Playful possibilities: Behind the scenes with Montana

A chance to go behind the scenes of the brand with a design philosophy; that every one of us needs freedom and a natural desire to create our personal spaces. Montana believes in, “making room for personality”.

A two-day trip, our Sales Administrator Becky and Photographer Max were guided around the founder’s home and the Montana factory workshop on the Danish island of Funen, along with visits to the Showroom and Flagship Store in Copenhagen.

A brand known for being “a celebration of playful possibilities”, we knew our trip would be colourful, would spark our imaginations and fuel our love for the brand even further – and as anticipated, it did just that! Join us for the highlights.

The Montana collection largely revolves around the progressive designs of company founder, Peter J. Lassen, and since its founding in 1982, Montana remains a family-run company that pays particular attention to the sustainability credentials of their products.

Defining the brand’s iconic aesthetic is a carefully curated colour palette, each of the units and storage solutions that make up their collection, available in an exciting colour spectrum of 40 lacquer and veneer finishes. From the likes of rosehip, rhubarb and camomile to fjord, oat and mushroom, Montana’s colour choices cater for all tastes and the act of configuring your ideal storage solution becomes a very joyful process.

The collection is focussed around personalisation to your needs, crafted to the highest standards, with everything made in their factory workshop - which is where we began our tour.

Crafted with care

Situated on the island of Funen, we made our way to Montana HQ and the factory workshop where we were treated to an in-depth tour of the facilities.

A building with an aesthetic so in-fitting with the brand, so striking in design that nobody could mistake, the factory’s exterior was transformed in 2022 to celebrate Montana’s 40th year by London-based French Artist, Walala. Using the brand’s colours, developed by Danish colour expert Margrethe Odgaard, the Montana x Walala collaboration feels like a real ‘celebration of optimistic design’ and immediately sets the tone for our trip.

Before Montana can create, it all begins with selecting the finest materials. This is where our journey began, at the MDF store, where we discovered that Montana earned its PEFC certification in 2022. This certification guarantees responsible forest management and ensures the sustainability of the raw materials they source. Montana has long been a pioneer in sustainability—since 2007, they’ve used only water-based lacquer colours, free from solvents and odours. In fact, they were one of the first Danish companies to conduct ‘cradle-to-grave’ environmental assessments for their products.

We toured the factory, following the journey of a Montana unit from start to finish. From the precise cutting and sizing of materials to the first base coat of the water-based lacquer, every step is meticulously controlled and quality-checked to ensure the highest standards are met.

“My favourite part of the tour was the post-lacquering store. Although nothing had been assembled yet, it was incredible to see the vibrant, colourful components waiting to come together. The pieces—each with its unique hue—were like a preview of the playful creations yet to be made, sparking a sense of anticipation and excitement for what was to come”. Becky Brown

The home of Peter J. Lassen

A short walk from the factory, within the same site, is what was once the home of founder, Peter J. Lassen. Now an academy and art gallery, this is where we learned the history and make-up of Montana.

The tour explained how Montana came to be; from Lassen’s time serving in the Navy and subsequent work as CEO for his father-in-law’s company, Fritz Hansen Furniture. His sudden move from this to the creation of Montana was born out of a vision to push boundaries and champion progressive, forward-thinking designs.

Talking origins, a fun fact we learned at the Academy was the story behind the name, Montana. One reason behind why it was chosen, for its connection to the Danish verb “montere”, meaning to “assemble”.

Joining Lassen’s designs, under the Montana brand, are pieces by grand masters of the design industry, such as Verner Panton – our tour at the Academy explained the connection and collaboration. In homage, as you first enter the home, you’re immediately greeted with a seating area, composed of an iconic Verner Panton set of designs. Fitting, given that Panton, a close friend and collaborator of Lassen, had a profound influence on Montana’s colour universe, with his bold use of colour, serving as a major source of inspiration. The set is a striking nod to the 1960s, featuring Pantonova seating and the VP pendant light, both in gleaming chrome. The entire space is drenched in a rich red hue, creating a dynamic and vibrant atmosphere that pays homage to the era’s fearless approach to design and colour.

Our history lesson complete, we dove into the world of Montana systems, learning about the configurations and wide variety of colour finishes in the collection – the possibilities felt endless.

“I find the subject of colour really interesting. How colours are developed, the theory surrounding colour and the link with our mood, its ability to evoke and how colour communicates. I enjoyed learning about how colour expert, Margrethe Odgaard, developed the colour index with Montana, and their journey to ‘achieving the right nuance’ so that the colours would be stable in all types of light. Striving for colours that can be mixed and matched as this is just as important as the modules being able to offer that level of possibility for combinations”. Max Hawley

A colourful, immersive experience

For our second day, we began in the heart of Copenhagen at the Flagship Store in Sankt Annæ Plads. Immediately immersed in colour, each room set up showcases more of what the Montana collection has to offer. Aspects of the journey, comparable to a scene from a Wes Anderson film, the store is a playground of playfulness set over two floors.

“The flagship store was my favourite stop of the entire trip. I had the chance to see so many configurations of the Montana system that I’d never even imagined creating myself. The sideboard bar, in particular, is such a clever and stylish use of the system! The room setups were a brilliant way to showcase the versatility of the brand, giving me a whole new perspective on how Montana can transform a space.”

A short walk through the cobbled Copenhagen streets, we arrived at our final destination on the trip, the Montana Showroom. A showcase space and office for the team, that, unlike the Flagship, presents a variety of contract and office solutions, available to visit by appointment. Here we saw the Montana systems being used in a more corporate setting.

Completing our tour, we were given a crash course in colour theory, learning about contrasting, complimentary and monochromatic colour selection, followed by a delicious lunch from the communal canteen area upstairs.

With our trip ending, it was time to say goodbye and thank you to CEO, Joakim Lassen and the Montana team for the amazing visit and opportunity to learn more about the exciting world of Montana.

Discover the Montana collection on our brand page. Do you own a piece of Montana design? Share your styling with us over Instagram @nest_co_uk.