The forests of Småland are honed into design that is unique in the world. Young designers and innovative manufacturers such as Källemo, Norrgavel and Bruno Mathsson present themselves to the world. This is the source. An award-winning maker of lamps is also here – Bsweden.
In the summer of 2011 there is every opportunity for an interesting tour of what is called the Kingdom of Furniture – a counterpart to Småland’s Kingdom of Crystal.
The trip begins in Lammhult, where there are shops. Norrgavel with its Nordic, natural design has both a shop and manufacturing on the premises. Svenssons in Lammhult sells and displays by and large all Swedish design furniture. Next door there is also an exhibition with 20th century classics – primarily chairs.
On to Värnamo. Here there are classic manufacturers such as Bruno Mathsson and Källemo. Bruno Mathsson is a shining light, one of the most gifted of Swedish furniture designers in the 20th century. Mathsson’s home and his first glass house are located in the heart of Värnamo, and in the house there is now a retrospective exhibition of Mathsson’s furniture. You can also see the office where Mathsson worked as well as his studio. Guided tours are available for groups throughout the year. You can book guided tours at the Värnamo Tourist Office, tel. +46 (0) 370-188 99.
In Källemo you can see Bohlin’s steel/concrete chair named Concrete, which amazed observers. Was this art or furniture design? Or the rubber chair Non, which attracted attention when it was placed upside down in an aquarium. The pilaster shelf and the Zink floor shelf are two other classics. Guided tours are conducted every Monday in July at 6 pm. In order to see design classics in use, one stays at the Scandic Värnamo design hotel.
Outside of Värnamo is the newly opened international art and design centre, Vandalorum.
Bruno Mathsson also had a major impact within architecture, and the Glass House in Kosta, in the heart of the Kingdom of Crystal, is one of the foremost examples of this. The house consists of five flats, including one model flat for showing, a conference unit and three flats. You can rent the flats at www.novasol.se. Advance reservations always must be made for tours of the original flat. For reservations ring +46 (0) 478-125 00.
The birthplace of IKEA is to the south, in Älmhult, where there is also a museum next to the department store.
In Herråkra, northeast of Växjö, the lamp firm Bsweden has its manufacturing plant and outlet. It is in the Kingdom of Crystal and uses handblown glass in many of its lamps.