10 Highlights From Stockholm Furniture Fair

On February 7-11th, the world’s largest platform for Scandinavian design finally opened its doors. Products from more than 400 participating companies, including Hem, Artek, Kinnarps Lammhults and Verk took to the stage and the public could visit stimulating exhibitions and listen to leading international names in architecture and design.

Here are ten highlights from the Stockholm Furniture Fair:

Experimental design – Älvsjö Gård

Sculptor Kajsa Melchior presented unique works never shown before, where one could experience a new side of Norwegian design. The historic Älvsjö gård manor house, located near Stockholm Furniture Fair, was home to a limited edition showcase of experimental design.

This year’s Guest of Honor exhibition

Research, high-tech, and embroidery. In 2004, the Front design studio showcased their work in a small stand in Greenhouse, Stockholm Furniture Fair’s platform for emerging designers. Today – 19 years later – their designs are being produced by industry-leading companies such as Moroso, Moooi, Vitra, and Kvadrat, and international galleries such as Friedman Benda, and Galleri Kreo. This year, they returned to Stockholm Furniture Fair as the first-ever Swedish Guest of Honor – with an exhibition that shows what design can be.

Selected new products at The Gallery Edition

The fair’s gallery showcased new products from companies and designers exhibited in the city during Stockholm Design Week. The Gallery Edition was a design week quick fix and strengthened the synergies between Design Week and the fair. Here you could explore new products from studios such as Ateljé Lyktan, Ekbacken Studios, Fogia, Tre Sekel, and Folkform, with styling by Sophia Bratt.

Meeting place Underbar

A place to meet, created with care and imagination. Underbar is the brainchild of Swedish designer and interior architect Jonas Bohlin and interior designer and producer Christine Ingridsdotter. It is made from carefully selected components, and all materials are to be reused after the fair. All the furniture in the bar was designed by Bohlin and made in Sweden. The chairs are a cavalcade from different restaurant environments. The lamps are new products, presented to the public for the first time. After the fair, the furniture and lamps are to be used in other bars and restaurants, including a restaurant located in Stockholm city centre.

Design By Nature

Stockholm Furniture Fair Talks

How do we build and design for a better tomorrow? This year’s speakers and panellists at the fair talked about the challenges of our age. Every day, several invited international designers and architects also spoke about their work and shared their knowledge. Sabine Marcelis, Stephen Burks, and Raw Edges, as well as architects such as Anders Lendager and Victoria Millentrup from BIG took to the stage.

Greenhouse

Gustav Winsth from Sweden presented a mirror called Heavy metal. Reeta Laine from Finland designed a chair you’d love to take home with you. Greenhouse is where you meet the design stars of tomorrow. This year, 32 designers and 30 design schools from 18 countries were represented. The location is also home to Greenhouse Bar by Nola, a place for conversations and panel discussions.

Towards a sustainable future – The Nude Edition

Meet Reform Design Lab, Johanson and Hans among others. The Nude Edition is a new area with smaller stands and a full focus on sustainability – a step in a transition towards a more sustainable way of exhibiting. The stands were made from recovered materials returned and recycled after use. Material partners for the stands are Recoma and Tarkett.

MELT cabinets_Photo by Antti-Jussi Rantala2_Winner Rising Star

Now or Never – 1 kg CO2e

Now or Never is an exhibition that evokes thoughts about materials and how they affect our environment – and highlights the importance of making the right choice. The exhibition was run by Emma Olbers, designer and sustainability strategist, together with the design and innovation agency EY Doberman. Form us with Love, Polestar and Nrep also participated. In Victoria Hall, Per Granqvist led a series of conversations on the theme.

Young Swedish Design celebrates a milestone

They’re back, and they just celebrated 25 years at the fair. Young Swedish Design is an annual award and exhibition that showcases the young Swedish design scene. This year’s exhibition featured Simon Matiasson, who developed a wood composite made from spruce damaged by bark beetles for use in 3D printing.

Swedish Design Movement

The Swedish Design Movement government initiative brings together players in Swedish design, fashion, and architecture who are driving the transition to a sustainable world. During the fair, they hosted a stand designed by Note design studio and more than 20 program items. You could listen to Johan Forssell, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Development, designers Fredrik Färg and Emma Blanche, as well as Madeleine Sjöstedt, Director General of the Swedish Institute.