Anna Ekeneld wants our values and life goals to influence our interior design choices more. At the Furniture Fair in Gothenburg this September, Anna will speak about how we can use interior design to create more sustainable and personally meaningful environments.

How can our home affect our well-being and quality of life? Anna Ekeneld, who holds a master’s degree in management and economics, changed career paths four years ago and founded Tempelhem to work with holistic interior design, existential conversations, and mindfulness.

“I have always been interested in how we can create environments around us that make us feel good. With the right knowledge, it is possible to create a home that brings calm, inspiration, and wonder to everyday life,” says Anna.

Holistic interior design is based on personal values

Her method, holistic interior design, focuses on creating environments where well-being, sustainability, and aesthetics work together. Anna works with four key concepts: feeling, function, world, and soul.

Among these, function is what we most often think about, Anna explains:

“I want to be able to sit down and eat, so I need a dining table and chairs—simply put.”

But it can also be about how the flow in a home works—how storage is arranged and how daily activities function.

“What do I do with worn clothes that aren’t dirty enough to wash yet? Finding solutions for these kinds of everyday questions can impact both my daily routine and well-being.”

Interior design begins with existential conversations

Focusing on what you want to feel more of in your home and daily life is a good starting point. For Anna, designing a home begins with existential conversations about values, life choices, and how one wants to live.

“It’s common for a home to reflect one’s current mental state. But if you consciously ask yourself how you want to feel in your everyday life, you can adapt your home accordingly. Your external environment will influence your inner well-being.”

Anna’s method also emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with beauty and objects that bring joy, even if they serve no function other than creating a sense of wonder.

“We need things around us that bring us joy. It can be flowers, candles, scents, art, or furniture—pieces that can be experienced as beautiful works of art.”

She shares the story of a client she helped—someone who completely transformed their home experience after working with her.

“I have a quote on my bulletin board from this client: ‘Before Tempelhem, I felt anxiety about my home. But now I look forward to coming home, sitting on the sofa with a cup of tea, and just enjoying my home, which now feels calm, harmonious, and beautiful.’”

Our choices impact the world around us

A central theme in Anna’s philosophy is how our choices influence the world around us. This includes sustainability and conscious consumption.

“How does my home contribute to sustainability and fair trade?” she asks rhetorically.

“It can be about reusing furniture or making long-term investments in quality pieces. If I keep these questions in mind, I can hopefully make purchases that are both sustainable and contribute positively in a broader sense.”

“Inspire a deeper sense of meaning”

At the Furniture Fair, Anna will discuss her approach to holistic interior design and encourage buyers to consider why we choose the furniture we do—not just what we choose. She wants us to reflect on furniture’s greater impact on people’s lives and well-being.

“Furniture and interior design contribute to both our well-being and the world. I hope to inspire a sense of meaning and connection.”

The home – a place to recharge

Anna also believes that today’s increasingly unstable world makes indoor environments and sustainability even more important. Color psychology and personal expression are gaining more attention, and she sees a growing awareness in the industry.

“I see more reuse, and I believe people are thinking more carefully about their choices and want to express their personality through their interiors,” she says.

“In a world with wars near us and increasing instability, our home becomes a place to recharge and find inner peace.”

Listen to Anna Ekeneld at the Gothenburg Furniture Fair

Tuesday, September 2, at 1:00 PM – Seminar on holistic interior design with Anna Ekeneld at the Furniture Fair in Gothenburg. The seminar will be held in Swedish.

About the Gothenburg Furniture Fair

The Gothenburg Furniture Fair is the Nordic region’s leading meeting place for the purchase of furniture, interior design, and lighting for home environments. It brings together buyers, store owners, and suppliers – for business, inspiration, and stronger relationships. September 1–3, 2025 at the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre in Gothenburg. Register for your free admission ticket »

Please note that the Gothenburg Furniture Fair is a trade show and only open to professionals within the furniture industry.