Ikea designer Gillis Lundgren sparked flat-pack revolution by sawing off table legs to fit it in car Swedish designer Gillis Lundgren cut legs off the Lovet 50 years ago Gave IKEA the idea to flat pack furniture IKEA originally sold fully built via home catalogue Triggered the flat pack trend that has dominated ever since £40 table to be revived and will be on sale in IKEA stores A piece of furniture which launched the global flat-pack revolution is going back on sale after nearly 60 years. Homeware giant Ikea yesterday announced it was to start selling the Lovbacken three-legged side table, more than half a century after the original went on sale in Sweden. The leaf-shaped wooden side table takes its inspiration from the Lovet, which was first sold in flat pack form in 1956 after Swedish designer Gillis Lundgren was forced to saw the legs off to fit it into his car. Inspiration: A modern version of the Lovet table that triggered the flat pack trend is set to go on sale again at IKEA. The new model, made of stained veneer on MDF, will be called the Lovbacken and will cost £40 A classic in the making: The Lovet from the original IKEA catalogue in the 40s Ikea claims Lundgren's drastic move triggered the flat-pack revolution that has swept the UK and the other countries ever since. The Lovbacken will cost £40 and is billed as the ideal piece of furniture to pair with an armchair or alongside a sofa. Emily Birkin, Ikea UK sales manager, said: 'Most people will have a piece of furniture that they have either built or put together somewhere in their house. Where it all began: An IKEA catalogue from 1956 But until now, not many will know the incredible story about how it all began with a simple little table. We know from our research that people are becoming more interested in buying pieces of furniture that have a story attached to them, so we decided to bring back a popular piece that not only comes steeped in history, but combines retro styling with modern convenience. The Lovet table forms the centrepiece of Ikea's furniture museum in Almhult, Sweden. Ikea originally started out in 1943 as a catalogue homeware supplier. History: Pages from an early catalogue, not long after the firm originated in 1943 'Quality guaranteed': A 1951 IKEA catalogue Colourful: What you could have expected to find at IKEA in 1961