From Saddles to Seating: A Five-Generation Craft

We’re proudly Canadian, built in Calgary, crafted by hand, and our story reaches back to Denmark in 1884.  Those roots still guide how we design, stitch, and finish every ergonomic office chair today.

Precision in the Bloodline

If our legacy were a tree, the seed was planted by Jacob Mortensen in Durup, Denmark.  His family made handmade saddles where fit, balance, and pressure relief are everything.  That same obsession with alignment and materials are the roots of LIFEFORM® to this day: start with the right ingredients, shape to the body, and build to last.

As markets modernized, Jacob’s sons evolved the workshop into the Durup Upholstered Furniture Factory, still family, still meticulous.  In 1957, Jacob’s grandson Kai Mortensen brought that craft ethos to Calgary, Alberta, where it took firm root in the cowboy capital of Canada.

From saddles to seating Craftsman stitching a LIFEFORM ergonomic office chair in Calgary workshop — representing 140 years of Danish-Canadian craftsmanship

Our Calgary Workshop

By the 1970s, the Mortensen craft was thriving in Calgary under Kai’s roof.  Johnny Mortensen, Kai’s son, and John Kristensen, Kai’s brother-in-law, were working as craftsmen in Kai’s shop, refining their skills on custom residential pieces.  In 1976, Johnny and John ventured out on their own and founded what would become LIFEFORM Chairs.

LIFEFORM began with made-to-order sofas and chairs until a request for a leather high-back executive chair changed our course.  That commission became our blueprint: elegance shaped for function, and function elevated by craft.

Designing for the Way People Work

By the 1980s, computers reshaped daily work.  Chairs looked the part but rarely supported the body.  We set out to build seating that did both.  Early LIFEFORM designs introduced sculpted contours that cradle the user, plus intuitive adjustments, armrests, lumbar, and tilt, so each chair could be tuned to the person, not the other way around.

Refinement, Not Mass Production

Through the 1990s, we honed our silhouettes and expanded options, task and guest chairs among them, while doubling down on what mass production can’t do, personalize.  As imports flooded the market, we moved in the opposite direction: deeper customization, richer materials, and a refined fit for the individual.

Innovation, Layered into Craft

In the 2000s we continued to integrate thoughtful technologies without sacrificing feel: temperature-regulating finishes, breathable mesh backs paired with our upholstered comfort, and adjustable seat depth to encourage healthy posture during long workdays.  Every innovation is chosen to enhance the handmade foundation, not replace it.

From saddles to seating Two luxurious brown leather executive chairs, one high-back and one mid-back, are showcased in a classic, elegant office setting. The room features a traditional wooden desk, a large bookshelf filled with books, and a patterned rug, with warm sunlight streaming through the window shutters.

Why Tradition Matters Again

Fast design is wearing thin.  People are curating fewer, better pieces, and objects with story and staying power.  Our workshop approach means your chair is made for you: measured, specified, and finished to reflect your body and taste.  It’s the opposite of one-size-fits-all.

Handmade, Then Tailored

We think like tailors.  Your chair is built to measure, with options in upholstery, stitching, detailing, and fit, because comfort is personal and taste is individual.  The result is architectural and intimate, a tool that serves you quietly all day and ages with grace.

From saddles to seating A close-up shot of a craftsman in his workshop, with his hands resting on a piece of tan leather furniture. A quote is overlaid on the image, reading:

Ergonomic Office Chairs are a Craft

Ergonomics at LIFEFORM isn’t an add-on; it’s embedded.  Contoured support, adjustable features, and thoughtful materials work together to reduce pressure points and promote healthy posture. Now you can focus longer, with less fatigue, and feel better when you stand up.

An Office Chair for Life

We don’t cut down our tree of tradition, we grow it.  From saddles to seating, five generations have taught us that lasting comfort begins with honest materials, meticulous construction, and respect for the body.  That’s why we like to think of our operations as a workshop-studio, everything we make is shaped by hand, guided by heritage, and built for your life.