In 2020, Gustaf Westman passed his name onto his newly-born Stockholm-based design studio, Gustaf Westman. The former architect student has since been busy creating bright, bold, groovy, playful, original, and of-the-moment furniture, planters, chairs, dinnerware, glassware, mirrors, lamps, a wholly unique “wine table,” and a standalone pair of crew socks. Westman is self-aware, aptly naming pieces with descriptors like “chunky,” “curvy,” or “curly.” 

Westman’s website asks that before commissioning a made- to-order piece, shoppers should “consider [their] purchase thoroughly.” With furniture whittled by Swedish woodworkers, ceramics hailing from Portugal, and glassware of the Czech Republic, Westman is thinking about sourcing and sustainability.

Westman’s style is simultaneously modern and nostalgic. While reminiscent of the plastic Vignelli Hellerware dinnerware originally released in 1964, it could also pop up on the Instagram explore page, standing out while feeling like a 2023 ideal. Westman is confident in his distinct style. And rightfully so... His pieces are so cohesive that if you got them all in a room together, it would be a family reunion.

Many of your designs radiate a uniqueness in their presence, an individuality that adds to its environment rather than stripping it–what inspired this whimsical take on homeware?

I’m inspired by a new generation’s way of living and consuming. Everything that circles around a personal style, whether its clothes or furniture, it’s all about the mix. Mix between new and vintage, between colors and patterns, etc. I like designing objects that can fit in any type of environment and add something extra too it.

How would you describe your creative process? Are there certain ideals that factor into your designs’ functionality and originality? 

It’s all about the idea for me. Often an idea that I get is a specific usage of an object, and then I just sketch for a long time until I have a nice-shaped object that contains this specific usage. Like my chunky cup, the idea from the beginning was to create a cup that is hard to spill from so you can drink coffee easy in bed.

With presence being an ever-important ideal in our modern world, how do you stay present when creating? How has this presence materialized in your work?

I’m a curious person! So I guess I just keep up with stuff naturally. But honestly right now I’m trying to not change too much when it comes to style. I’m more interested in evolving what I already do.

How do you relate to the phrase: every cloud has a silver lining?

Sounds like my sketching process! It’s basically a fight to not give up all the time [laughs]. I know from experience that I probably will come up with something okay in the end if I keep sketching but most of the time I feel like I should do something different with my life.