Johan Lindstén is a young Stockholm designer with an affinity for both new and old. He is not afraid to admit to sentimentality, and when it shows up in the form of embroidered furniture, who can blame him? But Lindstén is not all about the needlework of yesteryear, as his Oak Concept series can attest to. Lindstén is inspired by materials and needs, and the results are both practical and easy on the eye.

Idyll Sofa

Your Idyll Concept Chairs are all about the nostalgia for a past many of us might not have had, but still long for. And at the same time, they represent a quiet escape from our hectic, contemporary lives. What do these chairs evoke for you? The past, the present?

Many hours, many days, many weeks and years were spent on embroidery by women in older generations to capture an idyllic view. Many had dreams to be a part of the life with a nice little red cottage close to the water and Bambi watching over us.

These stitches and dreams are for most people forgotten and thrown away, an eternal loss, never to have been appreciated. This furniture's destiny is to elevate and promote these neglected pieces of art, bring back long lost sentimental value and mix it with my contemporary aesthetics.



Idyll Chair

There is a struggle within myself as a designer that I am continuously fighting: my role as a designer is to create new, interesting designs, but at the same time I am really sentimental and fond of old, beautiful objects. This furniture is an attempt to combine these two desires.



Icon Lamps

The solid blocks of colour of the Oak Concept series are in sharp contrast to the details of Idyll, but are just as enticing. What was your motivation here?

The Oak Concept took off from a series of questions I asked myself.

Why don't any lamps in wood exist? Must all floor lamps have metal arms? Is it possible to design nice lamps in wood? According to me, there are no modern wooden chairs with an honest high quality impression in the market. How come?



Oak Chair

The answers led to: laminated lamps like icons taking the final steps to a three dimensional world. A cocky modern wooden chair with the strokes and blessing of a craftsman. The poor floor lamp in oak that is continuously fighting against the gravity of the moon.



Celestial Body

There are some wonderful pieces in your portfolio, such as the very cheerful table that integrates a potted plant, or Celestial Body, the chair that provides a workspace once seated. How did these projects come about?

I find my inspiration in everyday experiences, music, and especially technical gadgets. There are always new products and ideas forming in my mind. Often these ideas and products are the answers to a problem or different thoughts I am having. In this case, I needed a really comfortable lounge-chair that offered a workspace and possibility to work in. it I did some research and started a design process to find an optimal form/design that allows these criteria. The potted plant was more of a quick idea I wanted to try after seeing these cheap big pots in different stores and an idea to bring nature closer to us and integrate it within a product.



Celestial Body

What's next on your agenda?

There are many new products that start to take form, but I am still in a position (quite newly graduated) where I need to start more collaborations with new, interesting companies.



Close to Nature

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