Swedese coffee tables

The classic and well-known brand Swedese was founded in 1945 by the brothers Yngve and Jerker Ekström, and Bertil Sjöqvist. The company’s vision is the same today as it was 70 years ago: to create beautiful furniture for the future, based on a modern Scandinavian tradition.

This becomes a reality thanks to collaborations with forward-thinking designers who share the classic idea of architectural unity. Yngve Ekström is the most influential figure in the history of Sweden. From his beginnings in the 1940s until his death in 1988, he has been an all-round artist, contributing everything from logos and catalogues to Christmas cards with his own poems. Together with L+M Arkitekter, he also designed the headquarters of Swedes in Vaggeryd in Småland. Yngve Ekström’s flexibility puts him in the company of great modernist architects such as Alvar Aalto, Bruno Mathsson, Arne Jacobsen and Poul Kjaerholm, as they work both holistically and with the details. Together, they help make the concept of Scandinavian Modern known throughout the world.

Furniture of the century

The Swedese range includes many so-called design classics. Perhaps the most famous modern classic is the Tree clothes stand, designed by Katrin Olina and Michael Young. This piece of furniture has become a strong symbol for Swedese with its visual leap into the intersection between reality and the subconscious. As the name suggests, the inspiration has been taken from nature, resulting in a piece of furniture that is equally at home in a nursery or a hallway. Although Tree has become a true icon of modern Swedish interior design, there is no escaping the fact that the biggest icon in the Swedese range is the Lamino lounge chair, designed by Yngve Ekström. Lamino is a prime example of the design of the past, where nature’s own materials combined with good craftsmanship have resulted in a piece of furniture that is as attractive today as it will be for generations to come. When Yngve Ekström designed the chair in 1956, he did so with the human being in mind, making Lamino as comfortable to sit in as it is to look at. In 1999, Lamino was named the Swedish furniture of the century by Sköna Hem magazine.