Meet the Maker

The Kasthall Design Studio in Kinna, Sweden, is a place where creativity is at the centre of the design process. Can you describe what a typical day in the studio looks like?

In our design studio at Kasthall, there’s no such thing as a typical day. Continuously, we evolve our collection, introducing new designs and revitalising established ones with fresh colours. This ongoing process culminates in four major releases throughout the year. Besides our collection, we work closely with architects and designers who approach Kasthall to realise their unique design visions. The proximity to our production facility is invaluable, with our tufting machines and looms literally next door, streamlining our creative process.

Driven by a desire to make the world more beautiful, we move from inspiration collages to selecting yarns, colour compositions and prototyping. Our intimate, hands-on process means that from initial concept to final product, it usually takes about a year. Interestingly, only about a third to a quarter of our initial designs make it into the final collection.

Kasthall rugs are crafted with a focus on quality, beauty and durability. Can you share some insights into the thought and design process behind designing a rug that will meet these high standards?

At Kasthall, the foundation of our rugs lies in sourcing the very best raw materials. We exclusively use natural fibres, specifically wool and linen. The wool hails from New Zealand, and our linen grows in Normandie. These fibres are chosen for their superior quality and length. After selection, they are processed and spun into yarn in Germany and Italy. Kasthall boasts a rich design tradition, with an in-house design department that’s been active since 1954.

Throughout our history, we’ve consistently championed timeless design. Inspiration for our creations often comes from art, fashion and interior design. Yet, we also draw from our own rich design heritage, with an extensive archive filled with sketches, product samples and historical yarns. Additionally, the stunning natural beauty surrounding us serves as a continual source of inspiration. Designing our rugs is akin to crafting fine wine – beginning with the best grapes, cultivated in the most optimal soil, nurtured and aged to perfection.

Can you highlight your personal favourites – rugs that encapsulate the brand’s heritage and craftsmanship?

Choosing a favourite rug is truly a challenge as there are many that I deeply admire. Among the many rugs that embody Kasthall’s essence, a few stand out for their distinct character.

The Harvest rug, woven from residual yarns from our production, showcases a melange of colours, with each piece being uniquely distinct, symbolising our sustainability ethos. The Feather rug, with its intriguing bouclé base framed by a long, feathery fringe, encapsulates our playful yet elegant design philosophy. Poetry, a woven masterpiece, resonates an essence through its intricate chenille yarn details, exemplifying our artisanal craftsmanship. Lastly, the Karusell rug was reimagined to celebrate the 100th birthday of Kasthall’s first chief designer, Ingrid Dessau, capturing both the brand’s legacy and her design brilliance. Each rug tells its own story, revealing the layers of our brand’s commitment to design, heritage and the art of rug-making.

Kasthall has collaborated with some of the world’s most prominent designers and architects. What do you look for when choosing a partner for a collaboration?

Our collaborations with global designers and architects are more than just partnerships; they’re a journey of shared values and aspirations. We gravitate towards those who mirror our brand’s ethos and have a kindred spirit. Renowned names like David Chipperfield and Ilse Crawford resonate not just for their design acumen but for their meticulous attention to detail and a deep appreciation for the material’s integrity.

Collaborative journeys often begin with immersive visits to our factory in Kinna. Here, we delve into our rich archives, engage in dynamic workshops, and draw inspiration from the nuances of nature and art. This mutual exchange of ideas not only enriches our legacy but also challenges us, pushing our boundaries and encouraging innovation. Kasthall thrives on such challenges, seeing them as opportunities to infuse fresh perspectives while celebrating the essence of craftsmanship and design.

Kasthall’s rugs are made to last a lifetime. Can you tell us about the sustainability initiatives or practices in place at Kasthall to make this possible?

Our rugs are designed not just to adorn spaces but to endure for lifetimes. This commitment begins with our choice of the very best raw materials and the highest quality yarns, resulting in rugs that are both stable and durable. This inherent quality is reinforced by the dedication of our team and the significant hands-on craftsmanship that each rug undergoes. Our design ethos is guided by a philosophy echoed by Sven Lundh, the founder of Källemo [editor’s note: a Swedish design brand], which is that our designs should “withstand the eye’s wear and tear”, ensuring they remain timeless and perpetually appealing.

Our responsibility extends beyond just the creation of the rug. We’re committed to its entire lifecycle. We provide our customers with personalised advice on caring for their rug, from understanding colourfastness to the nuances of pigments. If, over the years, a rug shows signs of wear, we are on hand to assist with repairs and restorations. Additionally, we offer recommendations on the most suitable methods and venues for having the rug professionally cleaned, ensuring it retains its beauty throughout its lifespan.

Looking ahead, what are some influences you’re excited to explore in future Kasthall designs?

Looking into the future, sustainability remains at the core of Kasthall’s vision. We believe in continuous innovation in this domain, never resting on our laurels but constantly seeking new methods and avenues. Flipping conventional ideas on their head and challenging the norms excites us. We champion the ethos of ‘less but better’, with a particular interest in local sourcing and design that resonates at a deeper level, appealing to both the eyes and the soul.

In the short term, colour is where our enthusiasm lies. Given the current global landscape, there’s a longing to embrace vibrant hues that uplift and invigorate. While we might not veer towards Barbie-pink, we’re eager to dabble in diverse colour palettes. Drawing inspiration from the legacies of Gunilla Lagerhem Ullberg and Ingrid Dessau, we aim to propel Kasthall’s designs into a realm that marries the past’s heritage with the vivacity of the present.

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Looking at your works, words like timeless, monumental and tactile come to mind. What are the sources of inspiration behind your pieces?

We find inspiration for our shapes comes from various sources. When we travel or walk around the city, we observe everything. From the shape of a parasol outside a restaurant to the funny look of a cartoon character (which was the inspiration for the ‘Edna’ table lamp in alabaster). We have been inspired by food, monuments, jewellery, and anything that crosses our paths. We tend to prefer rounded, curved shapes as we found them softer on the eyes. We play with contrast, accumulation and a lot of natural materials.

As we ourselves are a duo, creative duos fascinate us. What respective experience and skills do both of you bring to the table within Simone & Marcel?

We are different, perhaps even complete opposites, which is a great thing, since we both have strong personalities and both are a bit stubborn. As our strengths lie in different areas, we complement each other. Otherwise, it would never have worked. In the day-to-day operations, Javier is in charge of engineering, finance, production and suppliers. I manage the design, marketing and sales. However, all strategic decisions are always taken together.

Can you give us some insight into your creative process, from an abstract idea to the materialisation of the final piece of lighting?

The creative process starts whenever we have a design idea in our mind, usually when we are not working and outside of our workshop. I am more sensitive to aesthetics than Javier, therefore it will usually be me asking Javier what he thinks of a certain design idea. Javier will then determine how to make it with regard to feasibility and cost. We will then create a prototype in our workshop, photograph and upload it on our website and on social media. In the meantime, we look for a local supplier to manufacture parts of the design in small batches. Although we can work with any material in our workshop, we are specialized in metal fabrication, for other materials we like to work with local artisans and experts. All our lighting is designed and assembled in our workshop in Toledo.

We adore your usage of alabaster. What draws you to this locally-sourced natural stone, and how is it suited for lamps in particular?

Alabaster is a stone similar to marble, but it has a translucent feature which makes it a very nice material to use in lighting. It has a strong variation characteristic, meaning each piece has a unique tone and veining pattern, which brings a feeling of uniqueness to the lamp. The main quarries of alabaster are located in Spain, which makes it even more meaningful for us. We are amongst very few lighting designers to use tobacco alabaster, which is a derivate from white alabaster and can be found only in Spain and only in one location.

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What would you say is the answer to ”why” you started All Matters Studio?

Our studio name All Matters is a reminder that every little detail really does matter. All decisions in the design process have consequences and we as designers are responsible for developing products that justify using the resources they consume. At All Matters, we question the design and purpose of the products we create and always strive to find an even better, smarter and more sustainable way forward.

Your works span several materials and disciplines. What would you say is your signature style, and how does it manifest itself in your works?

We always aim to design in a sustainable way and create items that are not only part of ongoing trends, and also try to create multi-purpose products. We strive to source materials locally and to work with local craftsmen to make beautiful products that will be cherished and long-lasting.

Tell us about the creative process behind the ‘Embla’ stool and how it came into being?

I have a thing about small stools. They are a great compliment in any space. Small stools are always practical to use as a bedside table or as a decorative element in a living room. The Embla stool is inspired by a traditional milking stool and assembled using old Scandinavian carpentry details.

Please elaborate a little around how and why the Embla stool is a good representative of you as designers and the credo of All Matters Studio?

The Embla stools are handcrafted at Nils Verners Verkstad outside Uppsala. The first editions were made from elm trees that had been cut down, a mere few kilometres from the carpentry, due to elm disease. The wood itself was excellent and we didn’t want it to go to waste. The stools made of the wood from these particular trees are numbered and made as a limited edition.

What are your main sources of inspiration in your works and day-to-day?

I have various sources of inspiration. I am very much inspired by nature. Hiking in the nearby nature of Stockholm is a catalyst to problem-solving. I also find inspiration in exhibitions, a piece of art or during my daily visits to Pinterest. While Fredrik, my partner, often fuels his inspiration when doing something completely different, like working on our old mahogany boat from 1936.

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What is your professional background?

I’m not a biochemist as one might think, the knowledge I have of the microbiological world we live in has been gathered over the past six years working with Pure Effect. After university, I spent 12 years in the world of executive education at Stockholm School of Economics, where I last held a position as Communications and Marketing Director.

What drove you to found Pure Effect, and when did you start your journey with biotech-based cleaning?

In 2013 I had a personal health and environmental crisis, realizing the number of chemicals we push into our ecosystem have consequences for human health. I arranged a seminar with professor Åke Bergman at Stockholm University to spread the word on endocrine-disrupting chemicals. And this is where I started the Pure Effect journey.

What are some of the most obvious pros of your products?

It does the job more efficiently than traditional cleaning products and removes odour in a way that chemistry can’t. We use the power of microbes, nature’s own cleaners, to remove the source of the odour rather than covering the smell with perfume. In addition, biotechnology changes how we use land since we can ferment the active ingredients instead of using fossil or plant-based chemicals. A resource-efficient game changer.

What are some of the misconceptions of probiotic cleaning among the public?

That our products are anti-bacterial. That comment always makes me smile since it’s just the opposite – they are highly bacterial and that’s the point! A huge misconception today is that bacteria only are carriers of disease. It is important to know that your whole immune system consists of bacteria, and benefits from them to stay strong and healthy.

Why, in your opinion, are we still picking uploads of different chemical products with more or less intrusive smells to clean our homes?

There are many reasons for that I think. The fear of bacteria and lack of knowledge when it comes to the invisible microbial world is one of them. A question I often get is “If this is so good, how come everyone isn’t using it already?” A fair question and the short answer is that we’re all, more or less, stuck in an establishment and an attitude that “this old way works, I’ll wait until everyone else is doing it”. When it comes to smell and fragrance, it’s a cultural thing. In some parts of the world, it’s really important that “clean” smells of chlorine or heavy perfume. Even though perfume often just covers up the dirt still left in the material. ”Clean” actually doesn’t smell at all.

Do you have a theory as to why it has taken so long for this method of cleaning to break into the consumer market?

Like all new technologies, change takes time. You can compare it to the Tesla breakthrough when it comes to electric vehicles and today every brand is doing it. We see some competitors on the consumer market today and look forward to some help spreading the word. It’s not just a walk in the park to be a pathfinder. Biotechnological products have been used for professional cleaning for more than 20 years but the lack of criteria for consumer products makes communicating with that market a lot more challenging.

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Most of your product, such as ’Anà’ and ’Itoo Raba’, bear names that stem from the Chaldean language. Can you tell us a bit about your background?

I was born in Ankawa, a suburb of Erbil in northern Iraq. My family belongs to the minority population Chaldaeans, which is the native population of Mesopotamia and part of the Chaldean Catholic Church. We came to Sweden when I was very young. For me, naming work with references to the Chaldean language is a way of highlighting my heritage and introducing the culture to a broader audience.

Brutalism, minimalism and sculptural aesthetics inform your work. What is it you want to convey through your work?

I want my furniture and objects to stand out, but still have a function and lend themselves to proper usage. Hopefully, they add something extraordinary to everyday life. I have come to know and love this particular type of aesthetic, and made it my own. I want to convey a sense of chaos and harmony at the same time. The shapes are oftentimes bold but subdued through the choice of materials. I like it when the audience projects their own references upon my work. 

You work in a broad range of materials, from glass and wood to graphite in your drawings. Can you tell us why you don’t want to limit yourself in your choice of material?

Honest materials speak to me, and I look for materials that stand the test of time and display certain characteristics. But I also look for materials that suit the type of work I am creating. I started using pine during my studies, as it was cheaper than other wood. But I soon realized that it had other benefits – Swedish pine is available in abundance locally, which also makes sense when choosing what materials to work with. Another example of this way of thinking is found in my latest project ’Bel’, a sculptural recycling bin that is made out of metal. It is a nod to my hometown of Eskilstuna, which to this day has a large metal industry.

Can you give us some insight into your creative process?

Everything starts with a thought or a feeling. I’m usually inspired by something I’ve seen, and I always do a lot of hand sketching to find an idea I want to pursue. After that, I try out many different shapes in CAD, and also create models in styrofoam. There are four women in my life who are instrumental in the outcome of my work. My wife Fairuz, my mother Amal, whom I named my ceramic cup after, and my sisters Mariana and Sinar. The latter currently studies at Beckmans College of Design. Aside from them, I don’t care much about what other people think.

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The visual appearance of your works is minimalist and tranquil. What is the philosophy behind your signature style?

My works are a reminder to the viewer to be present. The pieces are modest and need a bit of attention to reveal their personality. Depending on the reflections of light, different shades and shadows create sculptural lines that form a surface that is restful to behold. The works appear tactile and almost a bit fragile. In juxtaposition to the tough surface, that creates tension between the true properties of the material, and how it is being perceived. That is the thing that I love and that I want the viewer to experience.

With a background as a pattern and textile designer, working with supple and soft materials, how did you end up using such hard and stark materials in your artworks?

I do not like to define a material in a certain way, but instead, take advantage of how to transform and use its qualities. I think that it is up to each and everyone to label the experience that comes out of looking at or touching a material. Textile has always been an important part of my creativity, and something that I will continue to work with, but maybe in other ways than before.

As a Finnish artist living in Sweden, do you see a difference in artistic expression and appreciation between the two countries, despite being geographically close? 

The artworld is a new place for me, and have yet to acquire enough experience to see an obvious difference in how we look at art between the two countries. Historically there are of course many aspects that have impacted how art is perceived, and I would prudently like to say that the Finns tend to be a bit more modest in their preferences, while in Sweden there is a much more open mind for different styles and variations. Growing up in a small village, surrounded by open fields and dense forests, I have always felt grounded and safe in such environments. Seeing people making use of what nature offers, living a sustainable life and creating much on their own, opened me up to explore my own capabilities. I believe that it has shaped me, and something I want to give to others through my work. To me, the minimalist expression of Nordic design is not just the way it looks, but rather about how you involve it in your lifestyle. With that, I hope that my works can be a part of the stillness that so many of us need today.

What is your main source of inspiration?

Ever since I was little, I’ve been fascinated by textures, surfaces and materials. To this day I still consider employing my hands, rather than my eyes when exploring materials, very important to me. I would not say that there is any specific thing that I look for in search of inspiration, but I find elements in architecture and everyday surroundings inspiring.

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You both have careers in disciplines and functions in the creative industry. What triggered you to leave your careers to become independent craftsmen full time?

Whilst there were many creative elements to both of our previous careers, particularly in fashion, we have always had a desire to create something from nothing. There’s something so exciting about building from a raw concept and bringing an idea to life. It requires you to consider and intimately understand every part of the process, constantly challenging yourself along the way. Ultimately we were looking for something more personally fulfilling and desired the autonomy and creative freedom that Ash & Plumb allows us.

Your professional backgrounds both span over a vast area of different fields, what inspired you to choose wood in particular as the material of choice for your craft?

We have always been drawn to wood as a medium, having both grown up around woodlands we have a strong emotional connection to the material, it has such a wonderfully tactile nature and can add magnificent character to the spaces in which we live and work. When we renovated our home we designed and built some custom pieces for the house and completely fell in love with the making process along the way. We are passionate about using local materials, sourcing a mixture of fresh logs from local arborists taken from at-risk trees that are felled due to disease or other causes and kiln-dried boards sourced from responsibly managed British woodlands.

Could you take us through the whole creative process from start to finish in making your turned wood objects?

Whilst we aim for a certain fluidity within the process it generally starts with a discussion around a specific concept. For example for our Halo tray; Dru and I sketched out some potential forms before deciding on a more tangible direction. At this point I prepared some blanks, opting for clean grained sections of a board allowing me to focus on refining the form itself without any distractions before taking the tray back to Dru to discuss and potentially further refine from there. Once we were happy with the final form we then explored our stock to see how we could take advantage of the natural features such as bark inclusions and natural voids and create a series of individual trays that while similar in form were completely unique in character. It is this part of the process that is definitely my favourite, exploring the limitations of what is possible with the material is a wonderful challenge! Once I had turned a series of these, Dru then took charge of the oiling and finishing before curating a selection for him to style and photograph, requesting a couple of additional pieces to make the series more cohesive. Aiming to carefully curate our work through this process ensures a clear aesthetic relationship that ties everything together. It’s important to us that each stage of the creative process maintains a relative fluidity allowing us to be open to new concepts along the way. It is through this way of working that we believe our best work is produced.

All your pieces are unique and original as the raw material always displays individual patterns, grains and blemishes. Is the nature of natural materials a blessing or a challenge?

The nature of natural materials is definitely both a blessing and a challenge! Working with wood is an inherently collaborative process, as you never know exactly what to expect when you cut into a log. That is of course part of the excitement, we enjoy the challenges presented by what most would consider an imperfection, seeing it as an opportunity to highlight the individual and characterful nature of the medium. This way of working means we can utilise our materials in a way that is simply not possible in a mass-produced context.

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Skincare is usually shrouded in mystery, fancy wording, and complicated routines. OM-SE’s message is the opposite. How can a total of four products cover the skincare needs of every gender, ethnicity, age, and skin type?

We aim to simplify and be fully transparent, as opposed to many other skincare brands out there. At the end of the day, we want our customers to understand and feel at ease with what they put on their skin. Our extremely user-centric approach hails from our wish to create something that is beneficial for the skin. It isn’t a product line created out of a marketing perspective with a mission to maximize profit. The reason that our products really work for everyone and in every situation is that they are jam-packed with all the essential ingredients that the skin needs on a daily basis. The idea is to offer a fully adaptable, multi-purpose tool that users can personalise according to their own skin’s needs. An example of this is that we decided to create an oil instead of a face cream. In a cream, there’s a fixed amount of moisture and nourishment alongside additives and emulsifiers, while an oil lets you decide if one or several drops are needed.

Why hasn’t this been done before?

Looking at beauty in the traditional retail landscape, brands need shelf space to be noticed. A large portfolio means more space is provided to showcase the brand and its products. That is the harsh reality behind the beauty industry and why there are so many products out there. Fast beauty – to be able to offer novelties to constantly stay on top of buzzy trends and formulations – is today’s norm. We believe in slow beauty and have created a line of products that we use ourselves. From a strategic point of view, our line consisting of only four products might not make much sense, but in our simplified and transparent approach, we aim to revolutionalize skincare. Selling directly to consumers online and through a number of selected retailers allows us to do things differently.

What is your inspiration behind the products, and how were they initially developed?

Inspired by the FODMAP methodology of eliminating one ingredient at a time, I started experimenting with ingredients on my own skin. I also started documenting it, narrowing in on a blend that suited my skin needs. After having enlisted friends to try it out, we initiated a large-scale trial of the products before setting out to find a manufacturer. We now produce our products according to our own formulations right here in Sweden, in small batches to ensure freshness and potency. Naturally, OM-SE’s products meet all the regulations set by the European Commission.

What makes OM-SE’s products so potent and how are they different from other products that claim to do the same thing?

We have completely left out all unnecessary oils and ingredients that are usually added to increase volume and dilute a product. If you were to compare our products with others in the same price range by carefully examining the list of ingredients, you would find that we’ve chosen to include only the very best, most potent ingredients that actually deliver results.

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The decision to bring your own weighted blanket to market, was it based on personal needs or something that you saw as a professional psychiatrist?

I would say that it is a combination of both, as well as dreaming of starting and building my own business. With my personal experience in sleep difficulties in mind and having had positive testaments from patients having used weighted blankets successfully, I decided to have a go at constructing my own version. The weighted blankets currently used in the medical sector are both unappealing and prohibitively expensive. 

You have worked exclusively using sustainable, natural and soft materials. Why, and how did you go about finding them?

I found a lot of inspiration from friends who cheered me on and who I could bounce ideas off of. Selecting the materials were to a great extent based on advice from my close friend Catherine Richter, who is co-founder of Norrgavel, a furniture company with sustainability in mind long before it was fashionable. The enthusiastic and knowledgeable people of local wool factory Klippan Yllefabrik immediately saw the potential in a weighted wool blanket, that would also be filled with locally grown wheat, to create the right weight. With that, I had a product that was sustainably made from sustainable raw materials and that fulfilled my demands of both aesthetics and comfort.

How does a weighted blanket work in practice, and how is it best used to harness its full potential?

Quite a bit of research has been done on the subject. Two theories support the use of a weighted blanket. Number one, the gentle pressure on the body sends a soothing signal to the brain that makes us feel safe. The other suggests that the weight triggers a natural release of oxytocin, which is the body’s own ”cuddle chemical”. Users of weighted blankets report deeper sleep with fewer interruptions, which speaks volumes to its benefits. I would personally consider the Wesomnia weighted blanket as a natural part of the home, as a functional and aesthetic device for self-preservation, resilience and recovery. Neuro design, if you will.

With sleep disorder being a public disease, the use of a weighted blanket may be part of the solution against insomnia. What are your (professional) thoughts on the matter?

Sleep disorder and insomnia is, unfortunately, a widespread problem. The root cause may be both psychological and physiological, which in many cases can be addressed through cognitive behavioural therapy and medical treatment. It is important to emphasise that a weighted blanket can act as a complement to therapy, but not always the cure-all solution. I look at a weighted blanket as something to be used daily to wrap ourselves in when feeling stressed or anxious, at any time during the day or night.

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What is your vision for the Boiida brand?

As textile has become such a large part of my life, the idea of creating a textile brand came very naturally. I wanted to create a line of everyday linen textile items, something we live with and use daily. Boiida is my idea of the ideal everyday textile brand, with products of high quality, made in a good way and at an affordable price. Achieving this combination turned out to be a challenge, but I feel Boiida has succeeded. The line isn’t life-changing, but it adds small moments of joy to everyday life.

Boiida’s products are manufactured by Klässbols Linneväveri, purveyor to the Swedish royal household. How did you start working together?

I visited factories around Sweden and had a hard time finding someone who could meet my standards and needs. Our dear friend Carina Seth Andersson suggested that I reach out to Klässbols. She introduced us to each other, and I was very impressed by their warm welcome, even though I wasn’t a well-established name on the Swedish design scene.

Can you tell us about the creative process behind your linen goods?

I’m not very brave when it comes to drawing, so I usually start off with a mini sketch of whatever I am creating, trying out colours and patterns. They are the size of a stamp. Once I decide on something I like, I sketch out a bigger version. I then make a technical drawing and start weaving. During this phase, I also like to improvise a bit. My process is really very simple. Those prototypes are then sent to Klässbol, who return samples to me before I finalise the design.

I feel that your colour combinations and fabric textures are what make Boiida so unique. How do you think about colour and texture?

Before relocating to Sweden, I would always wear black, grey or navy clothes, but weaving introduced me to colour. I enjoy playing with different colour combinations and I realised that I had all this colour deep within me. I wouldn’t say my style is colourful, but the colour is certainly the first thing I think about when I start on something new. As for waffle weaving, the traditional technique I opted for in the entire line, I really like the three-dimensional and tactile properties it has.