How To Identify And Decorate With Danish Modern Furniture

Danish modern furniture was at its peak between 1925 and 1975 and in the 50’s and 60’s was the most popular decorating style. Today, Danish modern furniture has made a big comeback partly due to stores like Ikea, and partly because more people are one again living in smaller spaces and looking for multi-functional pieces that have clean, simple lines and are designed to work in areas with not much square footage.

If you’re looking for genuine Danish modern furniture, here’s how to tell you’re getting the real thing.

Look for pieces that were made by designers of the mid-century. Some names to watch for are Arne Jacobsen, Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl, Kaare Klint and Alvar Aalto. The furniture will be made from woods such as oak, ash and birch. Early pieces will all be lighter wood, and later pieces may be in darker woods. They are designed to be light and easily moved, and the chairs and sofas will have legs that allow for storage space under the piece.

The lines are clean and simple, but not hard or geometric. Danish modern furniture is designed to be ergonomic and conform to the natural lines of the body for maximum comfort. The wood will be finished with an oil or a wax, and fabrics will either be a solid color or have a minimal pattern.

Now that you know how to spot Danish modern furniture, how do you decorate with it? Here are some tips for making the most of your pieces:

Use pieces for other functions than they were intended. For example, you can find a nice, low coffee table that would work very well as a TV bench and also have storage space in it.

Combine Danish modern wood pieces with contemporary seating, Sofas with clean, simple lines and solid colors, either in fabric or leather, will work well and compliment the style.

Colors can go anywhere you like, and bold colors work especially well with this style. If you keep the walls neutral, you can use saturated greens, oranges, blues or other rich hues for cushions, rugs, curtains and other fabrics.

If you want to create a retro look with your Danish modern furniture, the best way to do it is  to choose a few pieces that really speak to you, and then combine them with more up to date items. If you cram your room full of retro stuff, it can end up looking kitschy. Get some vintage accessories, such as a wall clock, to add additional retro flair.

Most of all, find Danish modern furniture that appeals to you, and create a room that you will feel comfortable and happy in. Have fun!