Why All Things Really Do Matter
If you pair a driven architect, passionate about design, attention to detail and heritage with an entrepreneur and experienced ad-man, you get All Matters Studio. The design studio has since its conception worked steadfastly with locally sourced materials, crafted by local and skilled makers and artisans that all share a passion for their craft.
The ‘Embla’ stool is a signature product and a testament to the studio’s work, taking cues from a traditional humble Swedish milking stool and turning it into a piece of furniture that is highly relevant to our time. Studio founders Anne-Mette Krolmark and Fredrik Widén find their inspiration in long hikes in nature as well as when caring for their 1930’s mahogany boat.
Photography portraits: Andy Liffner
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.
”All decisions in the design process have consequences and we as designers are responsible for developing products that justify using the resources they consume.”
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.
