Muuto

About

Muuto is a Danish design company based in Copenhagen that produces contemporary furniture, lighting and accessories in a Scandinavian tradition. It positions its work as a contemporary continuation of Nordic design — sometimes described as "New Nordic" — and serves residential, workplace and hospitality interiors. Since 2018 it has been part of the group now known as MillerKnoll. The company was founded in 2006 by Kristian Byrge and Peter Bonnén in Copenhagen. The founders have described the name as deriving from the Finnish word "muutos," meaning change or new perspective, reflecting their intention to build on Scandinavian design traditions while bringing a contemporary point of view. The company works with contemporary, largely Scandinavian designers across its collections. Muuto's catalogue spans seating, tables, storage, textiles, lighting and accessories, generally characterised by simple forms, natural materials and a restrained colour-led aesthetic. The company is often associated with the "affordable luxury" segment, aiming to make contemporary design furniture broadly accessible while maintaining a design-led identity. Ownership has changed over the company's history. An investment firm, Maj Invest Equity, acquired a significant stake in 2014, and in late 2017 it was announced that the American company Knoll would acquire Muuto, with effect from early 2018, in a deal reported at around 300 million US dollars. Following Herman Miller's later acquisition of Knoll, Muuto became part of the combined MillerKnoll group, while continuing under its own name. Muuto's products are used in homes, workplaces and hospitality interiors and are sold internationally through design retailers, contract dealers and online channels. As a Copenhagen-based contemporary Scandinavian design company now within a larger international group, Muuto combines Nordic design with broad international distribution.