Sven Staaf was originally from Stockholm and worked there as an architect for some years before moving to Helsingborg in southern Sweden where he established his own firm, Almgren & Staaf. Almgren & Staaf was a successful furniture and interior decoration firm from the 1940s to the 1960s, attracting customers mainly among the upper middle class in Skåne. In 1955 Staaf participated in the international exhibition for architecture and design, H55, in Helsingborg, where he both exhibited his furniture and designed some of the public areas, such as restaurants.
Staaf’s furniture was seen as progressive and edgy and he was able to expand with stores in several Swedish cities. His stores were later bought by and merged into Nordiska Kompaniet (NK).
Otto Schulz was a furniture designer, interior designer, editor and owner of the renowned furniture and interior decoration firm BOET, which he started in Gothenburg in 1920s and ran for 30 years. BOET was an inspiration centre as much as a store. Schulz also gave out an interior decoration magazine with the same name, aiming to inspire readers in every aspect of interior design. BOET magazine was the most influential periodical on interior design in Sweden at the time, featuring reviews by high-profile designers and architects.
Schulz’s furniture was very modern – and at the same time often inspired by older styles such as late baroque. His design was so original that he even patented some of his techniques. Among them the usage of decorative nails as part of the design, a technique that was named “Bopoint”.
Oscar Nilsson was an architect contemporary of Carl Malmsten and Axel Einar Hjorth, designing exclusive modern furniture and interiors for NK, Bodafors and the coalition of master cabinet makers Stockholms stads hantverksförening during the 1920s and 1930s, before starting as head of the architectural department of SJ, Sweden’s national railway company, in 1937.
John Kandell is perhaps best known for his long and fruitful collaboration with the furniture manufacturer Källemo, resulting in iconic designs such as the “Pilaster” shelf. However, Kandell began his career in the 1940s working as a drawer for the architect Carl-Axel Acking. In 1947 he graduated from Konstfack University of Arts, crafts and design and went straight on to further studies in sculpture at the same school. For many years he also worked as a teacher at Konstfack. Kandell was often hired by other architects to carry out interior designs and can account for many prestigious projects such as the interior architecture of Svea hovrätt, Göta hovrätt, Tannefors Church and several banks and other churches.
Bertil Brisborg was chief architect at the Lighting department at NK for more than 30 years. NK was the most influential, innovative and trend setting interior and design store in Sweden at the time.
Brisborg designed several light models that were sold in the department store and also collaborated extensively with NK’s Interior architectural department, creating custom lighting for stores, restaurants, movie theaters and companies.
Bergboms was a prominent Swedish lighting firm which manufactured both own designs and those of international designers such as Bernard Schottlander and Greta Magnusson-Grossman. Bergboms was founded by Efraim Ljung, who also founded Ljungs industrier, subsequently DUX.
