Home

My design method is based on the Planetary Boundaries, A Safe Operating Space for Humanity (Rockström, J., Steffen, W. et. Al 2009). I have chosen to focus on the climate, partly because, it along with biodiversity, are of central importance to our survival.

Emma wins Elle decoration & Polestar Award Design Towards Zero 

During Stockholm Furniture Fair I will do a guided sustainability tour.

Bo Bedre Design Award - Design for the future

Based on Ersta’s wishes for a calm and nurturing environment, Emma Olbers (since 2018) has developed a color and material concept for Ersta’s new hospital’s fixed and loose furnishings. Tengbom has been the responsible architect.

Emma designs the World´s first furniture in 100% fossil-free steel - Earlier this year, it was announced that the Norwegian urban furniture manufacturer Vestre would become the first furniture company in the world to use SSAB’s 100% fossil-free steel.

The common love for the craft and the material opened up a collaboration where sustainability is the focus. “It’s incredibly fun and educational to work with such a solid company as Bovalls Dörrbyggeri,” says Emma Olbers.

The exhibition, Now or never - 1kg CO2e is now on show at Form Design Center in Malmö, in the south of Sweden.

What impact does our furniture have on the climate? 1kg CO2e is an exhibition shown at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2023. On display are 40+ materials - both traditional materials, and new climate innovative ones.

Warm Welcome to stand C:0629 at Stockholm Furniture Fair. In a few short years, up until 2030, we must reduce our global emissions by more than half to avoid irreversible and catastrophic climate change. Significant shifts are required.

At the Furniture Fair in Stockholm 7th-11th of February 2023. An exhibition about the invisible climate impact of our furniture, and about the power of choice. 

A treehugging activist

An exhibition at the Swedish Furniture Fair 2016 called “Where does it come from, where does it go?” An exhibition where Emma together with IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute explored how much carbon footprint the material Emma work with emit.

Aesthetics and ecology, craftsmanship and sustainability, quality and climate - This year's designer unites all these concepts in her work and is a driving force in the design world. Comprehensive thinking, responsibility and

Designer Emma Olbers and Emeco CEO Gregg Buchbinder discussed how the furnitureindustry can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in this panel discussion at Stockholm Furniture Fair in February 2020.

AD Magazine award Emma Olbers with Interior Designer of the Year for the interior of the Old Library at the National Art and Design Museum in Stockholm, Sweden

A table for Tre Sekel! That was launched at The Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair 2016.

Now the National Museum is inaugurated, where I have been responsible for the interior design of the Old Library. The National Museum was inaugurated in 1866, and in 2018 a modern museum building is being opened that baths in daylight.

Eldvarm´s first piece of furniture, the bench is named after Louise’s, the CEO of Eldvarm´s grandmother Ninne who was a huge inspiration to her growing up. The bench was conceived for wood, as an alternative to vertical wood storage.

My first piece of furniture for Eldvarm, this bench is named after Louise’s grandmother Ninne who was a huge inspiration to her growing up. The bench was conceived for wood, as an alternative to vertical wood storage.

My focus when designing furniture is that they should be as environmental friendly as possible, which for me is as low greenhouse gas emissions as possible. The choice of material is the most important, it accounts for about 50% of a furniture’s total emissions/CO2e. Longevity is another importan

Solutions on how to halve the emissions by 50% until 2030 by the Exponential Roadmap.

Emma Olbers utsedd till Årets Designer 2019

Lidö a new outdoor sofa for Skargaarden.

An armchair in oak with visible frame and seat and back in hemp saddle. Hemp is a carbon dioxide-positive material.

 

A tufted carpet in collaboration with Asplund which represents a mixture of Emma's first
sketches of just the Old Library. With its three arches and three large windows at the top, in the middle rows of books in the old bookshelf and at the bottom of the newly laid oak parquet.

During Stockholm Design Week 2019 De la Espada and their podcast serie, A Place To Talk recorded a few episodes in Stockholm. One of them were at Emma´s studio.

If you want to have deeper knowledge about the greenhouse effect and the global warming is this a perfect booklet

Tha magazine Residence award Emma with This Years Forerunner for Sustainability with the motovation; “Emma Olbers is consciously and inspiringly pursuing her enviromental focus for 20 years. Climate goals must be maintained, and include the design and furniture industry.

“The idea with KNIXHULT was to make a lamp with a minimal environmental footprint. That’s why we chose bamboo – a carbon-positive material which removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it adds.

This carpet is designed for the public library in Stockholms newly renovated National museum by Emma Olbers for ASPLUND carpets. 

Med fokus på hållbarhet inreder Emma Olbers Gamla biblioteket i nya Nationalmuseum

The Damejeanne vase series is the second design collaboration between Emma Olbers and Skultuna and it consists of two glass sizes of vases that both comes in grey and in green glass with a brass top part.

The Damejeanne vase series is the second design collaboration between Emma Olbers and Skultuna and it consists of two glass sizes of vases that both comes in grey and in green glass with a brass top part.

In 2015 I made a serie fire accessories for the new company Eldvarm.

Ire´s new design collection Character Collection, which I have been creative director for, is a tribute to the personal expression.

“You often have a special relationship to your favourite armchair, it becomes a place to retreat, a safe space,” says designer Emma Olbers.

“You often have a special relationship to your favourite armchair, it becomes a place to retreat, a safe space,” says designer Emma Olbers.

Together with the magazine Residence and stylist Maja Lindahl, I have set up a residence and studio - which protects the environment - in an exhibition that is shown on Sweden's largest living and social expo.

Here you can see my news for this year.

Ink vase for Skultuna, launched at Maison et Objet in January.

Emma lantern for Eldvarm, launched at Maison et Objet in January.

Gårda stool for Tre Sekel, launched at the Furniture Fair in February.

Cooperation with common values, where craftsmanship, quality and choice of materials are in focus.

My lantern for Eldvarm is finally here!

It has taken us longer than expected, but now she has finally arrived, Eldvarm´s brand new lantern Emma!

The designer Emma Olbers has been commissioned to design the interior of the old library in the new Nationalmuseum. Olber’s mission is to provide a solution for both loose furnishings and exposure of archive and book-related material.

New spring pictures on my vase Ink for Skultuna.

For more info please se Skultuna´s page.

When Emma Olbers for the first time desigs a bag collection, it's a lot about heritage of Palmgrens, why the choice of material rattan and natural vegetable tanned leather is a natural choice.

The exhibition Designed to Last focuses on some of the design world’s hottest issues right now: long-term, quality, production and materials.

The lantern Emma is the youngest member of the popular series designed by Emma Olbers.

The Swedish magazine Residence givs the table Landala “Furniture of the Year”.

Material: Soap washed swedish pine.

Size: With 75 cm, Length 160, 215, 270 cm Hight 74 cm.

Price: from 13 000 Skr

Me and my dear friend Maja Lindahl have done the interior for the new Pom & Flora café!

The designer Emma Olbers start as creative director for Ire furniture - with a focus on sustainability.

Table Landala from Tre Sekel gets Furniture of the Year by Swedish magazine Sköna Hem!

Together with Lisa Hilland I would like to welcome you to Almgrens Sidenväveri on the 11th - 27th Februari! I met Lisa Hilland for the first time in 2014. We quickly got started discussing all kinds of things and after a while we felt that we should try to make some kind of collaboration.

During the Stockholm Furniture Fair now in February I have had the opartunity to decorate one of three trend exhibitions, ”Nature is back for good!” at stand C02:43, warm welcome! The other two are decorated by Susanna Vento from Finland and Christine Rudolph from Denmark.

A new chair for Skagerak! That was launched at Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair in February.

New armchair for Ire Mobel! That was launched at The Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair this February.

This is a map of potential tipping points on the Earth systems or domino effects that we will get with a rising temperature(Fig. 1)(Steffen et al., 2018) which, in the worst case, could lead to a so-called Hothouse Earth scenario (Fig. 2), (Steffen et al., 2018).

The Basket Emma is designed for stylish firewood storage but is truly multi-purpose.

Functional and beautiful, this is the ultimate set of fire tools. ⁠Each tool has its own dimensions, but is part of a coherent fire tool set that is a pleasure to use, will last for a long time and looks stunning next to any fireplace.⁠

Welcome to visit Eldvarm at Maison & Objet, Hall 7 Stand C175! 

The Ink desktop series is my first collaboration with Skultuna and it consists of a pen holder and a small container.

A new lounge chair for Ire Mobel. To work sustainably and holistically is important for me, that we try to make products that are as good as possible for the environment. I have for a time wanted to design an armchair or a sofa with a visible structure.

The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016.

One of the best ways to understand carbon emissions is to calculate your own carbon footprint, and reflect over what has high verses low impact.

A year ago I designed this lounge chair for Ire Mobel and now you can get it in vegetable tanned leather from Tärnsjö.

A sofa has two primary functions; it should be comfortable to sit in and nice to look at. WithSofo I hope that I managed to put together the equation.

A new table for the Swedish brand Tre Sekel, come and visit us at B10:05 at Stockholm Furniture Fair.

An exhibition with furnitures of furniture designer and interior decorater Hans Johansson (1921–2014) and furnitures from todays younger designers in wood: Linda Johansson, Gustav Person, Emma Olbers, Johan Arvidsson, Efraim Albertsson, Peter Lind, Jonas Fjellman, Charlie Styrbjörn Nilsson och An

A new rug for Asplund. The idea of making a rug of an old classic pattern was awakened when I really sat down and looked at old pictures from a trip to Italy. I found a lot of pictures from the cathedral in Orvieto and the basis for this pattern was that paving on the floor there.

Elle Decoration, Sweden, says this about the justification to give the award Young Designer of the Year to Emma Olbers: “This year’s Young Designer of the Year is hardly a newcomer to the design world.

Emma Olbers presents two products at the exhibition Swedish Design goes Milan 2014!

A new lounge chair for Ire Mobel. To work sustainably and holistically is important for me, that we try to make products that are as good as possible for the environment. I have for a time wanted to design an armchair or a sofa with a visible structure.

Contemporary design at Contemporary. The Contemporary auction is filled with design interesting objects, from Scandinavian classics to new exciting design.

This is a product for the new brand Tre Sekel that I helped launch in May 2013 and where I have been the creative director. Dagny is a sequel to the sofa Greta and came much of a desire from the consumers on a regular bench. Dagny will be casual. A real every-day product.

This is a product for the new brand Tre Sekel that I helped launch in May 2013 and where I have been the creative director. Dagny is a sequel to the sofa Greta and came much of a desire from the consumers on a regular bench. Dagny will be casual. A real every-day product.

Furniture producer and retailer Asplund is celebrating 25 years with a nice feature article in Residence magazine 2/2014.

from Recidence Magazine. Last fall Tre sekel got the justification The Producer of the Year from the Swedisch magazine Residence.

Stripes, rhythm, direction is an exhibition at Nordiska Museet, open until the end of August. 

Designers and architects have traditionally been inspired by nature and used wood as an important design material.

Home Sweet Home is an artistic interpretation of Swedish and international design icons and their stylistic ideals.

Greta is a contemporary kitchen sofa, inspired by the traditional sofas used in many Swedish kitchens. It is part of the launching collection of the new Swedish brand Tre Sekel (Three Centuries), where I have also worked as creative director.

Even this product is designed for the new Swedish brand Tre Sekel. The idea came up when a conference room in Tibro in southern Sweden would be decorated and there was no stackable chair in wood stacked very short, meaning that the pile of stacked chairs is not very high.

Last May, we launched the new furniture brand Tre Sekel (Three centuries). I worked as creative director. In collaboration with the design office BrittonBritton we are responsible for the overall strategy, branding and product development.

I wanted to make a sofa that would combine a certain austerity with a soft and restful appearance. When developing Armilla we worked a lot with the comfort. We wanted to achieve a feeling where you are really sitting in the couch and not on top.

I wanted to make a sofa that would combine a certain austerity with a soft and restful appearance. When developing Armilla we worked a lot with the comfort. We wanted to achieve a feeling where you are really sitting in the couch and not on top.

Since the stand in 2012 felt so successful, we wanted to do something in the same direction. The studio trend was still in the air but in the fashion you could feel the 80’s and in several collections, they were using klein blue. So I suggested a blue theme.

Elle Interior appoints the sofa Rejoin as Emma Olbers designed for Ire Möbel to this year’s furniture of the year. ”Stylish, comfortable, flexible and environmentally friendly - this sofa is all that we ask of this year’s furniture in 2013”, tells Elle.

Ida

Ida is a new chair for Tre Sekel, an followers to Greta.

This were an exhibition of a small collection of furniture that I designed and showed at Designgalleriet during Stockholm Design week 2012. The main questions were environmentally.

I showed the coffee table S-Wood in the project, Stockholm Wood, who was a small collection of furniture that was shown at an exhibition at Designgalleriet during the Stockholm Furniture Fair in 2012. Today it is produced by Ire Mobel.

When I was commissioned to design Ires stand at Stockholm Furniture Fair, I presented only a few different ideas. We decided on the theme “Homy and we know interior.” Prevailing trends that year were; studio feeling, mix and match styles, soveniers and so on.

This were an exhibition of a small collection of furniture that I designed and showed at Designgalleriet during Stockholm Design week 2012. The main questions were envirementaly questions.

 

‘Brev’ means letter in Swedish, and this design literally looks like one. A tall locker for the hall or office, it can be used for storing shoes, gloves or mail. The cabinet has an outer surface of leather and will age with grace or laquered metall. Brev is produced by Asplund

A sofa for Ire Mobel. I wanted to make a sofa that could be built further on, something to grow in. I hope that we are evolving from a throwaway culture into buying things that will last. If you know that it is easy to add, move and change clothes, then it’s easier to focus on quality.

When I drew the sectional sofa Rejoin environmental thinking was a driving factor. I wanted to create a sofa with a homely and embracing feeling and then I thought of my favourite cardigan, the one I inherited from my grandpa, lovely in wool with patches of leather.

Planetary boundaries is a concept involving Earth system processes that contain environmental boundaries.