Showcasing innovative Swedish design for 20 years In DesignTorget’s 20th anniversary year, Swedish Press met with three of their designers to discuss design inspiration, best-selling dishcloth holders and why Sweden leads the world in innovative design. DesignTorget is a commercial market place for unique design, with new, handpicked items by both established and up-and-coming designers showcased every week. Founded by architect Jerry Hellström in Stockholm’s Kulturhuset in 1993, DesignTorget now has 17 shops in Sweden and Oslo, as well as a webshop.
[ ]
November 2013 12
Maria Holmer Dahlgren • Art director and designer Maria Holmer Dahlgren was co-founder of stationary company Ordning & Reda, worked on the graphic design for Stockholm’s Hotel Rival, has designed a collection for the Tate Galleries and a special collection of homewares called ‘No Limit’ to mark DesignTorget’s 20th anniversary.
What was your inspiration for the No Limit series? The name No Limit stands for the way this pattern can change in thousands of ways, depending on the colour combination. The colours I´ve chosen for DesignTorget´s anniversary, the green and black and white, are close to a Scandinavian birch, which is also the material of the trays. The name No Limit also reflects how I think a designer should act/think – no boundaries, no limits, trust your instincts!
Why do you think Sweden has such a strong reputation for excellent design? Swedish design – often referred to as minimalist – developed during the Second World War, with clean, simple lines and a strong emphasis on functionality. We are a small country, with cold, dark winters that make us stay at home and invest in good interiors and homes. I believe we try harder. We also have several excellent design schools. Is there one particular designer or design piece which exemplifies Swedish design for you? Swedish design knows no bounds, diversity is a vital component of Swedish design, so I have to mention many designers; Bruno Mathsson, Olle Eksell, Astrid Sampe, Ingegerd Råman, Signe Persson Melin, Stig Lindberg, Claesson Koivisto Rune, Björn Dahlström, Anders Beckman, Gunilla Lagerhem Ullberg, Märta Måås-Fjetterström and many many more!
A collection of homewares exclusively designed by Maria Holmer Dahlgren for Tate Galleries.
Which piece of work are you most proud of, and why? My collection for Tate Galleries, absolutely! But I believe the best is to come – I get better with every year!
