Axel Einar Hjorth Lovö sofa

The Lovö sofa, designed by Axel Einar Hjorth and produced by Nordiska Kompaniet in 1932, stands as a defining piece within Hjorth’s celebrated Sportstugemöbler series. Conceived to furnish Sweden’s rustic summer homes and mountain cabins, the series captures a pivotal moment in Scandinavian design when modernist ideals intersected with vernacular traditions. The Lovö model, in particular, embodies this fusion with an arresting balance of sculptural presence and utilitarian simplicity.

Crafted from solid pine, the sofa reveals Hjorth’s commitment to material honesty and robust construction. The pine surface displays a natural, time-earned patina, accentuating the vivid grain and tonal variation of the wood. Substantial in form, the frame features thick vertical side panels and exposed dowel joints, details that convey structural integrity while also highlighting the artisanal nature of the piece. These pronounced joinery elements are not merely functional but play a critical aesthetic role, lending the sofa a distinctive architectural rhythm.

The seating has been restored with care in a soft grey wool fabric that harmonizes with the warm amber tones of the pine. The upholstery respects the original proportions and typology of the design while enhancing comfort. The slightly reclined backrest and the substantial seat cushion combine to create a relaxed yet grounded seating experience. The sofa’s tactile and visual warmth makes it well-suited to contemporary interiors seeking historical depth and understated presence.

Axel Einar Hjorth (1888–1959) served as chief designer for Nordiska Kompaniet during the late 1920s and 1930s, where he developed the Sportstugemöbler line as a response to Sweden’s growing culture of outdoor leisure and retreat. Unlike his earlier, more ornamental neoclassical designs, the Lovö and related models reflect a turn toward modernism—expressed through simplified forms, exposed construction, and regional materials. Yet, even in this mode, Hjorth maintained a strong decorative sensibility, visible in the rhythm of the proportions and the bold sculptural character of his work.

The dimensions of the Lovö sofa are 210 cm in width, 80 cm in depth, and 80 cm in height, with a seat height of 40 cm (82.7 x 31.5 x 31.5 inches; seat height 15.7 inches). The piece retains its authentic surface finish and carries with it the quiet traces of nearly a century of use. Provenance links this specific example to a 1939 purchase for a sportstuga (sports cabin) in Tyresö, near Stockholm, situating it directly within the context for which Hjorth originally conceived it. This historical continuity enhances its value not only as a design object but as a cultural artifact of Sweden’s interwar period.

Rare, architectonic, and emotionally resonant, the Lovö sofa is a distinguished and collectible work that exemplifies Hjorth’s singular ability to merge rustic Swedish tradition with the evolving language of modern design.