Scan Magazine | Design Profile | Sthål
Give your home the perfect oriental touch The vision? Aesthetically pleasing tableware ceramics to complement all the dinner parties the tableware would accompany. The result? The perfect bohemian party accessory: Sthål ceramics. By Nina Lindqvist | Photos: Tine Guth-Linse
“We just wanted to create something beautiful without thinking about what the current trends were. Thankfully, many people seem to agree with our taste,” Susanna Theander, one of Sthål’s founders, reminisces. The Swedish ceramics company was founded in 2011 by Theander and her business partner Helena ÅkessonLiedberg. Both have a background in design as well as a shared passion for food enjoyed in great company. Having both worked with ceramics as a hobby, the duo realised a career change was due and decided to take the leap and create their own collection of tableware. “It’s all about creating the right atmosphere with the right tableware. 12 | Issue 91 | August 2016
Our design aesthetic is also very much inspired by the notion of social dining: eating and enjoying the moment together,” Theander says. The Sthål signature is clear: bohemian with an oriental, colourful twist. The oriental infusion inspired the name of the collection, Arabesque, which is a French expression for ‘something Arabic’. The ceramics are crafted from durable, highquality stoneware and come in several different glazes. “The main idea behind our ceramics is that they are intended for everyday use and are very multifunctional and practical. The pieces form a full set of tableware, but may just as well be used on their own for a variety of dishes.
They’re also oven, dishwasher and microwave safe,” Theander explains. In addition to the Nordic countries, Sthål’s ceramics are also sold in the UK and, if the design duo gets their wish, more retailers and a possible expansion into other design areas might soon follow. “We believe our aesthetic speaks to a global market and we hope that we will continue to grow and learn new things along the way,” Theander concludes.
Helena Åkesson-Liedberg (left) and Susanna Theander (right). Photo: Martin Bogren
For more information please visit: www.sthal.se