolity to everyday objects. At Hay’s new 3,500-square-foot Goose Island store — its third outpost in the United States — this playful ethos is balanced with an understanding that it’s trendy to live efficiently. (Thanks, Marie Kondo.) Think less clutter, more pastels. You can’t walk in and not smile at the neon boxes for “bits and bobs,” the modular, stackable geometric trays, or the tapered water bottles. “We’re filling a void in the market by making Scandinavian design more accessible,” says Mette Hay. Don’t be surprised if you walk out with an unnecessary but delightful rainbow of glass straws. 755 W. North Ave.

Polished brass table lamp with PVC-laminated cotton shade

$225

Polished brass table lamp with PVC-laminated cotton shade

Photos: Courtesy of Hay
Steel tray

$28

Steel tray

Stainless steel water bottle

$40

Stainless steel water bottle

Plastic toothbrush

$6

Plastic toothbrush

Porcelain and stainless steel coffeepot

$85

Porcelain and stainless steel coffeepot

Beech plywood chair with oak veneer base

$295

Beech plywood chair with oak veneer base