Pair Of Ilmari Lappalainen Laila Armchairs Model 238 in Sheepskin, Asko 1940s

A pair of elegant armchairs designed by Ilmari Lappalainen and manufactured by Asko Oy in Finland, 1940s.

The pair is newly reupholstered in natural Sahara colour sheepskin, giving them a beautiful natural look and comfortable softness while maintaining the original sculptural frames. The chair frames remain in their original good vintage condition. At the moment we have the sofa for this set, upholstered in the same sheepskin on offer on our 1stdibs listings. Please see photo of the set here.

This model is defined by its curving organic lines; a distinctly Finnish modernist vocabulary. Truly soft, humane, and incredibly comfortable. They sit beautifully in living rooms, reading corners, spacious bedrooms, or refined entrance halls. Functional, comforting, and visually gentle at the same time.

Ilmari Lappalainen was one of Asko’s key designers from the 1940s onward and responsible for numerous iconic furniture models. Asko itself was the leading furniture manufacturer in Finland and among the largest in Europe during the mid-century era — shaping the everyday furniture culture of the Nordic home. These chairs are a wonderful early example from that important period in Finnish furniture history.