Per-Olof Scotte was a Swedish furniture designer and colorist known for his contributions to the Swedish design industry during the mid-20th century. He was born on June 18, 1925, in Mariestad, Sweden, to Lorentz Scotte and Bertha Karlsson.

Scotte began his education at the NKI School in 1941 and 1943. He went on to study under Professor Carl Malmsten from 1947 to 1951 and at the Color School in 1957 and 1961. In 1950, he was employed by Carl Malmsten AB in Stockholm, followed by AB A. Klaesson Möbelaffär in Örebro in 1951. He began working as a freelance furniture designer from 1954.

In the 1960s, Scotte began working as a furniture designer for IKEA, one of Sweden's most prominent furniture companies. During his time at IKEA, he helped design several pieces of furniture that would become popular worldwide. His designs were known for their clean, functional lines and their use of natural materials.

In addition to his work as a furniture designer, Scotte was also a colorist. He was highly regarded for his use of color, and his ability to create harmonious and balanced color schemes. His work in color theory and design contributed significantly to the development of Swedish design during the mid-20th century.

Scotte's work was highly influential in the Swedish design industry, and he was recognized as one of the leading designers of his time. His designs are still highly sought after today and are considered to be some of the most iconic pieces of Swedish furniture from the mid-20th century.