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As autumn nudges into winter, and our days as well as our evenings for that matter become darker and cooler, the focus of my home naturally turns towards the fireplace. And, while nothing compares to those magical moments spent together as a family around the hearth, practically finding design-led, functional and well-made accessories to look after it is another matter entirely.
It was for this very reason that in 2015 Louise Varre founded Eldvarm, a Swedish homeware brand specialising in contemporary and considered fireside products, and with their most significant launch in a decade recently taking place, I caught up with her for a chat.
Here’s what Louise had to tell me:
Shall we start with a little about your formative years and how growing up in Scandinavia has influenced and inspired what you do?
My childhood was split between Sweden and Norway, in homes where the fire was the quiet centre of everything. Winters there are long and cold, and the wood-burning stove was our anchor after days spent in snow and darkness. Summers too were also spent by my grandparents’ outdoor fireplace in Torekov, where family and friends gathered for unhurried evenings.
It was also my grandmother, Ninne, who is the namesake of our bench, that taught me the grace of simplicity and the art of making people feel welcome. Those gatherings by the fire shaped my sense of beauty and purpose, as well as instilled in me a deeply rooted set of Scandinavian design values based around warmth, simplicity and the beauty found in honest materials.
Now, ten years after launch, how are these same values and virtues still reflected in Eldvarm products?
Today they show up in calm, timeless forms and thoughtful details. At Eldvarm, we design for longevity, using solid materials, repairable construction and finishes that age gracefully. For me true sustainability begins with making things that last. Functionality too is never sacrificed to aesthetics, in every one of our products these principles meet in the middle, creating pieces that feel good in the hand and live beautifully by the hearth. Above all, every object is created to invite connection and support everyday rituals.
With a sustainable, hand-crafted approach running through all your designs, where and how are Eldvarm products made?
Our approach is intentionally small scale and European. Eldvarm pieces are made mostly in Poland, in the region north of Poznań, by specialised makers where metalworkers, woodturners and leatherworkers practise their craft with patience.
Almost all of our workshops are family-run, with many owners living next door to their workshops and working across generations or side by side with their spouses. Each product moves through distinct steps that call for different skills, which is why a single piece is handled by many craftsmen and finished extensively by hand. Keeping production close lets us work responsibly, minimise transport and truly know the people behind our products, so quality is not just controlled, it is personal.
To mark your anniversary, you are introducing several new products. Can you tell us more about them and the designers you have collaborated with?
I could not be more excited about all these new launches. We have kept the range very tight for a decade, and we are now ready to extend the Eldvarm world, while staying true to our story. The most important launch in a decade is the Fumi Collection by Guillaume Delvigne, a French designer I am collaborating with for the first time. The process has been incredibly easy and although we come from different cultures, we found immediate alignment on design, beauty, materials and durability.
Alongside this is the Tilda ash bucket by Swedish designer Emma Olbers. Emma and I have worked together for more than ten years, and Tilda began with a simple need in her country home to carry ashes neatly from the fireplace to the garden. It shows how something deeply functional can also be beautiful. To me, it almost has the quality of a handbag, with a clean, balanced silhouette and real comfort in use.
And finally, what are you working on at the moment, what topics and themes are currently guiding Eldvarm’s next decade?
The next decade is about deepening the essentials. I want to expand the collection with care, adding pieces that support the simple rituals of gathering by a flame, from the hearth to the glow of candles at dinner. We have further collaborations this year and next with designers such as Daniel Rybakken, Charles Kalpakian, and Grégoire de Lafforest, as well as further pieces within the Fumi collection being launched.
In a world that pushes us to do more, we want to make space to be. Fire has this rare ability to pull us into the present, softening the edges of the day so time feels slower. We will design for every season and for many kinds of homes, keeping the range focused and meaningful rather than broad for its own sake. The aim is constant: create objects that invite connection and help people feel grounded and together.
Want to know more?
Many thanks to Louise for taking the time to talk with me, the Fumi Collection kindly gifted and featured in this post is available now through selected UK retailers and online at eldvarm.com.
All images by Nicola Capper.
Enjoyed this post? Then read my chat with Jasper Toron Nielsen, Creative Director at Royal Copenhagen.
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