Norell is often praised for pioneering “conceptual” furniture, because he employed traditional materials—leather, turned wood, bentwood, and metal, for example—in unexpected forms, often with lyrical results. His designs have an affinity with those of Danish designer Kaare Klint (1888-1954). Klint’s iconic Safari Chair (1933) inspired Norell to create the Sirocco Safari Chair (1964), which is lightweight, collapsible, and held together by leather support straps instead of glue or screws. Norell’s wood-framed Inka Armchair, Indra Sofa, and Ilona Sofa are likewise held together by leather.
His most well-known and appreciated piece is the easy chair “Ari”, designed in 1966. In 1973 he was posthumously awarded with “Showpiece of the year” by the British Furniture Manufacturer´s. Many of his designs are still manufactured by his company under the name Norell Möbler Ab. Norell’s pieces have become increasingly collectible in the 2010s.
