The Swedish outdoor furniture producer Skargaarden presented Böste for the first time at Stockholm Furniture Fair – a Scandinavian interpretation of Thomas Lee´s iconic Westport Chair, designed by Stefan Borselius and named after his hometown Böste in southern Sweden.
The very first Adirondack chair (named after the Adirondack mountain range in New York) was created as early as 1903 by Thomas Lee, and the following year patented and put into production by Lee’s friend Harry Bunnel, who ran a carpentry workshop. Lee wanted to create what he called the ”perfect outdoor chair” for his house in Westport on Lake Champlain. Therefore, the chair was named Westport chair when it was launched. The chair was immediately praised and highly sought after and over the years it has been produced in many different interpretations and carried many names. Today, 120 years later, Adirondack chairs are still among the most popular and iconic chairs for gardens, beaches, and other outdoor environments where people crave maximum comfort. Although the chairs might come in many shapes, they are all still inspired by the original Westport chair.
”We have had mixed feelings about the launch of the chair as it is always sensitive to interpret design classics. For many years we have tried together with various designers, but have not been able to achieve a worthy interpretation. It was when we met the furniture designer Stefan Borselius that we felt we had a chair worthy of paying tribute to the Westport chair. Stefan lives on the shore of Sweden´s southernmost tip, where you can´t avoid looking for similar chairs along the sandy beach. In hindsight, we now see why it was Stefan who understood what we were looking for and got the design right, says Jari Visuri, co-founder and CEO of Skargaarden.
The brilliance of the Westport chair´s design lies in the angles from the seat to the back and from the legs to the seat. Originally, it is believed that the reason for this design was so that the chair could be used on uneven terrain – but today the design is mainly associated with outstanding comfort, which allows the user to sink into the reclining chair and relax.
Stefan Borselius´ interpretation of the Westport chair is a durable, carefully processed version in powder-coated stainless steel and FSC teak, that can be left outside all year round. Like a sea-polished stone, the armchair has rounded edges and soft shapes, and over the years the surface will acquire a beautiful silver-gray patina. Stefan Borselius designed the Böste collection with soft beaches, hard rocks, grass between your toes, the poolside, or a luxurious roof terrace in mind. It is a highly comfortable chair for sun, rest, relaxation, and social occasions – with armrests wide enough to double as small tables for wine glasses, nut bowls and a book.
The chair gets its name from Borselius´ hometown of Böste, an idyllic fishing village in southern Sweden, close the famous lighthouse of Smygehuk. The small village consists largely of whitewashed houses from the 19th century with straw or shingle roofs. Many of the houses are located right down by the water where the plots stretch out towards the bright sand and the sea. The beach is open to everyone, but it is still a little hidden gem on the south coast. During a walk along the beach, it´s not uncommon to see an Adirondack chair ortwo in the dunes.
Product information Böste
Design: Stefan Borselius
Material: Teak, powder coated stainless steel
Dimensions EU: W:81 cm D:85,5 cm H:90 cm Seat height: 33 cm Armrest height: 53 cm
Weight: 19,8 kg
Dimensions US: W:32” D:34” H:35.5” Seat height: 13” Armrest height: 21”
Weight: 44 lbs
Price: EUR 2000, USD 2200
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About Stefan Borselius
Stefan Borselius was born in Höllviken, at the southwestern tip of Sweden. He has studied design and furniture making for a total of eleven years. First, he studied woodwork, just like his grandfather and grandfather, who were skilled cabinetmakers. He then took, among other things, a bachelor´s degree in furniture design at Malmstenskolan and a master´s degree from Konstfack in Stockholm. In 2002 he established his own design company and since then his work has focused on furniture and interior design – everything from chairs, lamps, and room dividers to carpets and textiles. Borselius has collaborated with some of Scandinavia´s most reputable design and furniture companies.
Stefan Borselius has built a reputation for developing innovative solutions for materials, form, and function. His ambition is to find new solutions to old problems and to develop new products for how we live our lives today. He still considers himself a craftsman and views sketching and model-making as just as important as working on the computer.
With his craft background, Stefan Borselius sees even the smallest details as an integral and important part of the design. His interest in new materials and techniques together with an open mind and knowledge of both traditional craftsmanship and modern industrial processes often result in unique and innovative products.
Inspiration comes from both daily life and deep analytical thinking, from happy accidents, materials, functions, and unsolved problems. Stefan Borselius has won several design prizes and awards and some of his products are represented in the National Museum´s collections in Stockholm.
Read more at www.borselius.se
About Skargaarden
Skargaarden is a Swedish brand with roots in Gävle. Traditionally Scandinavian in design, Skargaarden also draws inspiration from a wide range of sources such as the American shaker style and Bauhaus. The brand works according to the motto “less is more”, making ideas tangible. One should be able to immediately grasp the concept of a piece, it should not be an intellectual process. Skargaarden’s design exudes a sense of simplicity, characterized by genuine craftsmanship, both in terms of production and choice of materials. Skargaarden collaborates with several of Scandinavia’s leading designers, such as Alexander Lervik and Emma Olbers. Over the years, Skargaarden has won several accolades and nominations. In 2014, the three chairs Resö, Oxnö, and Grinda were nominated for the prestigious German Design Awards and the Anholt collection won the same award in 2020. Skargaarden’s Arholma Chair won the Archiproducts Design Awards 2018.
Read more at www.skargaarden.com
