Designer Louise Hederström has created Bark Pouf for the exhibition What Matter_s 3.0 at Form/Design Center in Malmö, on view until January 2026. The piece was developed in close collaboration with Vilax in Staffanstorp, specialists in bespoke interiors and custom-made furniture crafted to architects’ specifications.
Drawn to Vilax’s deep knowledge of upholstery, Louise approached the company with an ambition to create something truly unique—an object that would both explore and highlight their craftsmanship. The answer she received early on was simple: everything is possible.
The result is a sculptural pouf defined by a three-dimensional pattern, where each individual leather section is upholstered separately and assembled with detailed precision. The pattern takes inspiration from tree bark—an organic structure that grows around a form. As Louise notes, it is often the small, everyday observations that leave the strongest impressions.
“Using what already exists is the least we can do, taking care of the resources we have matters.”
Bark Pouf is upholstered in grey Elmosoft leather and currently exists as a one-off piece, with the possibility of future production made to order. The pattern can be adapted to different scales and contexts, allowing the form to respond to both space and use.
Louise has worked with leather—and Elmo—over many years. She values the opportunity to use second- and third-grade hides of the same high quality, marked by traces of the animal’s life. “Using what already exists is the least we can do,” she says. “Taking care of the resources we have matters.”
