Beyond Ikea — a Brief History of the Danish Modern Furniture Style

Danish modern furniture is also referred to as Scandinavian modern, and most people know the style best because of the popularity of Ikea. But there is a much longer history to it than that. This article will give you a brief history of the Danish modern furniture style.

World war 2 was instrumental in bringing the Danish modern style to the forefront. Scandinavian countries during the war experienced a huge decline in their manufacturing facilities, with shortages of building materials being widespread. As a result, companies that made furniture had to look to the past for both style and materials. They began using locally found materials such as linen, oak and clay. Another effect of the war on their style was emotional…people were in a desperate need for some optimism about the future, and to cultivate respect for the good things about their past.

The style that resulted from all this was a no-frills, clean-lined look. Items were smaller and designed to work in small spaces, with the ability to fold up or be stacked. There was also a futuristic element to the furniture.

Danish modern furniture caught on in New York thanks to a man named Edgar Kaufman Jr. Kaufman’s father owned ‘Fallingwater’, an estate in Pennsylvania that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Kaufman decorated Fallingwater with several Danish modern pieces, and in doing so brought instant notoriety and attention to the style.

It really caught on in America during the 1950′s, especially with the younger generation. They were ready to put the war years behind them, and look towards the future. They were living in smaller homes, and moving residences more frequently than any generation before them. The light weight and small size of this style appealed to them, as did the clean, simple lines. As American companies began making their own furniture influenced by the style, they added even more futuristic elements to them and began using materials like plastic.

As styles and trends changed over the decades, the interest in Danish modern furniture waned in favor of more stylized and refined shapes. Even Scandinavian countries began to look for different styles. However, stores such as Ikea brought the style back, and at the same time made it very affordable. Now, Danish modern furniture pieces can be found in large retail stores as well as in smaller boutique stores, and original pieces are fairly easy to come across at online auctions and at flea markets and estate sales. Although now, Danish modern furniture is not so much desired for it’s future-forward styling but its clean, simple aesthetic and modern functionality.