“An object shall stand the wear of the eye!” proclaimed Swedish entrepreneur Sven Lundh (1925–2015), who took over operations at revered furniture company Källemo in 1971. For decades, the innovative brand has accomplished just that with a range of original and unconventional pieces that draw on — and regularly push the boundaries of — Scandinavian modern and postmodern design.
Based in Vänamo in southern Sweden, Källemo was originally established in 1947 before it was taken over by Lundh in 1971. Lundh’s vision for Källemo was to evolve the company and to create sustainable furniture that would be both functional and wholly sculptural. The interest in creating forward-looking seating, case pieces, tables and more that are as much furniture as they are art deepened for Lundh during the 1980s, when Swedish designers began to explore the ideas that underpin postmodernism in their work.
Lundh sought to secure long-term partnerships with modernist and postmodernist Swedish and European artists and designers such as Jonas Bohlin, the creator of the scandalous Concrete chair, which caught Lundh’s attention at Konstfack’s student exhibition in 1982. Bohlin’s minimalist armchair, featuring an angular steel frame and concrete seat and headrest, was meant to be presented as a sculpture, but it fit Lundh’s idea of “artistic furniture.” Källemo produced the Concrete chair as a limited-edition series, and it became one of the company’s best known pieces.
Over the years, Källemo has collaborated with Gustav Persson — designer of Källemo’s Bank bench — Mats Theselius, John Vedel-Rieper, Jens Harald Quistgaard, Gunnar Myrstrand and numerous other artists and designers to create its unique collection of furniture. In 1996, Lundh’s son Erik and daughter Karin took the helm at Källemo, which remains a family-owned firm. Today Källemo pieces are held in permanent museum collections throughout Sweden and Europe.
Find Källemo seating, tables, case pieces and storage cabinets on 1stDibs.
"El Rey" Lounge Chair by Mats Theselius, Källemo AB, Sweden, 1999
By Källemo, Mats Theselius
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Very cool post-modernist lounge chair by Mats Theselius, modell called “El Rey”, made of solid brass, wooden seat covered with “crocodile” pattern and wrapped armrests in black leath...
Brass
Mats Theselius for Källemo Limited Edition Chaise Lounge in Black Leather
By Källemo, Mats Theselius
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mats Theselius for Källemo AB, chaise longue, steel, leather, felt, Sweden, 1992 Limited edition daybed by Swedish designer Mats Theselius. The chaise lounge consists of a base in b...
Metal
'Canapé' by Mats Theselius 21/100, 1990s
By Källemo, Mats Theselius
Located in Stockholm, SE
Limited edition of 100 produced, this is edition 21/100. Very good condition with small signs of usage.
Brass
'Canapé' by Mats Theselius, 1990s
By Källemo, Mats Theselius
Located in Stockholm, SE
Limited edition of 35 produced, this is edition 1/5 EA in British Racing Green. Provenance: Mats Theselius private collection. Very good condition with small signs of usage.
Brass
'Chaise Lounge' by Mats Theselius, 1990s
By Källemo, Mats Theselius
Located in Stockholm, SE
Limited edition of 50 produced, this is edition 16/50. Excellent condition with small signs of usage.
Brass
'Chaise Lounge' by Mats Theselius, 1990s
By Källemo, Mats Theselius
Located in Stockholm, SE
Limited edition of 50 produced, this is edition 16/50. Excellent condition with small signs of usage.
Brass
$6,800
H 29.93 in W 60.63 in D 28.35 in
Citterio "Sity" Chaise Lounge for B&B Italia in Black Leather on Black Leather
By B&B Italia, Antonio Citterio
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Strikingly chic and elegant chaise lounge by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia. One of the most desirable and rare pieces of the Sity range from 1986. Thi...
Steel
Chaise Lounge by Preview, 1970
By Weiman Preview Furniture
Located in Chicago, IL
Chaise Lounge Chair by Preview, 1970. Channel tufted original upholstery which as shown in pictures has some tears at the seams in the back. Measures 66" long, 31" wide, 27" tall 1...
Upholstery
$2,158
H 37.41 in W 27.56 in D 63 in
Midcentury Danish Modern Brown Leather Chaise Lounge Chair by Tord Björklund
By Tord Bjorklund
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
The "Skye" chaise lounge chair designed by Tord Björklund. It features a steel frame with soft brown leather after full professional renovation. Produced in Sweden in the 1980s/late ...
Steel
$1,792
H 33.86 in W 30.32 in D 58.27 in
Vintage IKEA Karlskrona Wicker Rattan Chaise Lounge Chair by Karl Malmwall 1990s
By IKEA
Located in Västra Frölunda, SE
Beautiful Mid-Century Modern style chaise longue, Karlskrona, designed by Karl Malmwall for IKEA, in the 1990s. Handmade in wicker and rattan, with a soft neck pillow in cream white...
Wicker, Rattan
$5,250
H 33 in W 22 in D 63 in
Charlotte Perriand for LeCorbusier LC4 Chaise Lounge by Cassina in Black Leather
By Cassina, Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand Cassina
Located in Dallas, TX
Le Corbusier held that furniture should be “extensions of our limbs and adapted to human functions.” The LC4 Chaise Longue (1928) embodies this notion with a “floating” frame that mo...
Steel
Mats Theselius PS Longue Chair For IKEA 1990.
By Mats Theselius
Located in Čelinac, BA
Mats Theselius PS Longue Rattan Chair for IKEA 1990
Rattan
$71,951 / set
H 28.75 in W 23.23 in D 24.41 in
Pair of Mats Theselius 'Järn/Mocca' Easy Chairs, Källemo, 1990s
By Mats Theselius
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rare pair of 'Järn/Mocca' easy chairs by Mats Theselius. Produced by Källemo 1994 in a limited edition of 360 chairs, this is chair #41 and #354.
Steel
Mats Theselius IKEA PS Collection Nätön
By Mats Theselius
Located in Farsta, SE
Mats Theselius is arguably one of Swedens most influensal designers of his generation. And this was his first collaboration with IKEA PS Collection, Nätön. Mats Theselius rattan an...
Bamboo, Rattan
$34,500
H 28.75 in W 22.84 in D 25.6 in
Mats Theselius for Källemo AB Limited Edition 'Järn Mocca' Lounge Chair
By Mats Theselius
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Mats Theselius for Källemo AB, 'Järn/Mocca' lounge chair, suede, patinated iron, stained beech, Sweden, 1994 The distinct 'Järn/Mocca' lounge chair is created by the Swedish desig...
Iron
Mats Theselius Sven lounge chairs Sweden 1998
By Mats Theselius
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
This pair of 'Sven' armchairs, designed by Mats Theselius in 1998 and produced by Källemo in Sweden, epitomizes the seamless blend of modern industrial design and classic Scandinavia...
Steel
$9,593
H 28.75 in W 23.63 in D 25.2 in
Mats Theselius Aluminium Lounge Chair by Källemo, Sweden, 1990s
By Mats Theselius, Källemo
Located in Ghent, BE
The Mats Theselius Aluminium Armchair is a beautiful example of innovative Swedish design, seamlessly combining sculptural form with functional comfort. Crafted in the 1990s by Källe...
Aluminum
$1,654
H 35.04 in W 56.7 in D 27.56 in
Vintage IKEA Karlskrona Wicker Chaise Longue by Carl Öjerstam, 1990s
By IKEA, Carl Öjerstam
Located in Roma, IT
Stunning Mid-Century Modern style chaise longue or lounge chair. Design by Carl Öjerstam for Ikea. Striking Swedish design from the 1990s. Executed in wicker and rattan, an idyllic p...
Wicker, Rattan