Further Reading

Scandinavian design was a very big part of the 20th century home furnishings industry, and some names truly stand out. Among these are Bruno Mathsson, Hans Wegner, Alvar Aalto and Arne Jacobsen but one of the most memorable is Yngve Ekström, born in Hagafors, Smaland, Sweden in 1913.

The city of Hagafors in Sweden has a tradition of making furniture, which goes back a long time and a young Yngve Ekström was naturally drawn to an industry which was all around him. Like many Scandinavian designers, he not only studied the practice of wood crafting but also the theory of the evolution of the art through its history. He also studied aesthetics like painting and sculpture and these elements are reflected in his work.

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.

Possibly Ekström's most famous piece was the Lamino chair, first produced in the 1950's and still in production and popular now. The Lamino chair was actually named the best Swedish chair of the Twentieth Century by a Swedish design magazine in 1999 and received another significant award, the Design Innovation, by the I.M.M. in Cologne in 2003.

This chair has attractive curves viewed from the side as well as seen head on and often is sold with a matching ottoman. It can be made in a wide variety of woods for the frame and the upholstery can also match nearly any desire or taste, from sheepskin to woven cloth webbing. The versatility and simple good looks have contributed to the long popularity and the chairs sell well in the two to three thousand dollar range for new models. Earlier examples have sold for much more.

In 1988, when Yngve Ekström passed away, he was still designing and running his company. His legend was enhanced by his ability to produce creative innovations. His designs fit in with a multitude of styles and are staples in decorating (inredning). They look gorgeous with hardwood floors. His designs were considered innovative when they were first designed, but they are now known as furniture design classics.

Scandinavian design was a very big part of the 20th century home furnishings (heminredning) 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.