nordicmobler's Journal

The 20th century home furnishings industry was dominated by Scandinavian design. Notable furniture designers included Bruno Mathsson, Alvar Aalto, Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen. Yngve Ekström was a truly special Scandinavian designer and was born in the town of Hagafors in Smaland - a region of Sweden - in the year 1913.

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.

Together with his brother Jerker, he founded a globally recognized furniture company named Swedese. From its inception in 1945, he continued to work at the company until he passed away some four decades later. Swedes produces furnishings that are well suited for both the home and office due to their fine blend of simplicity and artistic flair.

The Lamino is probably Ekström's most famous design, it came into production in the 50s and is still produced, and popular, today. The Lamino chair received the accolade of being named the best Swedish chair in the Twentieth century, and was so named by a Swedish design magazine in 1999. The chair has also received the Design Innovation award from the I.M.M. in Cologne in 2003.

Sometimes sold with a matching ottoman, this chair has very attractive curves when seen from the side or front. Made in a variety of wood framework, the upholstery can also be picked from a myriad of desires and tastes. From woven cloth, all the way to sheepskin. Selling in the two to three thousand dollar range on new models, sometimes more on the older models, the simple elegant looks and durability have long contributed to the chairs popularity.

Yngve Ekström not only continued to design until his death in 1988, he also continued to be at the helm of his company. This ability to manage and produce new innovations only added to his legend. His chairs add to many styles of decor and look exceptionally good with hardwood floors. While his designs were often breakthroughs when created, most have become true classics.

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