The Dandy sofa brings a 1940s twist to contemporary interiors
Magnus Elebäck and Chris Martin from Massproductions drew inspiration for the Dandy sofa from a vintage find.
IT ALL STARTED with a second-hand sofa that Swedish designer Magnus Elebäck bought and brought to his home in Stockholm. Elebäck showed the sofa to his co-partner Chris Martin from the Swedish furniture company Massproductions. The vintage design had a lovely shape and proportions that, according to Martin, were not matched in any contemporary sofa.
The duo decided to make a modern, less decorated piece of furniture with the same curvy shape. A new member of the Massproductions family, the Dandy sofa, was born.
“As with all our furniture, we started from scratch: rolling up our sleeves and carving pieces of foam on the factory floor”, Martin says.
Thanks to its round and organic shape, the Dandy sofa works well in open spaces, dividing the room and creating flowing pathways behind it. The collection also includes an ottoman that features the same elegant design language. According to Martin, the shape encourages people to place the sofa in creative, uncommon ways.
The Dandy sofa catches the eye in Hotel St. George's Coupole Suite.. “The Coupole is one of our most popular suites. There is light coming in from several directions”, says General Manager Roni Huttunen.
From the Coupole Suite opens a beautiful view over Helsinki’s rooftops.
Thanks to its round and organic shape, the Dandy sofa works well in open spaces, dividing the room and creating flowing pathways behind it.
The Dandy sofa is upholstered with Kvadrat's high-quality Hallingdal fabric. Its elegant, rounded form encourages creative layouts.
This is also the case in the lounge of Hotel St. George, where the Dandy sofa welcomes visitors to chitchat, read a book or enjoy the tones of jazz music mixing with the lively whirr of an espresso machine.
The Dandy sofa also plays an important role six floors higher, as part of the decor of the Coupole Suite. The hotel building, completed in 1890, was drawn by architect Onni Tarjanne (1864–1946). Tarjanne was influential in the Finnish architecture scene at the time and renowned for using new structural solutions and materials. The name of the suite comes from its cupola ceiling, and the Dandy sofa seems to imitate the round shape above it.
After its release, the sofa became an instant hit and a bestseller.
“I think people find the curvy sofa refreshing after all the rectangular ones. It is almost the sofa from the 1940s that got forgotten. Now it is time for it again,” Chris Martin says.
See also:
• More Massproductions products >
• St. George Collection >
• Hotel St. George's Coupole Suite >
Text: Taina Ahtela Photos: Hotel St. George, Mureena.com and Esa Laukkanen
Published on 3 Jun, 2019
