What led you into design?
Design has always been part of my life. I’ve always liked making things. When I was young, I remember watching my father fix electronics. To me, it looked like a miracle. I watched with curiosity and tried to make things myself. It felt almost like an obsession. I was always trying to understand how things work, why they work, and what they are made for. I spent many evenings reading magazines and books about technology.
As a teenager, I learned programming and constantly tried to learn something new after school. I quickly understood a simple rule: when you create something new, how it works is very important. But how it looks is no less important. That’s when I became interested in product design and interface creation.
I got into Photoshop to create phone skins, websites, and concept interfaces. It was a passion for improving everything around me that you could see and touch. Over time, this passion became my first job in 2010.
What does a typical day look like?
I am an early riser. In summer, my day usually starts around 6 a.m. Every morning, I make black tea, water my plants, take a shower, read the news, and check my to-do list. On my way to work, I like listening to podcasts or interviews with inspiring people.
I start my workday by reviewing tasks. I collaborate closely with product and engineering teams and usually have several meetings to discuss processes and planning. For the rest of the time, I love diving into pixels and focused design work. A good day for me is a day when I’ve made something better.
After work, I spend my evenings at home reading or watching something.
What’s your workstation setup?
At home, I work on an iMac 5K (2017) and a MacBook Air M2. At work, I use a MacBook Pro 15” (2019) and a Dell P2715Q.
Where do you go to get inspired?
I can find inspiration everywhere around me. It comes from materials, architecture, and interiors. I especially love nature. I feel lucky to be able to notice beauty in simple things.
I enjoy traveling to different cities and countries. I often go for walks, observing nature or architecture, and paying attention to things I haven’t seen before. I like thinking about how people solve problems and design solutions for everyday routines. I’m a big fan of Swedish and Japanese interior design and architecture.
I also love Dribbble, Pinterest, and Instagram, where I try to find inspiration every day. I enjoy taking time to explore great products from tech companies, startups, and agencies.
What pieces of work are you most proud of?
That’s not an easy question. I’ve always been part of great teams. I’m proud of the fact that products I’ve designed are used by people every day.
I also enjoy self-initiated projects. In 2018, I created an icon set called Stockholm. I’m very happy and proud that many people use it in their projects.
One of my favorite projects is the Appearance Figma Plugin. I developed it to help designers create dark themes in seconds. This solution is used by thousands of designers around the world.
Another project I’m proud of is my apartment. I worked a lot on its design and concept, and I did almost all the renovation work myself. I’m very happy with how cozy it feels now.
What design challenges do you face at your company?
Maps is a complex application. We work on many everyday scenarios, such as search and navigation. That’s why we need to keep the quality bar high. For me, the main challenge is designing a product that solves the needs of very different users within one application. We have a large team working on many types of problems.
Any advice for ambitious designers?
Enjoy what you do every day. A product designer’s career is often closer to engineering than to art — it’s important to remember that. Iterate until you’re sure the solution feels right.
Stay curious and flexible in your thinking. Learn new things, step outside your comfort zone, and pay attention to what truly excites you. Do the work you love.
What product have you recently seen that made you think this is great design?
The Taccia lamp. It’s a floor lamp designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in Italy in 1962. For me, it’s a great example of timeless design.
