Arne Jacobsen Door Handle

The eye-catching work of the Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen often introduces new collectors to mid-20th century furniture. With their fluid lines and sculptural presence, Jacobsen’s signature pieces — the elegant Swan chair and the cozy-yet-cutting edge Egg chair, both first presented in 1958 — are iconic representations of both the striking aesthetic of the designers of the era and their concomitant attention to practicality and comfort. Jacobsen designed furniture that had both gravitas and groove.

Though Jacobsen is a paragon of Danish modernism, his approach to design was the least “Danish” of those who are counted as his peers. The designs of Hans Wegner,  Finn Juhl, Børge Mogensen and others grew out of their studies as cabinetmakers. They prized skilled craftsmanship and their primary material was carved, turned and joined wood. Jacobsen was first and foremost an architect, and while he shared his colleagues’ devotion to quality of construction, he was far more open to other materials such as metal and fiberglass.

Many of Jacobsen’s best-known pieces had their origin in architectural commissions. His molded-plywood, three-legged Ant chair (1952) was first designed for the cafeteria of a pharmaceutical company headquarters. The tall-backed Oxford chair was made for the use of dons at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford, whose Jacobsen-designed campus opened in 1962 (while still under construction). The Swan, Egg and Drop chairs and the AJ desk lamp were all created as part of Jacobsen’s plan for the SAS Royal Copenhagen Hotel, which opened in 1960. (The hotel has since been redecorated, but one guest room has been preserved with all-Jacobsen accoutrements.)

To Jacobsen’s mind, the chief merit of any design was practicality. He designed the first stainless-steel cutlery set made by the Danish silver company Georg Jensen; Jacobsen’s best-selling chair — the plywood Series 7 — was created to provide lightweight, stackable seating for modern eat-in kitchens. But as you will see from the objects on 1stDibs, style never took a backseat to function in Arne Jacobsen’s work. His work merits a place in any modern design collection.

Find authentic Arne Jacobsen chairs, tables, sofas and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Choosing the right antique or vintage building and garden elements can prove pivotal when you’re working to beautify any room in your home or just put the finishing touches on a garden or other outdoor area.

It takes time and effort to improve your outdoor space or merely to bring an air of tranquility to an indoor area set aside for private relaxation or gathering with friends. The good news is that 1stDibs can help.

To introduce a sense of timelessness to a back patio or interior common area, choose cast-stone statues or sculptural busts for a dose of drama or select ornate architectural elements such as corbels, plaques or panels made of marble or iron. Elsewhere, find a focal point in your living room and create a “feature wall” by bringing pops of color into a corner with handmade antique ceramic tiles.

It helps when design changes like these have a practical upside too.

Victorian cast-iron stair treads hearken back to a time when adding decorative details to your property was a priority. While lending an attractive appearance to an exterior staircase, these safeguards render the steps slip-resistant for those coming and going. And as one good stylistic choice usually leads to another, pairing your sophisticated treads with a coupling of 19th-century hand-forged andirons would be a thoughtful, durable touch for any courtyard or comfortable lounge space, be they intended for an indoor fireplace or a patio firepit.

Where the garden is concerned, any sophisticated garden ornaments you select should work with nature, not against it. Wrought-iron garden gates will simply refuse to be relegated to the background. Instead, they’ll draw attention to your painstakingly sculpted hedges and colorful flora. When paired with a sparse arrangement of other tasteful additions, such as a stone planter, garden stool or other welcoming pieces of outdoor seating, the effect can be transformative.

On 1stDibs, find a sprawling collection of antique garden furniture and architectural elements that meet every need. Our offerings include everything from sculptural bathroom fixtures to flooring ideas to pedestals and columns designed in a variety of styles and much more.