OnOffice sat down with Annica Eklund, Chief Creative Officer of Bolon to discuss the company’s heritage, ethos and collaborating with Patricia Urquiola
OnOffice: Can you tell us more about Bolon’s rich family history and what it’s like balancing this heritage with the company’s vision for the future?
Annica Eklund: It’s a story we never tired of hearing ourselves. Over 70 years ago in Stockholm, Sweden, an idea sparked into life. Textile waste was recycled into rag rugs and Bolon was born. In many ways, our founder and grandfather, Nils-Erik Eklund, was ahead of his time, and today his ability to see opportunity where others couldn’t still inspires us.
In 2003, my sister Marie and I decided to embark on an exciting new challenge – to team up as businesswomen and become the proprietors of Bolon, the traditional weaving mill run successfully for many years by our visionary and dedicated parents. With ambition and possibility at the forefront, we would be bold once more, turning Bolon into something new and fresh that the flooring business had never seen before. We’ve come a long way on gut instinct, always pushing ourselves forward. We’re driven by innovation, passion and a strong urge to create and explore new design dimensions.
OO: What influences and inspires the company’s design ethos today?
AK: We been running Bolon for 20 years this year, but there are still endless opportunities to develop the company further. We’re always on the move – to improve, to surprise, to explore brave new design. That’s just how we are.
OO: Collaboration has been an integral part of Bolon’s approach – can you tell us about your work with Patricia Urquiola?
AK: In 2021 we released a new design collaboration and welcomed renowned architect and designer Patricia Urquiola to the extraordinary list of Bolon friends. Together, the Bolon team and Patricia shaped a contemporary architectural flooring collection with a modern and soft appearance – a perfect mix of performance, playfulness, and craftsmanship.
OO: Can you talk us through your collaboration process and some of the ideas it has inspired?
AK: For many years, Marie and I dreamt of doing something with Patricia. Her aesthetic appeals to us, and it really was a dream come true to introduce the Bolon by Patricia Urquiola collection to the world. Her great sense of colour is something that informs the collection, and it’s a new palette that we haven’t worked with before, which is a great complement to our existing range. We are really proud to add Patricia to our portfolio of Bolon friends.
While working on the collection, Patricia found a resemblance between the weaving technique of Bolon flooring and the Japanese tradition of Sashiko stitching. By developing, experimenting and combining Bolon with Sashiko, the colours, patterns and designs evolved naturally. Bolon by Patricia Urquiola is a high-end design collection with soft colours, characteristic stitching details and patch-like patterns.
OO: What have been some of the other memorable partnerships for the company?
AK: From Patricia Urquiola and Jean Nouvel to Giulio Cappellini, we value each of the partnerships we have been a part of. We love the energy, new ideas and discussions that push our brand forward. We love design, and we exist to make a difference in the global design world. Our collaborations with other talented creators really make that happen.
OO: Can you describe your workspace and in what way your environment impacts on your creativity?
AK: For Marie and me, the environment we surround ourselves with is hugely important to us. This is why we try to immerse ourselves in design every day: at our HQ, in our showrooms and at our guesthouses. As creative forces, we believe that design inspiration is important to be able to continue to evolve and work in this business. We want to inspire others as well as ourselves and our employees.
OO: Can you describe an ideal working day?
AK: I get a lot of inspiration from the places I travel to, experiencing different cultures and meeting new people. But I also get inspired daily at home in Stockholm. It’s conversations with my friends, and the people I meet that fill me with creativity. Every day, wherever I am, whoever I meet, and wherever I travel, I’m storing up inspiration in my image bank, almost like a creative library.
OO: What are you currently reading or listening to?
AK: As we speak, I am on my summer holiday break and (pinch me!) we are currently celebrating my daughter Linn’s wedding at Villa La Madonna (our boutique hotel in Piemonte, Italy). So all the focus is on the family celebration at the moment.
OO: Where can we follow you and find out more about Bolon?
AK: Visit us online at bolon.com/uk or on Instagram @bolonflooringuk
Image courtesy of Bolon
As featured in OnOffice 164, Autumn 2023. Read a digital version of the issue for free.
