Dan Sunaga

MOHEIM OWN STORY by Dan Sunaga, a director, designer, and owner of a Scandinavian furniture stores.

MOHEIM OWN STORY vol.16

—— What is the most important thing for you when it comes to your own work in creation and design?

What I value is “happy design.” I care about the impulse that comes from my childlike mind and body. The same goes for the joy of making and designing things and sharing that joy with others.

—— So what about when choosing interior items?

When choosing the items, I value reflective judgment and indulgent time. I trust my intuition without fear of failure. On the other hand, I enjoy the passage of time when deciding where to display an item or what to combine it with, and let the location and combination decide themselves as I use them.

—— What do you think is unique about your home, office, or other space you create?

Enjoyment. It is a process. And do not complete it. Be bold and try things out as they come to you. This is what I think is unique to me in creating a space.

—— What is your image or impression of the MOHEIM brand?

I think that MOHEIM is a brand that is designing with sincerity in today’s world where the word “standard” has become overflowing.

—— You have been using a BRICK STAND at your store, and what is your impression about it?

I think it is very difficult to convey the quality of this umbrella stand in words. I would say that this umbrella stand is like a stone that was picked up on the beach by a great artist. Before being picked up by that great artist, the stone was just a stone that was lying around. However, after the great artist picked up the stone, it exists as a work of art in his studio.

I think the charm of this umbrella stand lies in the difference in the transformation of its existence before and after the umbrella was inserted into it. It is like a stone discovered by an artist and displayed in his studio.

The presence of the product, whose creator’s insistence has been completely eliminated, is like that of a stone on the beach, and its presence is completely blending in the space. And at the moment the umbrella is inserted, its presence begins to shine like a stone picked up by an artist.

—— What are your thoughts about SHOEHORN and how are your customers reacting?

Among tools, there are some rare objects that still retain their traditional forms. Take the shoehorn, for example. There are many variations, but the basic shape remains the same. The reason why the shape of the long, thin handle and the tip, which curves gently to match the arc of the heel, has remained basically the same is because it is an arc that matches the shape of the human body. And at the same time, it is a very reasonable shape to maintain the strength of a long, thin shoehorn. The “shoehorn” is such a simple combination of function and rationality as a tool that it is simple, clear, and attractive as a tool. If there were an exhibition of “shoehorns” only, I would definitely go and see it.

MOHEIM’s SHOEHORN is made of vulcanized fiber, a material that is “hard and tenacious,” “resistant to cracking,” “heat resistant,” “impervious to electricity,” “biodegradable,” and has a tensile strength superior to synthetic resins. SHOEHORN which is made of this paper-like material inherits the characteristic shape, bent to fit the heel, while taking advantage of the flexible nature of the material.

We use the SHOEHORN in the changing rooms at our shop “lagom,” and it is easy to use and well received by our customers.

Profile

Dan Sunaga

Born in Sweden in 1975. After graduating from a Swedish university, he entered the Royal Konstfack Graduate School of Furniture Design, where he began his career as a designer while still a student. He has received many awards, including the Nordic Design Award. He is also the owner of “NATUR terrace” and “lagom”, stores selling Scandinavian furniture etc.

Born in Sweden in 1975. After graduating from a Swedish university to study furniture design, he entered KONSTFACK Graduate School of Furniture Design in Stockholm. He began working as a designer while still in school. After graduating from the graduate school, he established “SUNAGA DESIGN STUDIO” in Goteborg, a small port town in Sweden.

The coffee table “ITOMAKI” and “NEWTON” have been won the top prize at the Scandinavian Furniture Fair. After returning to Japan, he established “SUNAGA DESIGN” in Karuizawa.

He opened “NATUR terrace” in 2009, and became creative director of the design brand “RATTA RATTARR” in 2016, which is located in a facility that supports the employment of people with disabilities. In 2022, he founded “konst.”

He has been involved in stage design for “noism,” a dance company for the Public Theater since 2005. Has received numerous awards, including the Nordic Design Award.

https://sunagadesign.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lagom_miyota/
https://www.instagram.com/natur_karuizawa/