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Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Danish, b. 1929

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.

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Creator: Kai Kristiansen
1960s Wall shelf, Kai Kristiansen, FM Møbler
By FM Møbler, Kai Kristiansen
Located in Neuss, NW
Classic wall shelf from the 1960s. The high-quality shelves are veneered in oak. The system consists of 17 shelves and four ladders made of aluminum and oak veneer. Quality Features...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Materials

Oak

60s 70s Teak Teak Shelf Wall Unit Kai Kristiansen Danish Design 60s
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
60s 70s teak teak shelf wall unit Kai Kristiansen Danish Design 60s Object: wall unit Manufacturer: Kai Kristiansen Condit...
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1970s European Vintage Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Materials

Metal

Kai Kristiansen Wall Unit for FM Møbler, 1960s
By FM Møbler, Kai Kristiansen
Located in Puslinch, ON
Condition: Great Vintage Condition Dimensions: 68.75” L x 11” D x 79.5” H Description: A vintage oak wall unit by Kai Kristiansen for FM Møbler. Freshly imported from Denmark. Comp...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Materials

Metal

Modular Teak shelving system by Kai kristansen for FH Möbel , Denmark, 1960s
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in Gaggenau, DE
Danish modern modular Teak shelving system by Kai kristansen for FH Möbel , Denmark, 1960 Danish design by F.H Møbler Design year: 1960s Dimensions: : 25 D x 174 W x 220 H cm ...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Materials

Teak

Modular Teak shelving system by Kai kristansen for FH Möbel , Denmark, 1960s
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in Gaggenau, DE
Danish modern modular Teak shelving system by Kai kristansen for FH Möbel , Denmark, 1960 Danish design by F.H Møbler Design year: 1960s Dimensions: : 48 D x 260 W x 190 H cm ...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Materials

Glass, Teak

60s 70s teak wall shelf Wall Unit Kai Kristiansen for FM Møbler Denmark
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in Neuenkirchen, NI
60s 70s teak wall shelf Wall Unit Kai Kristiansen for FM Møbler Denmark Object: Wall Unit Manufacturer: Kai Kristiansen, FM Mobler Condition: vintage - good Age: around 1960-1970...
Category

1960s Danish Vintage Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Materials

Metal

1960s Wall shelf, Kai Kristiansen, FM Møbler
By Kai Kristiansen, FM Møbler
Located in Neuss, NW
Classic shelving system from the 1960s. The high-quality containers and shelves are veneered in teak. The system consists of six shelves, a writing surface, one container with two do...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Materials

Aluminum

Modular Teak shelving system by Kai kristansen for FH Möbel , Denmark, 1960s
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in Gaggenau, DE
Danish modern modular Teak shelving system by Kai kristansen for FH Möbel , Denmark, 1960 Danish design by F.H Møbler Design year: 1960s Dimensions: : 19-29-46 D x 60 W x 188 H...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Materials

Teak

Modular Teak shelving system by Kai kristansen for FH Möbel , Denmark, 1960s
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in Gaggenau, DE
Danish modern modular Teak shelving system by Kai kristansen for FH Möbel , Denmark, 1960 Danish design by F.H Møbler Design year: 1960s Dimensions: : 46--25 D x 174 W x 220 H ...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Materials

Teak

1960s Wall shelf, Kai Kristiansen, FM Møbler
By FM Møbler, Kai Kristiansen
Located in Neuss, NW
Classic shelving system from the 1960s in teak veneer with four shelves and two aluminium ladders veneered in teak. Quality Features: accomplished design: perfect proportions a...
Category

1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Materials

Aluminum

Model 128 Wall Shelf or Console by Kai Kristiansen for Aksel Kjersgaard, 1960
By Kai Kristiansen, Aksel Kjersgaard
Located in Kelkheim (Taunus), HE
Rar Modell 128 Wall Shelf by Designer and Cabinet Maker Kai Kristiansen for Aksel Kjersgaard in Teak.
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Kai Kristiansen Shelves

Materials

Teak

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Wall unit by Kai Kristiansens
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Kai Kristiansen double wall unit, model No. 132 in oak, made by Aksel Kjersgaard in Denmark in the 1960s. Serves as a beautiful entrance furniture, shelf or bedside table. Two pull ...
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Kai Kristiansen shelves for sale on 1stDibs.

Kai Kristiansen shelves are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Kai Kristiansen shelves, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original shelves by Kai Kristiansen were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider shelves by Børge Mogensen, Royal System, and Finn Juhl. Prices for Kai Kristiansen shelves can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $503 and can go as high as $10,389, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,851.

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