Siesta Chairs in Black Leather & Bent Plywood by Ingmar Relling for Westnofa, 1970s, Set of 2

Model · Siesta
Designer · Ingmar Relling
Manufacturer · Westnofa
Origin · Norway
Period · 1970s
Style · Scandinavian Modern / Mid-Century Modern
Materials · Bent plywood, leather
Colour · Brown, black

Object

Siesta almost disappears around the person sitting in it. Two sweeping pieces of bent plywood form the structure, while leather is suspended between them, allowing the body to settle naturally into the chair. There is remarkably little material for something that feels so complete.

Relling reduced the lounge chair until almost nothing remained but movement, tension and comfort. The frame bends, the seat gives way, and the entire chair seems to float just above the floor. Designed in 1965, Siesta became one of Norway's great furniture exports. In dark leather and warm brown wood, this pair carries the quiet, lived-in character that makes the design feel particularly at home decades later.

Designer

Ingmar Relling (1920–2002) grew up in Sykkylven, a small Norwegian town surrounded by mountains and furniture workshops. After working at Rastad & Relling, he established his own studio there in 1950 and began developing a language shaped by economy, movement and the possibilities of industrial production.

His breakthrough came with the Siesta Chair in 1965. Rather than building comfort through mass and upholstery, Relling suspended the body inside a flexible bentwood structure. The idea was simple enough to travel around the world, yet distinctive enough to become one of the defining objects of Norwegian modernism.

Manufacturer

Westnofa was created to carry Norwegian furniture beyond Norway. Its name, derived from West Norway Factories, represented a group of manufacturers working together to bring the country's emerging design culture to an international audience.

Few pieces embodied that ambition as completely as Ingmar Relling's Siesta. Produced in large numbers and exported around the world, the chair transformed an experiment in Norwegian bentwood into an international design icon.

Condition

The black leather upholstery and brown bent plywood frames remain fully original and are preserved in good vintage condition. Gentle traces of age and previous use remain visible throughout both chairs, preserving their authentic character without compromising comfort or structural integrity. These signs of time form part of the history and individual character of the pieces.

Dimensions

Width · 64 cm / 25.0 in
Depth · 76 cm / 30.0 in
Height · 79 cm / 31.0 in
Seat height · 43 cm / 17.0 in

Included

The lounge chairs are accompanied by a Back to the Furniture Certificate of Originality, a Back to the Furniture flyer, a Thank You card and a small gift.

Availability

The lounge chairs can be ready to ship within 10-15 workdays.

Shipping

Worldwide shipping is available. Every piece is carefully prepared and packed for international transport. Shipping costs are calculated according to destination at checkout, with tracking provided after dispatch.

Enquiries

For questions about the piece, its condition, shipping, delivery or any other details, please get in touch. Additional information is always available before purchase.

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