Kai Unit
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Wardrobes and Armoires
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Rosewood, Wood
Vintage 1970s European Shelves
Metal
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Rosewood
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Glass, Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Cabinets
Felt, Wood, Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Tables
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Tables
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Tables
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Hardwood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookends
Hardwood
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Teak
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Fruitwood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Rosewood
Vintage 1950s Danish Lounge Chairs
Fabric, Teak
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
2010s South African Minimalist Pedestals
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Metal
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Metal
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Rosewood
Vintage 1970s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Rosewood, Leather, Fiberglass
Vintage 1960s English Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Metal
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
Oak, Plywood
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Beds and Bed Frames
Cane, Teak
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Brass
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Teak
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Marble, Chrome
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Glass, Teak
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
Metal
Vintage 1960s French Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
Teak
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century Danish Shelves
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Pier Mirrors and Console Mirrors
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Steel
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Wood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Cabinets
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
Metal
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Cabinets
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
Zinc
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs
Wood, Fabric
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Steel
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Metal
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
Wood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Teak
Vintage 1960s Shelves
Metal
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Wood
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Wood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Wood
Vintage 1960s European Shelves
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Teak
Vintage 1960s Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Sideboards
Metal
Vintage 1960s Shelves
Teak
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Aluminum
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
Glass, Palisander
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Metal
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Metal
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Metal
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Metal
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Metal
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Metal
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
Oak
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Teak, Wood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
Teak
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
Rosewood
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
Teak
Kai Unit For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Kai Unit?
Kai Kristiansen for sale on 1stDibs
With a passion for math and engineering, Kai Kristiansen has created high-quality wood furniture for decades. Beginning in the 1950s, his chairs, modular shelving and other furnishings were made in the style that would become internationally renowned as Danish modern and boasted clean lines, perfected functionality and exacting craftsmanship.
Born in Denmark, Kristiansen trained in cabinetmaking before studying with Kaare Klint, often cited as the “father of modern Danish design,” at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. At just 26 years old, Kristiansen opened his own studio.
Kristiansen had his mid-century breakthrough in 1956 with the Chair #42, which he made with Schou Andersen. Unlike most other chairs at the time, Chair #42’s armrests, with their wealth of radical angles, were connected to the back rather than the front legs. This unconventional flourish makes the backrest appear as though it is floating in midair above the seat.
Kristiansen’s next innovation was a modular wall system in 1957 — three years ahead of Dieter Rams’s more famous 606 Universal Shelving System. Called the Reolsystem Wall Unit, produced by SB Feldballes Møbelfabrik, it’s also known as the FM Wall Unit as FM/Fornem Møbelkunst began producing it in the 1960s.
Kristiansen would go on to work with other leading Danish furniture manufacturers such as Magnus Olesen, Fritz Hansen and Vildbjerg Møbelfabrik, designing everything from chairs and desks to sideboards and cabinets, frequently in rosewood and teak. (The latter was a sought-after wood by Scandinavian modern designers.)
While many of Kristiansen’s timeless designs remain in production, such as his Paper Knife sofa, which was reintroduced by Miyazaki Chair Factory in 2008, and his 1950s Entré collection, which was relaunched with Great Dane Furniture in 2016, others are prized as vintage mid-century pieces.
Today, Kristiansen is still at work on new furniture with an expert eye to thoughtfully functional designs that are made to last.
Find a collection of vintage Kai Kristiansen furniture on 1stDibs.