Bruno Mathsson Fällbord - Extraordinary Design
Bruno Mathsson is most well known for his chairs and for his architectural designs such as his incredibly well insulated and beautiful glass houses, but he made other fine home furnishings (inredning) including computer desks, daybeds and tables. One of the most versatile and well known is the Mathsson Fällbord table, a design that is elegant and beautiful but extremely practical as well.
For five generations the Mathsson family had earned a living working with wood, so it comes as no surprise that a young Mathsson would follow in his family's footsteps. As a young boy most of his chores were centered in the furniture and woodworking shop of his family. He grew up around tools, wood and the techniques of furniture building and woodworking.
Mathsson talked with experts and sent away for books in order to learn the technical and engineering skills that were missing in his small town of Varnamo. By doing so he not only mastered the skills he needed, he also formed a network of mentors to assisted him later on. He earned awards for furniture design and these partially helped support his formal education.
Although he created a lot of different furniture types, all of it was carefully made to be comfortable and beautiful. In addition, he recognized that people like flexibility and like furniture pieces that can be rearranged and used in innovative ways. His modular style adapts easily to different spaces and moods and increases its appeal.
The Mathsson Fällbord table is such a versatile piece. In Swedish, fällbord simply means "folding table" but in reality it is much more. It was first produced in 1935, with the main parts of the supporting trestle made of birch. The table top was made in birch and with a white laminate surface as well as models in oak, beech, cherry, oak, ash and other woods.
When fully-extended the Mathsson table expands to a length of 280 cm. When the table is collapsed, it fits into a tiny 23 cm bundle. With the use of table leaves, the table could be used as a small writing table for one or expanded into a banquet table and everything in between. If you're used to doing measurement using inches, the above table range is from 9 inches to around 110 1/4 inches.
During the 1960's Mathsson utilized modern materials such as metal tubing and synthetics in the furniture he constructed. While these later works were impressive, Mathsson is probably best known for his earlier creations such as the elegant Fällbord which allows for flexibility in crowded areas. While the Fällbord is believed to be based on folding tables that were once found in Swedish country homes, Mathsson transformed the traditional design into something unique and all his own.
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About the Author: Bruno Mathsson is most well-known for his chairs and his architectural designs, but he made other fine home furnishings (möbler) including computer desks, daybeds and tables. One of the most versatile is the mathsson fällbord table, a design that is elegant and beautiful, and also practical. Mathsson was indoctrinated into the family business virtually from the day he was born. Later, he sent away for books and consulted experts. All of Mathsson's different furniture styles were designed to provide comfort and beauty. You can use a Fällbord table in many different ways for versatility in interior design (inredning).
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