International design manager appointed to lead the Museum of Furniture Studies 

International design manager appointed to lead the Museum of Furniture Studies

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As the Museum of Furniture Studies prepares to establish its presence in Älmhult, Eva Lilja Löwenhielm will take up the role of Manager as of 1 September 2025. The appointment marks the end of her role as Global Design Manager at IKEA, a position she has held since 2019.  

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Eva Lilja Löwenhielm, a graduate of Beckmans College of Design, is a multi-award-winning designer with collaborations including Asplund, Svenssons in Lammhult, Designtorget and Filippa K, in addition to her work for IKEA. She has focused heavily on enabling an arena for young talents and to work close with the designers to move the agenda and identity for IKEA Democratic Design.

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"The Museum of Furniture Studies is a great opportunity for Älmhult as a town and for design interested around the world. With thousands of pieces spanning three centuries, there is a huge amount of design history to learn from and be inspired by. I very much look forward to developing and fostering what is a genuine treasure of design," says Eva Lilja Löwenhielm.

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The new manager’s main focus will be to establish and position the museum as a platform for dialogue, learning and inspiration within the field of design. A key priority will also be to develop a strong program that attracts young designers, design enthusiasts, the furniture industry and new visitors.

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"This recruitment shows that we are serious about our ambition to become a true international design destination. Eva's long experience as an appreciated leader and furniture designer for well-known Swedish companies, combined with her international outlook, makes her a perfect fit to continue developing the museum in the spirit in which it was created," says Pär Gustafsson, Destination & Museum Manager at IKEA Älmhult AB.

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Even before her official start, Eva has taken an active role in the Ex-Works initiative where she and Lars Bülow have acted as mentors to students from some of the leading design schools in Sweden. The result, Ex-Works 25, will be presented at the Museum of Furniture Studies Pop-up in Älmhult. Opening on 4 June, the pop-up will remain open until the end of August.