TÔNN furniture

Hi Josefine. How are you?

I’m fine, thanks. I’m so excited to finally launch the new name TÔNN furniture that we’ve been working on for such a long time. I’ve been thinking about it for several years. Should I? Do I dare? But now it’s finally the day.

You’ve changed the name from Betonggruvan to TÔNN furniture. Tell us about the background of the change?

I started making concrete tables ten years ago in a basement here in Vasastan. That’s when the namn came up. Betonggruvan means the concrete mine. Now neither the tables nor the basement are left. Since 2015, the shelving system Portal is the heroine of our business, and we are working to make it a shelf for every room. The name has not kept up with the company’s journey. So it’s time.

Why now?

This year it’s actually 10 years since I started. So it feels like a great opportunity to start this 10-year celebration with a name change.

TÔNN — what does it mean?

Nothing actually. It is a completely made up word, which feels so nice. With Betonggruvan, we have been struggling with a name that doesn’t mirror what we do. The name started as a joke in that basement. Now we have a totally open and free name to fill with whatever we want. It feels incredibly uplifting.

One third of our sales is to countries outside Sweden. Especially Germany and the US. It feels more including with an international name.

The ^ above the o what does it stand for?

It’s just there to add a little finesse. I love the contrast it gives to the heavy word TONN. The clash between rough and fine, right and left, careless and careful is something I love and think about a lot when I design furniture, decorate my home or dress myself.

What happens in the next 10 years?

We have a lot of fun things planned for 2021. But I don’t dare to say more yet, I’m too afraid to jinx it.

We will of course continue developing the shelving system Portal. There is so much fun and smart to do with a shelving system. It would be interesting to work with other materials or do collaborations. 

But is there something I learned from these first 10 years it’s to not plan too hard. The important thing is to really see what’s happening around us and act on that.  I’m quite spontaneous and love when new things happen.