In 1908, cabinetmaker Carl Hansen opened his first small workshop near Odense, Denmark, where he created furniture by hand in the preferred Victorian style of the times. Later, Carl Hansen & Søn would become one of the most prestigious furniture manufacturers in Denmark. The firm has produced timeless masterpieces of Scandinavian modernism by iconic designers Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobsen, Børge Mogensen and others.

Hansen expanded his operations by 1915 due to high demand. The larger factory allowed room for more modern machinery and a staff of many journeymen who produced a small series of their most popular pieces, including coffee tables, cabinets and sculptural, inviting armchairs. The firm became known for marrying the finest handmade craftsmanship with efficient production processes.

The Great Depression of the 1930s saw worldwide furniture sales plummet, and many furniture manufacturers were forced to shutter their workshops. At the age of 23, furniture maker Carl Hansen’s youngest son, Holger, took control of his father’s factory and piloted it through the era’s uncertain waters.

Holger Hansen’s youthful enthusiasm, innovative spirit, and intuitive business savvy kept their company afloat. He believed in the quality of the firm’s work and the cutting-edge designs that were produced at its factory, which emerged from modest beginnings to become a pivotal piece of the history of Danish furniture.

Owing to Holger’s leadership, Carl Hansen & Søn emerged from the Great Depression and entered into creative alliances with many acclaimed Danish masters of mid-century design, including Kaare Klint, Børge Mogensen, Arne Jacobsen, Ole Wanscher, Frits Henningsen and Poul Kjærholm.

None of these partnerships proved as prolific as their relationship with Hans Wegner, however. In 1949, the cabinetmaker moved to Denmark’s Funen Island and was staying in Holger’s family home, as the then-Carl Hansen CEO had commissioned Wegner to create a chair for the company that was similar to his popular China chair of 1944.

Wegner began to work closely with the company’s craftsmen and devised a streamlined chair with a Y-shaped back and woven paper-cord seat. The legendary Wishbone chair, which still involves nearly 100 processes and takes weeks to make, has been in continuous production since its 1950 debut.

Family-owned since its inception, Carl Hansen & Søn has manufactured some of the most extraordinary chairs, sofas and lounge chairs for living room relaxation in the history of design. Their dining room tables and chairs run the gamut in style and functionality, from everyday comfort to elegant entertaining. The company’s impressive roster of contemporary designers includes renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, the Vienna-based design firm EOOS and celebrated American industrial designer Brad Ascalon. They remain the world’s largest producer of Wegner’s furniture and still enjoy a collaborative relationship with the Hans J. Wegner Studio.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Carl Hansen chairs, case pieces and other furniture.

A Close Look at scandinavian-modern Furniture

Scandinavian modernism is perhaps the warmest and most organic iteration of modernist design. The work of the designers associated with vintage Scandinavian modern furniture was founded on centuries-old beliefs in both quality craftsmanship and the ideal that beauty should enhance even the humblest accessories of daily life.

ORIGINS OF SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

Emerged in the 1930s
Originated primarily in Denmark, Sweden and Finland
Introduced in the United States in mid-20th century
Informed by the Bauhaus and modernism; influenced American mid-century modernism

CHARACTERISTICS OF SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

Bold, clean lines and simple, sturdy symmetries
Use of natural materials — native woods such as pine, ash and beech
Open, airy spaces
Promotion of functionality
Emphasis on craftsmanship; rooted in cabinetry profession and traditional construction techniques
Minimal ornamentation (little to no embellishment)
A neutral or light color palette owing to prominence of light woods

SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ICONIC SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS

VINTAGE SCANDINAVIAN MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The gentle, organic contours that are typical of Scandinavian design appear in the furnishings and decor created by Danish, Finnish and Swedish designers not as a stylistic gesture, but rather as a practical, ergonomic — and, as importantly, elegant — response to the human form.

Each nation produced exceptional talents in all areas of the applied arts, yet each had its forté. Sweden was home to Greta Magnusson Grossman and Bruno Mathsson — creators of the classic Grasshopper lighting series and Berlin daybed, respectively — but the country excelled most notably at ceramics. In the 1920s at the great Gustavsberg porcelain manufactory, Wilhelm Kåge introduced pieces in the Scandinavian style based on influences from folklore to Cubism; his skills were passed on to his versatile and inspired pupils Berndt Friberg and Stig Lindberg.

Likewise, Finland produced a truly ingenious Scandinavian modern furniture designer in the architect Alvar Aalto, a master at melding function and artistic form in works like the Paimio chair, created in collaboration with his first wife, Aino. Yet Finnish glassware was pre-eminent, crafted in expressive, sculptural designs by Tapio Wirkkala and Timo Sarpaneva.

The Danes excelled at chairs. Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen were exemplars of the country’s facility with wood, particularly teak.

Wegner created such iconic pieces as the Round chair and the Wishbone chair; Jacobsen — while the revolutionary architect and furniture innovator produced the best-selling plywood Ant chair — designed two classic upholstered pieces of the 1950s: the Swan chair and Egg chair. The list of great Danes could go on and on, including Finn Juhl, a stylistic maverick and maker of the bold Chieftain chair; Poul Kjaerholm, with his lean metal-and-rattan aesthetic; and Verner Panton, who introduced a vibrant Pop note into international design.

Today, decades after their heyday, the prolific, ever-evolving Scandinavian modernists continue to amaze and delight, and interior designers all over the world use their pieces to bring warmth to any given space.

On 1stDibs, you will note both instantly recognizable vintage Scandinavian modern chairs, sofas, rugs and tables — those that have earned iconic status over time — and many new discoveries.

Materials: brass Furniture

Whether burnished or lacquered, antique, new and vintage brass furniture can elevate a room.

From traditional spaces that use brass as an accent — by way of brass dining chairs or brass pendant lights — to contemporary rooms that embrace bold brass decor, there are many ways to incorporate the golden-hued metal.

“I find mixed metals to be a very updated approach, as opposed to the old days, when it was all shiny brass of dulled-out silver tones,” says interior designer Drew McGukin. “I especially love working with brass and blackened steel for added warmth and tonality. To me, aged brass is complementary across many design styles and can trend contemporary or traditional when pushed either way.”

He proves his point in a San Francisco entryway, where a Lindsey Adelman light fixture hangs above a limited-edition table and stools by Kelly Wearstler — also an enthusiast of juxtapositions — all providing bronze accents. The walls were hand-painted by artist Caroline Lizarraga and the ombré stair runner is by DMc.

West Coast designer Catherine Kwong chose a sleek brass and lacquered-parchment credenza by Scala Luxury to fit this San Francisco apartment. “The design of this sideboard is reminiscent of work by French modernist Jean Prouvé. The brass font imbues the space with warmth and the round ‘portholes’ provide an arresting geometric element.”

Find antique, new and vintage brass tables, case pieces and other furnishings now on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right credenzas for You

Antique and vintage credenzas can add an understated touch of grace to your home. These long and sophisticated cabinet-style pieces of furniture can serve a variety of purposes, and they look great too.

In Italy, the credenza was originally a small side table used in religious services. Appropriately, credere in Italian means “to believe.” Credenzas were a place to not only set the food ready for meals, they were also a place to test and taste prepared food for poison before a dish was served to a member of the ruling class. Later, credenza was used to describe a type of versatile narrow side table, typically used for serving food in the home. In form, a credenza has much in common with a sideboard — in fact, the terms credenza and sideboard are used almost interchangeably today.

Credenzas usually have short legs or no legs at all, and can feature drawers and cabinets. And all kinds of iterations of the credenza have seen the light of day over the years, from ornately carved walnut credenzas originating in 16th-century Tuscany to the wealth of Art Deco credenzas — with their polished surfaces and geometric patterns — to the array of innovative modernist interpretations that American furniture maker Milo Baughman created for Directional and Thayer Coggin.

The credenza’s blend of style and functionality led to its widespread use in the 20th century. Mid-century modern credenzas are particularly popular — take a look at Danish furniture designer Arne Vodder’s classic Model 29, for instance, with its reversible sliding doors and elegant drawer pulls. Hans Wegner, another Danish modernist, produced strikingly minimalist credenzas in the 1950s and ’60s, as did influential designer Florence Knoll. Designers continue to explore new and exciting ways to update this long-loved furnishing.

Owing to its versatility and familiar low-profile form, the credenza remains popular in contemporary homes. Unlike many larger case pieces, credenzas can be placed under windows and in irregularly shaped rooms, such as foyers and entryways. This renders it a useful storage solution. In living rooms, for example, a credenza can be a sleek media console topped with plants and the rare art monographs you’ve been planning to show off. In homes with open floor plans, a credenza can help define multiple living spaces, making it ideal for loft apartments.

Browse a variety of antique, new and vintage credenzas on 1stDibs to find the perfect fit for your home today.