Interview with Matti Klenell
OCTOBER 2023
Why did you begin working with Choice?
I was asked by Creative Director Sebastian Jansson a few years ago if I was interested in designing a chair for the café interior of the FAME café in Helsinki that they were involved in. I was intrigued by the company’s design concept to always develop new things from a real reason. In this case a café interior. It gives a nice framework and a sense of meaning to the work you do. The result became the Laulu chair where inspiration was taken from Hifi aestethics of the 60 ies and 70 ies witch I thought suited a space dedicated to music.
What has been your experience of Choice from a designer viewpoint?
A very creative company with a fresh take on the nordic design heritage but none the less leaning firmly on to its Halikko factory with its skilled craftsmen. I think I got intrigued by that combination of progressive thinking and traditional roots from the very first moment.
What makes Choice stand out from other furniture manufacturers?
The flexibility and big ability to adapt to specific projects. Standard is not a word you very much connect with Made by Choice.
What inspires you the most and what was the inspiration source behind the Laulu cabinet?
It might sound dull but what inspire me the most is everyday situations and to solve everyday needs. Such a process can land absolutely anywhere in the end, witch the Laulu project is a clear proof of. The cabinet is a spin off from the Laulu chair where I got a bit obsessed with the CNC milling tool park at the Made by Choice factory. I wanted to test that to the limit. It became a visually very strong vitrine that is also very practical for storing, displaying and dividing of spaces.
- Matti Klenell
