Midcentury Swedish Sofa "Ilona" by Arne Norell

Arne Norell’s enduring designs mixed leather and metal as well as turned wood and bentwood in pieces that allowed the natural beauty of these materials to shine. Simple and casual yet sophisticated, his vintage sofas, lounge chairs and other furniture epitomize the Scandinavian modern style that took post–World War II design by storm.

Although he created versatile furnishings that promoted comfort along with style, Norell is lesser known than many other mid-century designers, with some of his work produced only after his death. Born in Åsele, Sweden, Norell opened a furniture workshop in Solna, just north of Stockholm, in 1954. In 1958, he established Møbel AB Arne Norell on a farm in Småland. (This region is also the birthplace of IKEA, which opened its first store that same year.) The beauty and tranquility of this location were a source of inspiration.

In Småland, Norell created his most well-known designs, among them the Inca armchair with visible wooden dowels and plush leather, the Indra and Ilona sofas and the spare but elegant wood-framed Sirocco chair (1964). For many of his designs, Norell looked to the same military-style campaign furniture that had, decades prior, inspired the revered Safari chair (1933) crafted by Kaare Klint, a legendary Danish designer and Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts professor who taught the likes of Hans Wegner, Ole Wanscher and others.

Like these earlier furniture designers, Norell was committed to making comfortable and practical furniture. Using leather and warm woods as the building blocks of his work, he eschewed glue and screws, instead securing his designs with buckles and leather straps. In 1973, Norell earned posthumous recognition from the British Furniture Manufacturers Association for his sumptuous Ari chair, a luxurious lounge set on a chrome-plated steel frame with foam cushions covered in leather.

During his lifetime, Norell’s work was popular among European interior designers. However, it became more widely known after 1971, when many of his designs were finally put into production. Norell’s furnishings, as well as work by his daughter Marie Norell-Möller and other Swedish designers, are still crafted by hand in the Aneby, Sweden, factory operated by Norell Furniture, which has remained a family-run company.

Find a collection of authentic vintage Arne Norell furniture today on 1stDibs.

Swedish furniture company Norell Möbel AB continues the legacy of founder Arne Norell who created timeless, hand-crafted mid-century furnishings and impacted the world of Scandinavian modern furniture.

In 1954, Norell opened his first workshop in Solna, Sweden, before moving to Småland in 1958 to establish Möbel AB, today known as Norell Möbel AB. Arne Norell designed using a mix of turned and bentwood, leather and metal to create comfortable and durable sofas, lounge chairs and other furniture until his death in 1971.

His career working out of Småland produced some of his greatest work, such as the Inca armchair, the Indra and Ilona sofas, and the Sirocco Chair. Inspired by the iconic Safari chair by Kaare Klint, known as the father of Danish modern furniture design, the Sirocco chair was unique in that Norell used leather straps and buckles to secure the chair together over traditional glue and screws.

Norell Möbel AB has put many of Arne Norell’s designs into production for the first time since his death, contributing to Norell’s designs becoming better known and more collectible. During Norell’s lifetime, his work was popular among European interior designers; since then, Norell Möbel AB’s furniture has found homes in Swedish Parliament buildings, embassies, restaurants and hotels. Two years after Norell’s death, the British Furniture Manufacturers awarded his Ari chair the Showpiece of the Year award.

Norell Möbel AB remains a family-run company passed down to Norell’s daughter, Swedish furniture designer Marie Norell-Möller. Norell-Möller has produced many of her own award-winning designs, like the Paris café chair and the Leo armchair. A graduate from the Swedish University of Art, Crafts and Design, Norell-Möller developed a keen eye for softer, approachable designs, counter to many industrial forms found today. Norell-Möller’s designs, in tandem with her father’s, are handcrafted out of the same factory Arne started back in the 1960s.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of authentic vintage Norell Möbel AB armchairs, loveseats and other seating.