Scandinavian designs made up a large part of the whole industry of home furnishings in the 20th century, and there are several stand out designers that contributed to this. Some of these names are Bruno Mathsson, Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobson, and Alvar Aalto. One of the most prominent, though, is the memorable Yngve Ekström, who was born in 1913 in the city of Hagafors, Sweden.

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.

Along with his brother Jerker he founded Swedese in 1945, which is one of the most highly respected producers of modern furniture today. He was active in the company for more than forty years, all the way up until his passing. Swedese products included elegant artistic pieces for use in the home, but the designs also became quite popular for use in upscale offices and businesses due to their clean, utilitarian construction.

One of the most famous pieces of Ekström's was the Lamino chair 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.

Sometimes sold with a matching ottoman (Lamino med pall), 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 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.