Still in Kvänum

As a boy, he learned all about leather, pegs and welts. Gustav Johansson from Skattegården in Jung was the son of a shoemaker. From an early age, he helped his father shape lasts from wood. Gustav was smitten with wood. When the time came, he apprenticed as a joiner and worked for ten years as a construction worker and cabinet maker. In 1923, he opened his own business on Åsbogatan in Kvänum.

The red building where he worked is still there, complete with workbench and sawdust on the floor. Gustav worked with his hat on while smoking a pipe. Back then, the light seeped in through the window, just as it does today. Gustav knocked out his pipe and stamped out the embers, the ‘No Smoking’ sign still hangs there on the wall.

Gustav built his first kitchen for his wife Anna’s parents in the 1920s. In the 1930s, he made looms for poor relief in Malmö. Seventy years later, we supplied all the kitchens for the Turning Torso building in the same city. Our history is part of the story of how Sweden transformed into the modern country it is today.

In 1964, Kvänum was awarded ‘Kitchen of the Year’, and a host of awards have since followed. Today, our kitchens and interior design solutions are found in Oriental palaces and French châteaux, in East London’s Shoreditch and Manhattan’s Upper East Side, among the sand dunes of Denmark and the pine forests of Sweden.

And we are still here in Kvänum, on the other side of the street. With our history just a glance away and tradition within walking distance.

Philosphy

Our philosophy is simple: The only thing that counts is the genuine article, the perfect union of form and function. Our products and solutions are designed for the discerning customer. There’s no two ways about it – we simply want to be the best in kitchens, bathrooms and storage. The great Irish poet and dandy would certainly have felt at home with us – in fact, if he had had the choice, Oscar Wilde would have come out of a Kvänum closet!

Environment

Kvänum is located on the plains of Swedish West Gotland, in the heart of the countryside. We watch the seasons come and go. In May, the lark warbles drily in the clouds; in November, the trees rise up through the mist like ships’ masts. We are surrounded by nature.

We work almost exclusively in natural materials: wood, leather, wool and cotton. Our design idiom has been developed in harmony and in dialogue with nature. We have a lot to thank nature for, and we know that we need to be concerned about the environment. Three aspects of environmental work are particularly important to Kvänum:

Minimised environmental footprint

Researchers have a measurement for environmental impact: the ecological footprint. The industrialised world has been trampling over the environment for many years, but Kvänum is putting its foot down to prioritise work to reduce environmental impact.

Renewable material

Interior design solutions from Kvänum are distinguished by wood: oak, ash, elm and walnut. We only work with wood from certified forestry operations. We combine the wood with other natural materials such as genuine leather, wool and cotton.

Products that become more beautiful as they age

The most important thing we can do to protect nature is to invest in quality, i.e. produce interior design solutions that are up to the task, and which age gracefully.

By appointment to the Royal Swedish Court

Kvänum has been appointed a supplier to the Royal Swedish Court, and this is a mark of confidence we guard with care and respect. We view this as unequivocal proof of our quality. As a Kvänum customer, you are the delighted owner of an exclusive product. Royal or not, you are a member of a select group.

Partners

A furnishing solution from Kvänum is rarely just the carpentry. It is often a complete package including appliances, worktops and mixers. For that reason, Kvänum places the highest demands on the companies we choose to work with.

All Kvänum stores work with carefully selected fitters with extensive experience of working with Kvänum and who receive ongoing training in our products. For further information on fitting, please contact your local dealer.

20-year warranty

Kvänum offers an extended warranty to 20 years, on deliveries to private customers within the Nordic region. This means that Kvänum replaces or repairs a product (excl. fitting) that concerns cabinet frames, drawers, shelves, cornices, veneered backs, work tables, hinges, rails, dampers, legs, brackets and grocery compartments.

The three-year product warranty applies to manufacturing defects, ie design, material or production defects on products manufactured by Kvänum. The product warranty also covers any labor costs for remedying the defect.

Our guarantees presuppose that assembly and maintenance has taken place in accordance with Kvänum's assembly and maintenance instructions. For the extended warranty, an assembly inspection must have been sent to Kvänum kök AB.

Guarantees for products not manufactured by Kvänum, such as white goods, mixers, worktops, etc., apply according to the respective manufacturer's warranty commitments and care instructions.