In Converstation with Anders Thams from Moebe

We interviewed cabinet maker Anders Thams from MOEBE, a Copenhagen-based design studio known for blending simplicity, functionality, and sustainability in their minimalist furniture and home accessories.

With a focus on adaptable, timeless pieces built to last, we explored the design philosophy behind their work, their commitment to sustainability, and the balance between beauty and functionality.

Here’s what Anders from Moebe had to say

What does timeless design mean to you, and how do you ensure your pieces stand the test of time?

This is something we think about a lot when we are working on new designs. In its simplest understanding, a timeless design should be free from trends. It should be something that you want to have around for a long time. But how do you do that? We try to address this in two main ways.

First - embrace simplicity. Avoid over-complicated things with unnecessary additions, and focus on the things that really matter. The function and the construction.

Second - design for adaptability. Where we can, we incorporate points of flexibility and change into our designs. Our Shelving System can be adapted and re-configured over time, and our Bed is expandable, meaning it can serve its work across all different living situations.

Your designs often embrace simplicity. How do you balance minimalism with

functionality?

The most common conversation in our workshop might be exactly this. What is the line between just enough and too much? Ultimately, I think you have to feel your way through it.

Of course, we want to design things that are functional and do their job extremely well, and we are indeed drawn to a more pared-back aesthetic, but our ambition is that our designs still offer something unique.

A lot of our designs may appear extremely minimalistic from a distance, but when you get up close, the details begin to reveal themselves, and that’s where the magic is.

Take the rubber band construction that holds together our Frames, or the wooden wedge that is the central component of our Shelving System. We never want a clever detail to take attention from the core function of a design, but they should be rewarding discoveries that help facilitate a relationship with the product.

What role does sustainability play in your design choices and material selection?

Sustainability is integral to everything that we design. One of our core principles is that our designs are all component-based, meaning that they are built from individual parts and are always easier and cheaper to repair than replace. That, of course, means that the lifespan of a product is extended, but it also means that we can flat-pack a lot of our designs, which helps keep our shipping footprint low.

When it comes to the materials themselves, all of our wood is FSC-certified, and we work with the EU-eco label . But like everything we do, we don’t want these choices to take away from the finished design.

You should fall in love with a MOEBE because of how it looks, and then be pleasantly surprised with how it is made.

Where do you find inspiration when developing new products?

We’re big believers in not making something just for the sake of making something. Instead, we look for opportunities where we believe we can add value. Take our Bed, for example. We had this idea of an expandable bed - something that could fit all different mattress sizes and could genuinely last a lifetime.

It’s not something that we had seen before, but to us, it just made sense. So we put in the hours and effort to see if we could make it work, and we finally got there.

I think in that way, the inspiration is the problem - or the thing that we think we can do better.

How has your approach to design changed since you first started Moebe?

I hope that we have become a bit smarter and wiser over the years, but I think our general approach has stayed more or less constant.

We have a workshop in the courtyard behind our office here in Copenhagen, and we love to get hands-on with prototypes soon after making those initial sketches. We always want to be trying new things, and the best way to do that is to go ahead and try them.

Something can look good on paper, but how does it work in real life? What effect does the material have on the design itself? The amount of tools in the workshop may have grown over the years, but our core approach remains the same.

If you had to describe Moebe’s design DNA in three words, what would they be?

Curiosity, construction, and quality.

Which Moebe product are you personally most proud of, and why?

To be honest, it’s probably whichever one we are working on right now. The ones which are still being tweaked and finalised before joining our collection.

It takes so much work to bring a sketch on paper to a finished product, you have to really believe in its potential, or you would give up. So in that way - the things we’re busy working on right now are the things we’re the most proud of.

If you had to recommend one Moebe product to someone new to the brand, what would it be and why?

I think it would have to be the Shelving System, as it demonstrates so much of what we’re trying to do here at Moebe. The central detail - the wedge that holds it all together - is the key to the whole thing. It allows for flexibility and adaptability.

It means it can be flat-packed and easily transported. And it also adds a certain character that goes beyond its primary function. It’s perhaps the perfect encapsulation of everything we’re trying to do here at Moebe.

For more on Moebe’s furniture collection featuring shelving, furniture, lighting and home accessories, explore it at Holloways of Ludlow today.