Background
Fredrik Paulsen was born in 1980 and is based in Stockholm. He trained at Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm, graduating with a BFA in 2007, before completing an MFA at the Royal College of Art in London in 2010 — a route that took him from Swedish craft tradition into one of Europe’s leading design schools.
Studio and Joy Objects
Paulsen runs his own studio in Stockholm, working across furniture and art projects, and is also a co-founder of Joy Objects, a collaborative platform for product design and experiential work that has included partnerships with SLAM JAM and SNS. He is represented by Etage Projects in Copenhagen, and his full body of work is documented on his own site.
Design philosophy
Paulsen’s work is built on contemporary furniture made from low-value materials finished in vibrant colour, with an emphasis on craftsmanship and a sense of joy rather than conventional design preciousness. His broader practice has been described as drawing on anti-consumption, escapism, and countercultural references, aiming for pieces that feel carefree, playful, and tied to a sense of community rather than status.
Vaarnii and Blå Station
Among Paulsen’s manufacturing collaborations, 001 in Black for Vaarnii puts his colour-driven approach into a piece of solid pine furniture, while the Röhsska barstool for Blå Station — an all-wood stool with a distinctive shaded finish — extends the folk-inspired chair he originally designed for Gothenburg’s Röhsska design and craft museum.
Bruno Mathsson Prize 2024
In 2024 Paulsen received the Bruno Mathsson Prize, the largest design award in the Nordic countries, sharing the honour with Jenny Nordberg and Finn Ahlgren. The jury cited his work turning low-value materials into vivid, joyful furniture, a recognition that placed him alongside two other designers built around sustainability and craftsmanship at the prize’s 40th-anniversary ceremony at Vandalorum.
https://fredrikpaulsen.com/
Design by Fredrik Paulsen
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