Scandinavian designs made up a large part of the whole industry of home furnishings (heminredning) in the 20th century, and there are several stand out designers that contributed to this. Some of these names are Bruno Mathsson, Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobson, and Alvar Aalto. One of the most prominent, though, is the memorable Yngve Ekström, who was born in 1913 in the city of Hagafors, Sweden.
It is no surprise that Yngve Ekström was drawn to the business of furniture design, as Hagafors is the city in Sweden with the longest tradition in the art, thus it was a popular pursuit to undertake. As with many Scandinavian designers, Ekström studied more than just wood crafting, but also such pursuits as art history, painting, drawing, and sculpting. Many of the elements of these different pursuits can be found in his designs.
He and his brother (Jerker) created Swedese in 1945. The company has become one of the most respected producers of modern furniture and decor in the world. He continued to be active in the company until he passed away, leaving a career that spanned more than forty years. Swedese produced items that were elegant and artistic home pieces. Their clean lines and utilitarian construction also helped their items find plenty of use in high end offices and business applications.
The Lamino Chair, which is probably his most well known piece was originally created in the 1950’s. This chair is still being made today and is a much sought after piece. In 1999, a Swedish design magazine reported that the Lamino chair was the greatest Swedish chair in the Twentieth Century. In 2003, the Lamino chair was awarded the prestigious Design Innovation, by the I.M.M. in Cologne.
Looking at the chair from any angle provides views of its beautiful curves. A matching ottoman is often accompanies it. There are several options for wood for the frame and the upholstery. The chair can be designed to meet any taste or style. The versatility of the chairs and their simple lines and looks make even today’s models sell for between two and three thousand dollars. Examples of earlier versions of the chair have sold for more.
Yngve Ekström remained active not only in design, but also in leading his company, until his death in 1988. His ability to continue working and designing only added to the legend that is Ekström. His chairs are exceptionally nice with hardwood floors, but add well to many different styles. When his designs were introduced, many of them were breakthroughs, now they have become classics.
Scandinavian design was a very big part of the 20th century home furnishings (hem möbler) industry, and some names truly stand out. Yngve Ekström was a Scandinavian designer in Hagafors, a city in Sweden with a proud history of furniture making. He was drawn into that very popular and well regarded historical business as well. Swedese produced items that were elegant and artistic home pieces. In 1999, a Swedish design magazine reported that the Lamino chair was the greatest Swedish furniture design in the Twentieth Century. In 2003, the Lamino chair was awarded the prestigious Design Innovation, by the I.M.M. in Cologne. Visit http://www.contentspooling.net/public.php?id=164&a=2664 if you’d like a unique version of this article for your website.
Tags: lamino, heminredning, inredning, möbler, lamino stol, lamino fåtölj, yngve ekström
