“ Good furniture that ages beautifully and still feels modern is sustainable just because you never need to replace it.”
Per-Ola and I first met at a bar in Oslo.
There I was, cheerfully ordering beer and snacks when I realised I’d forgotten my wallet! So Per-Ola had to pay the bill. A perfect start to a long collaboration.”
They clicked immediately. “Per-Ola has many great qualities that are also reflected in the company he runs. He’s incredibly honest and straightforward – simply reliable. The same goes for Horreds. They never take short cuts, neither in making furniture nor in relationships.”
What moment stands out most?
“When we developed our first series together, Nomono, I was struck by the team’s energy and determination. We faced plenty of challenges, but they never gave up or deviated from the original idea. That made a lasting impression on me. And we’ve continued with every project since in the same spirit. It’s a real privilege to work with such a dependable partner.”
Where do ideas come from?
“I’m fascinated by how technology changes our social and organisational patterns. It invites new solutions – and sometimes entirely new types of furniture. We’ve moved from fixed computers and personal desks to -real-time collaboration, independent of any specific workstation. The challenge is to anticipate what kind of furniture that shift will require.”
How do you balance function and humanity?
“It’s about starting from the user’s real, everyday life. Not designing just to look cool or technical. The best form happens when function and aesthetics boost each other rather than competing. There’s no formula for that. We make full-scale prototypes for everything and keep testing until the product feels completely natural.”
“They never strayed from the original idea – and that made a deep impression on me. And we’ve continued with every project in that same spirit.”
What are you most proud of?
“I’m very proud of the Nomono series. We launched it in 2009 based on the needs of that time and since then we’ve continuously refined and expanded it.
Nomono has been used as an office workstation for 16 years – not many series last that long.
2023 we created Nomono Compact, proving that the system is still as relevant today as when it was first introduced. If the foundation is solid, you don’t need to start over – you build on it.”
On sustainability, relationships and longevity:
“Good furniture that ages beautifully and still feels modern – that’s true sustainability. I often develop a personal relationship with my furniture and would never think of replacing it just to ‘freshen things up.’ Good design stands above such impulses – and that’s its environmental strength.”
How does the team get started?
“We talk a lot – Per-Ola, Markus Torstensson, who’s head of Product Development and me. Together we shape ideas about where the workplace is heading. It’s not a formal brief, more a shared sense of direction. I give the idea its form and then we refine it together through models and prototypes. Sometimes it doesn’t work and we start over – and that’s what’s great about Horreds. There’s room to fail, to ask obvious questions and to keep pushing forward.”
What does the future look like?
“I believe workplaces will become more active. Most people already track their pulse, steps and standing time with smart watches. Meetings will be shorter and more efficient – and perhaps there will be fewer coffee breaks. Work will be about focus, flow and purpose.”
