Siesta Lounge Chair & Ottoman in Black Leather by Ingmar Relling for Westnofa, 1960s

Model · Siesta
Designer · Ingmar Relling
Manufacturer · Westnofa
Origin · Norway
Period · 1960s
Style · Scandinavian Modern / Mid-Century Modern
Materials · Bent plywood, leather
Colour · Warm 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. The matching ottoman continues the same gesture towards the floor, turning sitting into something closer to reclining.

Relling reduced the lounge chair until almost nothing remained but movement, tension and comfort. The frame bends, the seat gives way, and the entire composition seems to float just above the floor. Designed in 1965, Siesta became one of Norway's great furniture exports. Together with its ottoman, it feels less like a conventional chair and more like a small landscape made for the body.

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 bent plywood frames remain original and are preserved in very good vintage condition, showing only light traces of age and previous use. Both the lounge chair and matching ottoman retain their authentic materials, patina and structural integrity. As with any authentic vintage pieces, subtle traces of time may be present, adding to their history and individual character.

Dimensions

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

Included

The lounge chair and ottoman 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 chair and ottoman 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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