Kurt Ostervig Model 311 Daybed

Kurt Ejvind Østervig was born in 1912 in Odense, Denmark. He was originally trained and worked as a shipbuilding engineer. However, by the 1930s Østervig shifted to furniture design because of his passion for woodworking.

Østervig's career as a furniture designer began at E. Knudsen’s architectural design studio in Odense. In 1947, Østervig opened his first own studio as a freelance furniture designer, with a focus on modern design. In the following decades, he worked with many of the leading Scandinavian furniture producers of the period.

Østervig was exceptionally versatile, designing furniture for hotels, cinemas, and won numerous design competitions during his career. He won awards at the Milan Triennale in 1953 and 1960. In the 1960s, one of Østervig’s designs was selected for an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Østervig had a flair for the dramatic, infusing his furnishings with unique elements that stood out. From elegant, organic to coarse and purely functional furniture, his versatility earned him recognition.

Find vintage Kurt Østervig seating, tables, storage cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.

(Biography provided by H. Gallery)

An antique or vintage daybed is a practical solution for furnishing any modest-sized bedroom or guest room and can even be a versatile option for the reading nook in your living room.

Daybeds, which traditionally comprise a simple three-sided frame and twin-size mattress or boxy foam cushion, have a long history that dates back at least to the early Greeks and Romans. The spare construction and multipurpose nature of these multifunctional marvels — they’re not loveseats, sofas or chaise longues, but each share some commonalities — have over time rendered them an easy and often essential piece of seating.

All manner of daybeds have materialized over the years. There are ornate, unconventional versions created in the Louis XV, Art Deco and Empire styles, while popular mid-century modern iterations include the Barcelona daybed, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich, as well as the Nelson daybed, which architect George Nelson created for Herman Miller in the 1940s. But you don’t have to limit yourself to one of the classics.

Variations on the daybed have been developed all over the world, and contemporary examples come in all shapes, upholstery options and sizes. (They’re no longer limited to twin size.) No matter what style you choose, this luxury furnishing ensures that you don’t have to wait until nighttime to start dreaming.

On 1stDibs, find a cozy collection of antique, new and vintage daybeds today.