Dan Ihreborn grew up in a furniture workshop. He has worked with furniture all his life, beginning as a product developer, serving as a sounding board for designers. By the time he began to design his own furniture he had formulated a great many thoughts and ideas on design.

"A piece of furniture is a big investment. For that reason it is important for it to last many years", says Dan.
On the other hand he believes that it's easy to get the wrong idea about the concept of quality. "For many people quality equals durability. But a durable piece of furniture provides no quality if the design isn't good. You'll quickly tire of it and end up having to get rid of something that cost a lot of money".

Dan is also convinced that almost everybody can distinguish between good and bad design if they just take the time to look and thing about it.

Are there any basic principles or rules of thumb to bear in mind when furnishing your home? "Most importantly, it's not essential for everything around you to be an aesthetic symphony, or be absolutely cutting edge. Your furnishings should reflect your personality. They can include things you have found at auctions, heirlooms, or pieces that have a special personal significance. But pick out a few pieces that feel right, and that also exemplify good forward-looking design. Such furniture never goes out of fashion; instead it builds a stable platform for your decorating that you will never replace. It will mean more and more to you as the years go by.

"Look at your windows. Beautiful windows don’t necessarily have to be covered with curtains. Let the light in - after all light is in short supply half the year".

"Avoid big, exotic patterns on sofas and armchairs. They detract from the design of the furniture and are usually trendy, with the result that they soon loose their shine.

"Don’t forget that decorating needs a touch of humour too. A few things be they big or small, that brings a smile to your face".

When Dan Ihreborn work on a design, he always carries on an internal dialogue on innovation and timelessness. It is a difficult balance to maintain - too much innovation often leads to splashy, self-conscious work, will no innovation at all tis the same as not creating something new, working with a piece or a style that already exists. He makes a distinction between "trends" and "tendencies" too.

"Trendy furniture has a built-in anxiety. The design is often a pastiche of styles, and becomes passe as quickly as it grew trendy. But I always follow the tendencies that have risen from people's need of change. If you change your behaviour and your needs, there is usually a serious reason behind it.