In the 1950s John Kandell (1925-1991) designed both furniture and interiors, and made excursions into architecture, glass, textiles and other areas. He worked with the greatest Swedish architects of the day - Peter Celsing, Nils Tesch and Sven Ivar Lind. With HI-gruppen, a short-lived association of architects and cabinet-makers, he pushed against the limits. The distinctive features were refined proportions, vigorous line and exquisite handling of materials. Some were before their time but have now been revived. John Kandell always worked discriminatingly and sometimes minimally. In the 1980s his exuberant come-back was a surprise. His work became increasingly a synthesis of sculpture, painting, architecture and furniture. He liked to quote a statement by Picasso - a picture should be so simple that i could be sent to New York by telephone. The Pilster shelf unit (1989) can be seen as an application of this quote. The design was phoned through to Källemo, and with its unerring simplicity became a great successes.