Crafting furniture is wound deeply in Stressless Nordic roots and tells the story of who they are. It is a craftsmanship perfected by their families over time. They cherish its impact on their heritage and lift it up with pride. Fine furniture is an art passed down from generation to generation with a rich history of trials and tribulations. After all, designing the most comfortable seating in the world did not just happen overnight.
Creating the ultimate comfort experience has taken decades to perfect. Born from necessity and opportunity, Sykkylven is the epicenter of Norway’s furniture manufacturing industry and home to Ekornes for more than 80 years. The town’s magnificent land with breathtaking views and serene natural beauty is where a revolution of Scandinavian design began.
The practice of building fine Norwegian furniture was the outcome of lineage rights in this small farming community. It all started with second sons. These were the sons who would not inherit the family farm and were left with no way to provide for families of their own. The second sons took their position in stride and learned to pave the way for themselves. They were nimble, innovative and extremely creative.
These practical thinkers left the land in the hands of their older brothers. They took the resources they had and went inside to the barns where they started building furniture. They became designers and engineers, played with art and science and over time they mastered the clean, streamlined and functional designs iconic to Norwegian home décor.
To their surprise, they created a shift in their community’s economy. Furniture shops popped up along the fjord where Sykkylven sits turning the farm community into the heart of Norwegian furniture manufacturing. They started a revolution forever changing their coastal town.
Like Sykkylven’s second sons, their founder, Jens Ekornes, combined practical knowledge with functional design to create furniture perfectly engineered for the human body. His innovative thinking created a spiral effect of impressive design and luxurious seating for decades to come.
Today, Ekornes is the largest furniture manufacturer in the Nordic region and continues to produce its products at home in Sykkylven to preserve a history of which they are so proud. They leverage the same practices taught to us by their great grandparents. By pairing the perfected processes of generations ago with modern enhancements and technological advancements, they continue to create a product of luxury, quality and class.
At the end of the day they hang our hats on knowing they are part of a tradition of transforming the way we relax. The designs, the craftsmanship and the attention to detail has evolved and grown to become the most comfortable seating in the world. From their house to yours, they bring you a perfected piece of history.
Browse our website to see the many Stressless sofas and recliners we carry, or browse Stressless’ website and see the may other great pieces they have available.
