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Published on November 6, 2007

The Index Interfurn Group - the people behind Index home furniture - have a new TV commercial on the air that makes use of the remarkable man who designed for Ikea for 10 years.

Sixty-year-old Swedish designer Rutger Andersson is now singing the praises of Index's "Enjoy" customer strategy - which promises that we'll find joy in the price, the quality, the service and, yes, the design of the new homewares.

Andersson has spent the past decade making Index's furniture exports a success. Having begun as a cabinet-maker in Sweden, and with a degree in wood technology, he worked for Ikea - inventing the hugely popular Niklas shelving - and then went freelance with his own company, Rutger Design.

Got to any international furniture show in New York, Milan or Tokyo and you'll find some of Andersson's innovations. His masterpiece for Index is the stylish and colourful "Emma" chair, made from polyurethane with chromium legs.

His latest design, the "Notting Hill Bedroom Set", is on sale at the Index Living Mall for Bt29,900 - a clean, white bed, wardrobe and chest of drawers.

Inspired by nature and even by common objects he encounters, Andersson goes for natural and flattering patterns and the practicality and strength of recycled materials.

He has a chat with The Nation.

What makes your products different?

I don't compare myself with other designers. I do my designs and follow my ideas.

The important thing is simplicity. I don't want to complicate my design. I want it as clean and simple as possible. I don't want to waste raw materials. I always try to minimise waste and materials.

What's the latest trend in furniture?

Well, I have to be ahead of the trends, I can't follow them. I must see the trend before it becomes the trend.

But nobody can tell what will become the "in" trend for the future. Actually, it's the observer, and the news media, who say what the trend is, because when you see different designers using similar materials all over the world, then you say, "This is the trend."

What do you find special about designing furniture?

I love it. I think my designs give the people who use them a better life. It also makes my life better when I enter someone's house and see my design! It makes me happy.

It's nice to work with furniture. It's like a lifestyle. I'm an active person. I go every year to the mountains to ski, and I also have a boat and I enjoy very much going to the sea.

Furniture is always involved.   I work on my vacations, because  I get ideas. I need to get impressions into my head to get the inspiration.

I don't think I can complicate anything to the point where you lose the soul of the material. I don't want to add material, but to minimise its use, and still have a good look and good design.

Function is very important, but for me design is more important, because your eyes will tell you if you like the product or not. The customer says, "I like this chair, it's beautiful." They never do the opposite: "Will this chair be comfortable?"

Design comes first, then function, and price. My idea is that good design should be within everybody's reach.

What's been your proudest achievement?

The most important achievement was probably when I left behind my drawing desk and moved to a computer. For me that changed everything.

I had a big table and could only work in my office. Now with my laptop I can design anywhere. I've also become a much better designer thanks to the new technology. I was only a cabinetmaker and could only work with wood. Now I can work with many kinds of materials.   

What advice can you offer young designers just starting out?

They have to find their own impressions. It could be something very simple for them to see but it could get interest from everywhere.

The second thing is not to be too unique. They have to design for people - not for the museum.

 Kupluthai Pungkanon

 The Nation