Staffan Holm | ScandinavianDesign.com

Abstracta has just refreshed its Zen Pod — the acoustic booth Staffan Holm first designed in 2021 — with a new modular sofa and side tables, keeping the oak, wool and aluminium palette that has defined his work with the manufacturer for more than a decade.

Cabinetmaker before designer

Holm’s design studio, founded in Gothenburg in 2008, grew out of a craft career rather than a design-school one. He trained as a fine cabinetmaker and earned his journeyman’s letter — his qualifying piece was a cherry-wood cupboard with finger-jointed drawers and intarsia inlay — then worked as a carpenter for nearly four years before enrolling at HDK, the School of Design and Crafts in Gothenburg, and founding his studio on graduating.

Spin and the Bruno Mathsson Prize

His best-known piece, the three-legged stacking stool Spin for Swedese, uses a laminated, two-directionally bent wood leg construction the Bruno Mathsson Foundation called a solution that “already on the drawing board seemed impossible.” Spin was named Furniture of the Year in 2010 and later expanded into a lounge table; the body of work built around it earned Holm the Bruno Mathsson Prize in 2013, worth 250,000 kronor, with the foundation praising his “confidence to trust one’s feelings” alongside his craftsman’s knowledge of materials.

Working with Dan Sunaga

Holm met fellow designer Dan Sunaga in a university woodworking workshop; the two designed the Newton table together in 2009, winner of the Nordic Design Prize. More than a decade later, invited by the Asahikawa Furniture Association, they spent four intensive days prototyping together in a Japanese factory, resulting in the Koja chair — a reunion Holm described as bringing back “the scent of wood carving” from their student days.

Furniture for work and public space

Alongside Swedese, where Holm has also designed the Grace and Diva collections, his long-running work for Abstracta spans the original Zen Pod through its 2026 update, built for offices needing quiet, enclosed space without leaving the open floor. More of his work is on view at staffanholm.com.

Staffan Holm: A Journeyman’s Letter, Then a Design Studio

Cabinetmaker before designer

Spin and the Bruno Mathsson Prize

Working with Dan Sunaga

Furniture for work and public space

https://www.staffanholm.com

Designs by Staffan Holm

Abstracta’s Zen Pod upgrade with new furniture designed by Staffan Holm

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Tonewood is a flat speaker design by Matti Carlson and Staffan Holm

A stool that moves you design by Staffan Holm

Bruno Mathsson’s prize celebrates 40 years @ Vandalorum

Spin lounge table by Staffan Holm – Swedese

Bruno + 35 Mathsson Prize Winners @ Sven-Harrys konstmuseum

Grace café designed by Staffan Holm for Swedese

Koja Chair design Staffan Holm & Dan Sunaga

Zen Pod by Staffan Holm – abstracta

Alle Round Media Table by Staffan Holm for Hem

Staffan Holm lets craftsmanship shine at Offecct’s stand

Beam table design by Staffan Holm for Ariake collection

Staffan Holm: Presens @ Vandalorum

Jetty by Staffan Holm – Abstracta

Snapshots – Stockholm Furniture Fair & Northern Light Fair 2018

Udon Chair design by Staffan Holm for Hem

Grace bar stool by Staffan Holm for Swedese

Diva sofa and easy chair by Staffan Holm for Swedese

Swedese at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2015

Grace Chair by Staffan Holm for Swedese

Bruno Mathsson prize 2013 awarded to Staffan Holm

News from Swedese @ Stockholm Furniture Fair 2013

Spin now in colours by Staffan Holm for Swedese

Visp design by Staffan Holm – Blå Station

News from Swedese @ Stockholm Furniture Fair 2011

Spot sidetable design by Staffan Holm for Källemo

Spin Stackable Stool by Staffan Holm for Swedese

Newton Table by Dan Sunaga & Staffan Holm – Karl Andersson & Söner