Yngve Ekström – A Study In Furniture Design
The 20th century home furnishings industry was dominated by Scandinavian design. Notable furniture (möbler) 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 (möbler) 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.
In 1945 he and his bother Jerker founded Swedese, one of the most respected makers of modern furnishings in the world. He remained active in the company until his death, a career of more than forty years. Products from Swedese included elegant artistic pieces for the home, but the clean profiles and utilitarian construction also made their wares popular in upscale offices and business applications.
One of the most famous pieces of Ekström’s was the Lamino fåtölj which was first produced in the 1950′s. It is still in production and remains popular today. Named the best Swedish chair of the Twentieth Century by a Swedish magazine in 1999, it also received another important. as well as significant, award in 2003. This was the Design Innovation, by the I.M.M. in Cologne in 2003.
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.
Yngve Ekström was a talented designer from Hagafors, a city in Sweden with a long history of furniture (möbler) making. He was drawn into that very popular and well regarded business as well. Like many in the town, he applied his own style to his work. He studied wood crafting and design along with courses in art history, drawing, and sculpture allowing him to incorporate stylistic elements he learned in those classes into his work. He and his brother (Jerker) created Swedese in 1945. The company has become one of the most respected producers of modern woodwork and decor (inredning) in the world.
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