Estrid Ericson and Svenskt Tenn

Year of Design 2024

There’s a lot happening in the picturesque wooden town of Hjo during Year of Design 2024. The internationally renowned brand Svenskt Tenn turns 100 this year and a major exhibition in the Kulturkvarteret Pedagogien cultural centre will pay tribute to its founder Estrid Ericson.

The Year of Design 2024 will also be celebrated with an exhibition showcasing the work of young Swedish creators and featuring local design. Go on a guided tour of Hjo’s Stadshus or visit one of the exhibitions, with designer furniture, irresistible jewellery and thought provoking sculptures about the transience of nature.  

Estrid Ericson – world famous design icon

When the Swedish design icon Estrid Ericson founded Svenskt Tenn in 1924, she was just 30 years old. She revolutionised the Swedish design scene with her innovative designs and entrepreneurial spirit. But how did her journey start?

Estrid was born in Öregrund in 1894 but the family moved soon after to Hjo. Young Estrid grew up on the shores of Lake Vättern in the former Hotell Royal, which her father Adolf owned and managed. She studied at art college, the Högre Konstindustriella Skolan in Stockholm, now called Konstfack, and after she graduated in 1020 worked as an art teacher. But Estrid’s creative vein and entrepreneurial spirit soon pushed her in other directions.

Fascinating exhibition

You can see the "Estrid Ericson och Firma Svenskt Tenn" exhibition at Kulturkvarteret Pedagogien in Hjo. It’s a comprehensive tribute to a company and a woman who have had an enormous influence on Swedish design. Go on a chronological journey from Estrid’s birth in Öregrund to her art studies in Stockholm, meeting with the Austrian architect and designer Josef Frank, and the significant decision to start a business, Firma Svenskt Tenn; a timeless, exclusive brand that has reached far beyond Sweden’s borders.

Via an extensive collection of photographs, letters and personal artefacts – from jewellery to furniture – you’ll get a deeper understanding of Estrid’s private and professional life. Her creative partnership with Josef Frank resulted in colourful textiles and furniture with organic forms and bold patterns. The exhibition also presents the company’s engagement with sustainability throughout the years, and its use of traditional craft techniques and high quality materials.

A memorial to Estrid Ericson

On Hamngatan in Hjo, where the Hotell Royal used to be, you can see the Källan memorial. This sculpture was created by  and is a dolerite urn on a limestone base, with running water. It’s surrounded by an oak bench and a Japanese cherry. The sculpture was inspired by a pewter vase created by Estrid Ericson in 1924.

Stay with Estrid

At the Villa Eira hostel you can stay in a room dedicated to Estrid Ericson and Svenskt Tenn. And Hotell Bellevue in Hjo offers a well-designed Estrid accommodation package.