Bruno Mathsson was descended from five generations of the production of top-quality wood furniture. Bruno was born in Varnamo, Sweden in 1907, and the love of fine wood-crafting was in his blood. Under his father’s tutelage he learned technical furniture-making skills, the textures and capabilities of a variety of woods, and the importance of always striving for excellence.
Furniture designer Matsson wanted to learn everything he could about the technical issues and design styles he worked with. He taught himself by reading books from museums and design centers and networking with other designers. Functionalism was a design style that Bruno was very interested in. He actually won a scholarship for one of his functionalist chair designs.
Not content with the limitations of traditional flat board furniture, Matsson experimented with chairs without the springs and heavy upholstery, some that could be adjusted in position, and all with clean, elegant line. Some were so controversial that they were hidden in storage until he became a famous name.
Mathsson was so interested in what he termed “the mechanics of sitting”, that he decide to attempt experiments to learn which pattern a human made when they sat down, even going to the extent of sitting in the snow to observe the result. Mathsson received a Grand Prix design award in 1937. By that time, his chairs were being displayed to the world again.
The Bruno Mathsson Pernilla chair is one of his classic designs. It comes in both easy chair and lounge chair formats that use bentwood and lamination techniques in part of the design and can be made with either webbing or upholstery. Due to shortages of material during the war, Mathsson used jute, hemp, or anything else he could find. This design can be adapted to almost any wood or material. Bruno Mathsson Pernilla chairs usually come with an attached pillow as well.
In 1935 Bruno Mathsson designed the Mathsson Fällbord table. This became one of his most famous designs for a modular table that can be configured in many different ways which is still as modern today as it was in the 1930s. In fact, there is a timelessness about most of Mathsson’s designs, including his highly-desired Mathsson Jetson, Miranda, Mathsson Eva and Pernilla chairs.
Yet another piece of Mathsson furniture (Mathsson möbler) that MUST be mentioned here is another of his tables. The Mathsson superellips is also considered a classic and it seems like it will increase in value for many years to come. Mathsson passed away in 1988 leaving an amazing legacy of family heritage made great by his insight.
Swedish designer Bruno Mathsson was born in Varnamo in 1907 into a woodworking tradition. He grew up learning the technical skills to make classic designer furniture (design möbler), the feel and nature of wood and the tradition of excellence. He taught himself by reading books from museums and design centers and networking with other designers. Functionalism was a design style that Bruno was very interested in. The bruno mathsson pernilla chair is one of his classic designs. A historical piece that captures a contemporary feel is his modular fällbord table. Mathsson passed away in 1988 leaving an amazing legacy of family heritage made great by his insight.
Tags: bruno mathsson, eva, fällbord, heminredning, inredning, möbler, pernilla
