Material matters
From vintage sitting to modern life
Back when the MK chair came out, most people used chairs just to sit in. Perhaps while having civil conversations. Or maybe reading the newspaper. Nowadays, many of us curl up in our chairs. Often with computers or tablets. We drape our legs over armrests and eat where we sit. Some family members use chairs as trampolines when they think no one is watching, or take naps in them when no one is home. Ulf Engström, Product Developer at IKEA, explains what a piece of furniture like STRANDMON has to put up with these days. “It’s tested to make sure it can take a person that sits and gets up at least 50,000 times. That’s the same as sitting and getting up once a day, for 136 years.”
Now in bits and pieces
When STRANDMON was developed, the aim was to create a comfortable and high quality chair that was a real bargain. The price is something Ulf and his colleagues have continued to work on. For example, by putting STRANDMON in a flat pack. “It has made it possible to have a new lower price and reduce emissions during transportation, explains Ulf. The flat pack will also make picking up and bringing home STRANDMON a whole lot easier, especially for everyone who doesn’t have access to a car that can fit a pre-assembled wing chair.
Some things never change
The wing chair perhaps had its golden era 65 years ago, but who knows, it might be considered a must-have in people's homes once again. “More and more of us feel a need to get away from the hustle and bustle every now and then. When you sit in STRANDMON, the wings make surrounding noise feel lower and you get a sensation of a big, warm hug,” describes Ulf. “People have changed the way they live since the 50's, but the need for affordable quality furniture is still the same. I think that is one of the reasons to why STRANDMON is so popular,” says Ulf. The flat pack and the lower price – together with new colours and patterns – will definitely make it easier for more people to find the right spot for STRANDMON in their home. And maybe even experience some well-deserved royal comfort.