Lamino armchair by Yngve Ekström
Design principles
Yngve Ekström (1913 - 1988) came up with his Lamino chair concept in 1956. At the time, Scandinavian design was already well appreciated around the world, featuring natural materials, elegant lines and fine craftmanship, but Ekström felt that he had a particular mission. He wanted to design a chair around the human body. It was meant to provide ultimate comfort, but far from the idea of comfort that involves overly soft cushions where one practically drowns. Both ergonomic and minimalist, Lamino has a light and elegant appearance, with distinct contours. The design also proved to be very versatile. The Lamino chair comes in a variety of wood finishes and can be upholstered with sheepskin, textile or leather. There is even a denim edition! Swedese, the company cofounded by Ekström in 1945, continues to come up with new looks for this iconic piece of furniture, including the version with fabric made to look like a grassy meadow. This was suitable, because the Lamino chair itself can be described as an evergreen.
Where to use a Lamino chair
The Lamino chair is by no means flashy or overly impressive. Its beauty is rather subdued, however it would have a commanding presence in a room. Therefore it might work best in a small space which is otherwise curated in its look. Wherever you place your Lamino chair, be sure that it is mostly seen by true connoisseurs. The only certain way to achieve this would be to keep it your study or bedroom, where the only connoisseur might be you.
