With its emblematic blue-and-white check and reputation for superior comfort, Swedish bed-making brand Hästens has long proven its worth – not only for its ability to endure over 170 years of changes and evolving needs, but most significantly its relentless pursuit for the best possible conditions – from the materials used to the science behind their designs – that make for a good night’s sleep.
Discover what makes this premium brand, available at Form with its own dedicated Hästens store, a master in bed-making.
It all began with hand-crafted saddles
Such are its humble beginnings that the original founder of Hästens, Pehr Adolf, started by hand-crafting saddles and harnessing in Swedish leather, including horse-tail hair mattresses and leather goods. His son, Per Thure continued the family’s master traditions but adapted to changing times ahead of WWI, choosing to focus on horsehair mattresses, seats and cushions.
Over the years, the company continued to expand and refine, eventually also making duvets and pillows using down and feathers. Today, the fifth- and sixth-generation family business continues producing hand-crafted beds made with the same natural materials and spirit of excellence as those made 170 years ago.
Working with nature
At the heart of its ethos is comfort and quality, underpinned by the use of sustainable products. In Hästens’ own words, “a product that comes from nature wants to return to nature and that’s how it should be.”
The foundation: humble horsehair. Every strand of horsehair works as a tiny spring that enhances the mattress’s internal spring systems, while providing a naturally effective, built-in ventilation system. Equally important is cotton that allows air to circulate around the body, keeping the sleeping environment dry and comfortable. Wool and flax both bring unique properties to the mix – the former expertly regulates temperature, and the latter diverts static electricity.
Combined with a bed frame made from slow-grown Swedish pine and unique spring systems that bring pressure relief and support, every piece of this complex puzzle is driven by a passion for precision.
Refinement at its finest
The craftsmanship established by the first masters in the 1800s endures till this day, and every one of its 13 bed models boasts a slew of fine details.
The drēmər® model, for instance, features a velvet headboard, delicate piping and corner panel detailing, while the ultra luxurious Grand Vividus includes a sleek headboard upholstered in mohair with wingback sides detailed with poplin piping. Both beds were conceived by interior designer Ferris Rafauli who takes bed design to exceptional heights with his own unique style.
Hästens is no stranger to exciting collaborations – for its Being Collection, it teamed up with British designer Ilse Crawford, who created an elegant bed skirt with kick pleat seams and crisp stitching, as well as an angled headboard, elongated back pillow and classic bed linens.
“Just as our Hästens Blue Check pattern once shocked the traditional interior design industry, it still stirs up feelings more than four decades on. That is why we embrace new thinking from the leading designers of today – especially masters of craft outside the realm of bed making.”
That famous blue check
The story goes back to 1978 when Jack Ryde, husband of the fourth-generation Solveig, was keen to devise a distinct pattern to represent the brand. He designed the Hästens Blue Check and introduced it at a furniture fair in Sweden on the 2000T model. Despite facing resistance from the furniture world at the time, it not only proved successful but endured into the next century.
To mark Jack and Solveig’s 100th anniversary this year, Hästens released a limited edition 2000T bed featuring blue saddle leather corner guards and matching leather lifting handles, an embroidered signature, bronze accents and a distinct signature plate celebrating Jack’s legacy.
While the colours remain a trademark of the brand, it also offers the check in a range of other hues, including silver beige, taupe, olive and solid colours, while a selection of merino wool, canvas and leather are available for select parts of the bed, allowing for a degree of personalisation without drowning out that trademark Hästens identity that has gained recognition the world over – not only inside homes but hotels too, spreading its message of good sleep in select homes away from home.
The benefits are not just physical
“You cannot cheat your way to perfect sleep but there are things that you can do to understand why it’s important and ensure you give yourself the best chance of a great night’s sleep,” says Hästens, and it all begins with what’s inside your bed – and how you feel when you wake up.
The team at Form stresses how “Great sleep transforms the way you show up every day: Sharper focus at work, more patience at home and more energy for what matters most. The bed is just the starting point. The real value lies in what it gives back: your clarity, your vitality, your edge.”
Book a bed test and experience it for yourself at the Hastens Store, Form Showroom Complex, Valley Road, Msida.
