Finnish Sofa in Birch and Patterned Upholstery

Saporiti, sofa, upholstered in green-blue textured fabric, metal legs, Italy, 1960s Large sofa manufactured by Saporiti. This sofa is designed to be sleek, elegant and an eye-catche...

Sectional sofa, fabric, beech, Italy, 1970s. This Italian modular sofa is designed in the seventies and contains six elements. Therefore, the sofa becomes very versatile as it allow...

Sofa, fabric, teak, Scandinavia, 1950s This understated sofa is an iconic example of Scandinavian design from the 1950s. Organic and sculptural, this sofa is anything but minimalist...

Sofa, fabric, cherry, Denmark, 1950s. This elegant, curved settee features a waved, butterfly back and four tapered wooden legs. The sofa is executed with high, sculpted armrests. T...

A birch, off-white fabric and metal sofa designed in Finland, 1930s. Seat height 16”.

Rare sofa by unknown designer. Probably produced in Finland.

Designed by Caisa Leifsdotter for ToneArt and based on historical designs by her architect father, the Wittorin Sofa is a modular sofa configuration. The design language of the seri...

The “Laila” models from the series by the Finnish designer Ilmari Lappalainen originates from 1948, with the earliest original drawings kept in the Lahti City Museum in their Lappalainen Collection. Designed in the halcyon phase of what we know today as mid-century modern, this charming sofa is a unique evidence of how traditional Finnish craftsmanship was brought into modernism. This sofa is from the Finnish designer’s most famous series called “Laila”. The design became sought after by collectors even in its production time, which is quite rare in the case of Nordic mid-century modern furniture. Lappalainen was a renowned designer, famous for his designs’ comfort. Some of his designs even received medical approval because they had such a good seating that it prevented back problems. As an essentially Finnish modern piece, this sofa is built around the core characteristics of the era: gently rounded edges, tapered wooden legs, and a generous, fully upholstered body. The style was modelled on the Swedish and Danish furniture of the time, including the round edges and generous seat cushion and back with three large tufted buttons. In the absence of ornamentation, the three large tufted buttons on the back stand out, creating depth as they sink into the textured green fabric. The design has the “classic Nordic look”, which explains the contemporary popularity of this sofa both among the public and museums. The modern aesthetic is further elevated by the textured, premium upholstery that complements the shape and the wooden, tapered legs as well. Wood is omnipresent in the Nordics, and Finnish woodworking is world-famous for its traditions. This sofa was created for Asko, the Finnish furniture manufacturing company founded in 1918 by Aukusti Asko Avonius, known for the production of high-quality furniture. By 1930 the company had developed into the largest furniture chain in Finland and the largest supplier of furniture in the Scandinavian countries. Favourites of this time included Ilmari Lappalainen’s Laila...