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One major component of the 20th century home furnishings industry was Scandinavian design. While that movement featured many noteworthy figures, including Bruno Mathsson, Hans Wegner, Alvar Aalto and Arne Jacobsen, perhaps one of the most memorable is Yngve Ekström, who was born in Hagafors, Smaland, Sweden in 1913.

Since Hagafors is the city in Sweden with the oldest presence in the furniture business, it was no surprise that a young Yngve Ekström would be drawn to what was so popular and pervasive in his environment. Like many of the Scandinavian designers, he did not only study wood crafting, but also learned from academic study of art history as well as painting, drawing and sculpture. Many of the style elements in his work are obviously related to those studies.

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.

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 is as esthetically appealing from the front as from the side view. An ottoman that matches is frequently purchased together with the chair. There are many different types of wood that can be used to make the frame. Also, the upholstery can be anything the consumer wishes, no matter how unusual. The Lamino chair has been popular for many years due to its simplicity of design and versatile applications. It is not uncommon to pay two to three thousand dollars for new versions of this chair. Chairs that were made earlier have been much more expensive than the newer styles.

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. They look gorgeous with hardwood floors. His designs were considered innovative when they were first designed, but they are now known as furniture design (möbler design) classics.