A place in our homes; He's a furniture design whiz and has made tables and chairs for Ikea and for Indonesia. But when it comes to home improvements, adopted Geordie Tord Kjellstrom tells TOM MULLEN there's no place like the North East

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Feb 16, 2008

Byline: TOM MULLEN

IT SIMPLY wouldn't be the 21st Century without flatpacked desks and drawers, cupboards and wardrobes.

But who's the brains behind the Ikea revolution?

You can thank dab-hand designer Tord Kjellstrom for his input in creating some of the fantastic furniture now common in almost all of our homes.

Swedish-born Tord, who moved to Northumberland seven years ago, is responsible for some of Ikea's all-time bestsellers, including their standard chair and computer desk.

It's a career that has taken him around the globe, from Latvia to Vietnam, where he has helped traditional carpenters sharpen up up their skills to meet the requirements of the modern market.

But, settling in Hexham back in 2001, Tord says he was won over by Geordie hospitality and decided to stay.

"I can't really say what things are really different to Sweden, it's just a very, very pleasant place," the 62-year-old says.

"One thing I have to mention is the pubs, and the way everybody goes to them all the time. Not necessarily to drink, but just to socialise. There is nothing like this in Sweden.

"The other thing I like is the way it is quite rural. You can still see the horizon from time to time, which is nice. I said to my wife if she wanted to move to London then I would go back to Sweden.

"The accent was a bit difficult to get the hang of at first but Swedish people learn English from a very young age."

When he's not having banter with locals at his favourite pub, the Tap and Spile in Hexham, Tord is busy at home, where he has turned the back garden and most of the dining room into a studio for his work.

"My wife is very patient," he laughs. "But I think she would be happy to have a proper dining room to be honest."

He is busy working on a new project with the web-based Fair Trade Furniture Company. The Fair Trade ethos is normally associated with tea and coffee and other food and drink, but with Tord's inspiration, we could soon be seeing a boom in Fair Trade furniture.

The adopted Geordie has been working with local craftsmen on the Indonesian island of Java, to teach them new carpentry skills and bring them up to speed for trade in the West.

Together, they have drawn up a range of extremely comfortable chairs, which will be sold on a Fair Trade basis.

"There are extremely skilled craftsmen in Asia, but not always in the ways that would suit western tastes," says Tord. "They are very good wood carvers for instance, but then they paint the wood so it takes away the natural effects we like here.

"We have made great progress in Indonesia. We did so much in such a short time."

The chairs, made from ecologically friendly woods and other organic materials, are now on show at the Fifiefofum art gallery near Corbridge, Northumberland.

Visitors wandering around the modern art gallery can now take a well-earned rest as Tord's chairs have become a piece of the gallery's furniture.

Gallery owner Sue Moffitt says: "We're delighted to have the chairs and so are our customers - someone even fell asleep in one of them not so long ago.

"They're quite individual and complement the gallery."

Tord came to Hexham to be with his wife Liza, who he married four years ago. They met working on a project in Romania.

Liza works as a fundraiser for Traidcraft, the Gatesheadbased Fair Trade organisation that runs projects all over the world.

When he's not making Fair Trade furniture, Tord, a former lecturer in interior design, also makes glass sculptures and his work has been commissioned around the region.

Two years ago, when Hexham suffered a bout of flooding, Tord was on hand to design some storm drains. He has also exhibited some of his more aesthetic works in gallery and shows around the country.

Does he miss anything about his homeland when he's not catching up with friends in the Tap and Spile?

"I like so many things about this area," he says. "But one of the things I really miss is herring. I like to eat fresh herring and there is lots of it in Sweden."

It's funny because I thought with Britain being an island surrounded by fish that you would have some

CAPTION(S):

SWEDISH STYLE: - Tord Kjellstrom; DESIGNS ON YOUR FURNITURE - Swedish-born Tord Kjellstrom at his home in Hexham; PICTURES: TONY HORNE www.icNewcastle.co.uk/buyaphoto ref: 01250468