Notem Studio takes its name from the Latin notem — a poetic expression of the desire to write and the uncertainty of what you will write about. It is a tricky conjugation that can’t be neatly translated as a single word. The closest expression is, perhaps, ‘that I may note.’

“Our aim is to design products for exactly those situations where you find yourself needing pen and paper,” explains Notem Studio co-founder Signe Birkving Bertelsen. With her small team in Copenhagen’s historic Østerbro district, she organises and reorganises pages into clear sections. Text here, lists there. Then lists here, texts there. As Mondriaan did, they tirelessly reformat pages with the same few elements in the search of the mythical perfect layout.

The tactile and the graphic
Notem Studio’s output is often marked by rich colours and strong textures: stiff recycled cardboard in plum, or rust-coloured cotton covers. Given the rigour of their organisation, the soft execution of the books themselves should be surprising. But it works seamlessly, and the tender whites and jewel-bright colours of their notebooks brings a gentle delight to these practical objects.

We’ve been proud supporters of Notem since their inception in 2017, and we were amongst the first stores in the Netherlands to carry them. For our customers in Amsterdam, we carry the full range in store, but we export Notem Studio gladly around the world from our online shop.