Axel Larsson (1898-1975)

Axel Larsson was born in 1898 in Torps socken, Medelpad, and passed away in 1975. He was an eminent furniture designer with a career spanning over 50 years. At 25, he was employed at Svenska Möbelfabrikerna in Bodafors, working at their Stockholm office, where he remained active for three decades. Larsson debuted at Stockholm Exhibition in 1930, showcasing his inaugural furniture series. This series stood out by reconciling modernism with Swedish traditions.

Between 1956 and 1975, Axel Larsson founded and operated his own business while continuing his work for Svenska Möbelfabrikerna in Bodafors. During this period, he also designed furniture for distinguished companies like Balzar Beskow AB. One example is the Balzar Beskow model chair S-312, which the company still manufactures.

Larsson's significant career was primarily characterized by his ability to prioritize functionality over excessive extravagance. Beyond designing countless pieces of furniture, he undertook many important interior design projects. Among these are notable works like the Gothenburg Concert Hall, Park Avenue Hotel in Gothenburg, and Folksamhuset at Skanstull in Stockholm. His sketches and drawings are preserved at the Design Archive of Pukeberg Glassworks. He is also represented in institutions such as the National Museum in Stockholm.

Larsson is widely regarded as one of the foremost furniture designers of the the Swedish ’Folkhemmet’, and his pioneering contributions to design and interior decoration have left an enduring mark. His numerous period-defining classics still contribute to how we perceive the design and aesthetics of the Swedish ’Folkhemmet’.