Made in Norway since 1940
Our story began in 1940, in the small village of Sykkylven on Norway’s west coast.
Surrounded by deep fjords and steep mountains, the people of Sykkylven knew how to make the most of what they had. Many local farmers began producing furniture in barns, workshops and cellars alongside their farming. Their work helped create new livelihoods in a community where opportunities were limited.
Lars Karl Hjelle was one of these pioneers. Together with his brothers-in-law, Arne Welle and Petter Furseth, he founded LK Hjelle with a clear ambition: to create jobs and build a future for the local community.
From the very beginning, quality and comfort were at the heart of the business. In 1947, the company moved into a larger production facility at Vikøyra, where its location by the fjord made it easier to transport furniture beyond Sykkylven.
That commitment to local production remains part of who we are today.
During the 1950s and 1960s, LK Hjelle developed a strong reputation for comfortable upholstered furniture. We worked with several talented Norwegian designers, including Ingmar Relling, Gerhard Berg, Kjell Slinning and Karl Edvard Korseth.
This was a formative period for Norwegian furniture design. New materials, new production techniques and close collaboration between designers and manufacturers created furniture that was both functional and expressive.
Some of the designs from this period have since become Norwegian design classics.
In 1970, we began collaborating with the newly established Møre Designteam. Their innovative approach brought a fresh perspective to Norwegian furniture design.
The Ecco chair series received first prize in a national furniture design competition, while the Z chair was also recognised by the jury. Both designs attracted attention for their distinctive forms and forward-looking construction.
The collaboration marked an important chapter in our history. It showed that furniture could be practical and comfortable while also challenging established ideas about shape, materials and production.
During the 1980s and 1990s, LK Hjelle’s collection moved towards a more classic expression. The Alberta sofa and armchair became some of the company’s most important products and remained bestsellers for many years.
With their generous proportions and soft comfort, Alberta became a familiar part of Norwegian homes. Many people still remember the sofa today.
Around the year 2000, third-generation owner Dag Hjelle began a new chapter for the company. Through a collaboration with the Norwegian design group Norway Says, LK Hjelle introduced a more contemporary design direction.
The partnership resulted in a number of distinctive and innovative designs, including the Ugo sofa. It marked a shift from the more traditional forms of previous decades towards a modern Scandinavian expression.
Since then, we have continued to work closely with both established and emerging designers. Our collection brings together Norwegian design icons from the past and new designs created for the future.
Today, LK Hjelle remains a family-owned Norwegian furniture company. Our furniture is still made at our own factory in Sykkylven, just as it has been for more than 80 years.
We work with designers who share our belief in thoughtful, enduring design. Every piece is created with a focus on form, quality and comfort, and with the ambition to be loved for generations.
We believe that the best furniture is not made to be replaced. It is made to become part of people’s lives.
That is why we continue to develop furniture that can be repaired, renewed and cared for over time. Because lasting design is about more than how a piece looks. It is about how it lives, how it ages and how long it stays with us.
True craftsmanship runs in our blood.
Every day, we are driven by the passion and pride of continuing our legacy as a third-generation company. Our story runs deep – but this is just the beginning.
— Dag Hjelle, third-generation furniture maker