Anders Guld

The Journey series 

Furniture Designer
Founder & Co-owner of Guld and Løvenholdt
Copenhagen, Denmark
@andersguld @guld_lovenholdt

We’re standing in the showroom of Guld and Løvenholdt, a modest space located on the upper level of an airy workshop in the Amager neighborhood of Copenhagen. A few artworks hang on the black walls. Lively plants dot the space. A bouquet of white lily flowers sits atop a long wooden table. Aside from these small accents, the only other element that makes up the space is an impressive collection of handmade wood furniture—tables, chairs, sofas, shelves. Solidly crafted, with crisp, clean lines that catch your eye yet don’t overpower the room. Taking a look around, it’s clear that Anders Guld has a knack for bringing out the beauty in simplicity. 

Anders is one of the co-founders and designers behind Guld and Løvenholdt, a design studio and custom wood workshop. If you’ve paid a visit to our Copenhagen space, you’ve happened upon his work. He and his business partner, Kasper Løvenholdt, designed and hand crafted the custom oak wood furniture that sits in our space at Klosterstræde 19. 

One of our top priorities, when designing the CPH store, was to make sure that the story which began in New York could continue being told within a new space, while also reflecting the character of the local community in Copenhagen. When we met with Anders, we knew we were in good hands. He possessed a precise attention to detail and operated his business with values that resonated with us. He was also insistent on getting to know our story deeply, so that he and Kasper could capture the 7115 identity and help turn this space into a home away from home. The result is a collection of clean, minimalist oak furniture that is functional and constantly in communication with our collections. 

Anders’s approach to design is rooted in the personal. He focuses on developing solutions that are personal to his clients, but he also works in a way that is unique to him. Not only does he maintain full control over the design process, from conception to output, but he also operates with a very strict set of principles: keep everything in-house, source and produce locally, leave as little of a footprint as possible, and avoid mass production. To some, this would pose as a set of challenges, but to Anders, this framework allows him to service his clients with the most intimacy and integrity as possible. “We are designers and not businessmen,” he tells us. And perhaps, that is what makes all the difference. We sat down with Anders to chat about his path thus far. 

Anders is wearing his favorite pieces from our Unisex Collection.

“we both got a big urge to create our own universe and designs. ”

7115: Were you always interested in interior design and woodworking? 

Anders: I have always been interested in design and high-quality, handcrafted things. After high school I worked in photography for several years but in the end I was missing that more tactile experience and felt limited in my way of expression. At the same time I had an urge not to portray reality as it is, but wanted to change it for the better. I then realized that photography was not the right profession for me, and that instead of documenting the reality I should create unique spaces with character and furniture.

I still use my experience from photography every day. I see it as a tool of support to my visions, and as a way of perceiving the world around me.

7115: You and Kasper founded Guld and Løvenholdt in 2013. What led to the decision to open up this workshop together? 

Anders: We met during our studies and were both tasked with building things we didn’t find either beautiful or dimensionally correct. After finding it very frustrating and sometimes spending days, weeks, and even months on building a product…we both got a big urge to create our own universe and designs. A year before leaving school we opened our company and co-founded a workshop collective where we made the first pieces of our first furniture collection called “Amager Serien.” Since then we have enjoyed having our own company where we can make our own designs to help our clients. We’ve also enjoyed being able to let our imagination run free and make the right decisions for us during the entire design process.

7115: Denmark is renowned for being one of the world capital’s when it comes to interior design, and there are many design firms and furniture workshops within Copenhagen alone. Why was it important to you to start something of your own? How do you find it differs to work for yourself versus within a design firm or larger organization? 

Anders:
 While working as a photographer I had my own company and enjoyed the freedom that comes with it. In my younger years, I visited a lot of different workshops in Copenhagen but it never felt like home, so I didn’t see any other way than starting my own. For us, it is very important to have a personal relationship with our clients and we work together to find the best design and construction process for each project. What differentiates us from others is especially that we have full control over the design process - from concept to production to the final installation.

7115: You have a very diverse portfolio, ranging from private homes, to retail, to restaurants. Can you tell us about how you go about approaching such a range of different clients and projects. 

Anders:
 We thrive in making new products and designs, and especially enjoy the first phases of the creative process such as the design development. It is here we can use our experience as woodworkers but also our experience of connecting with people, finding out what they really want and making something that is personal to the people using the space, whether it is a private home, an office space or a restaurant. 

7115: What does a day in the workshop usually look like? 

Anders: It varies a lot. No day is the same. Depending on the amount of administrative work and the amount of production in the workshop, we tackle each week with a fresh mind. We tackle each project together, agreeing on a final design. After, I would usually be in charge of keeping in touch with clients, 3D renderings, and other admin tasks. My partner, Kasper, is mostly in the workshop. Hands on. This way of working fits best with our personalities. We complement each other. His strong sides are my weakest and vice versa. 

"We are designers and not business-men, which I think is the big difference here."


7115: What’s something memorable you’ve learned while working on projects at Guld & Løvenholdt? It can be about yourself or about the craft.

Anders:
I have learned never to give up and to focus on finding solutions rather than focusing on the problem. Sometimes the most challenging project can be the most rewarding.

7115: We admire that you move at your own pace and are committed to doing things your way, but we can only imagine that brings with it some of its own challenges. On your website you talk about how you never outsource manufacturing and you don’t support mass production. Have you faced any challenges when it comes to sticking to this commitment?

Anders: Since we are mostly making custom designs, we see it as a positive thing that we do not mass produce, which I think differs from our competitors. We love to make things that are not within the standard and try our best to keep our design and company as simple as possible. We are designers and not businessmen, which I think is the big difference here.

7115: To part, we want to leave you with this question. If your work could speak, what is the one message you would like your pieces and design solutions to communicate with your clients? 

Anders: We hope for our designs to be aesthetically pleasing, honest, clean, and long-lasting.

Guld and Løvenholdt
Amager Snedkerhus, Uplandsgade 722300 København S, Denmark
@guld_lovenholdt

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