Kai Kristiansen Seating
With a passion for math and engineering, Kai Kristiansen has created high-quality wood furniture for decades. Beginning in the 1950s, his coffee tables, 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.
2010s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Walnut
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Velvet, Oak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Fabric, Wood, Teak
Late 20th Century Danish Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Wool
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Wool
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Upholstery, Teak
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Velvet, Oak
2010s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Walnut
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Naugahyde, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Danish Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Rosewood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Rosewood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Rosewood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood, Leather
2010s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Oak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Rosewood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Hardwood, Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Upholstery, Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Mohair, Rosewood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Bouclé, Rosewood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood, Leather
2010s British Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Mohair, Oak, Walnut
2010s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Oak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Hardwood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Fabric, Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Rosewood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Fabric, Rosewood
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Oak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Rosewood
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood, Fabric
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Fabric, Wood, Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood, Fabric
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Velvet, Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Wool, Rosewood
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Fabric, Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Hardwood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Teak, Fabric, Upholstery
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Fabric, Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Fabric, Rosewood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood, Fabric
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Teak
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Oak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Fabric, Teak
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Beech
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Faux Leather, Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Fabric, Oak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Wool, Bouclé, Rosewood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Fabric, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Upholstery, Teak
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood, Fabric
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Wool, Bouclé, Rosewood
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Upholstery, Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Wool, Bouclé, Rosewood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Fabric, Teak
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Fabric, Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Teak
20th Century Danish Kai Kristiansen Seating
Leather, Oak
20th Century Danish Kai Kristiansen Seating
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Seating
Rosewood