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Kai Kristiansen

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 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.

Iconic Designs from Kai Kristiansen
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Kai Kristiansen 42 Chair
Kai Kristiansen 42 Chair
Kai Kristiansen Model 31 Chair
Kai Kristiansen Model 31 Chair
Paper Knife Chair
Paper Knife Chair
Kai Kristiansen Fm Reolsystem
Kai Kristiansen Fm Reolsystem
Kai Kristiansen Rosewood No 42 Dining Chairs with Paul Smith Fabric, Set of 2
By Paul Smith, Kai Kristiansen, Schou Andersen Møbelfabrik
Located in London, GB
Originally designed by Kai Kristiansen in 1956 and manufactured by Schou Andersen Møbelfabrik, the No 42 chair is one of the most well known designs in mid century Danish furniture...
Category

1950s Danish Vintage Kai Kristiansen

Materials

Rosewood, Fabric

Danish Kai Kristiansen for Aksel Kjersgaard Teak Hallway Bench With Two Drawers
By Kai Kristiansen, Aksel Kjersgaard
Located in London, GB
Danish designer Aksel Kjersgaard founded his eponymous furniture manufacturing company in 1952. Revered by mid-century furniture lovers for its straightforward approach to design of ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen

Materials

Teak

Eight Restored Kai Kristiansen Rosewood Dining Chairs Custom Upholstery Included
By Schou Andersen Møbelfabrik, Kai Kristiansen
Located in Knebel, DK
Set of eight fully restored, 1960s rosewood dining chairs by Kai Kristiansen for Schous Møbelfabrik with custom upholstery. The chairs have Kai Kristiansens typical light and elegan...
Category

1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen

Materials

Rosewood

Kai Kristiansen Twelve Restored Teak Dining Chairs Including Custom Reupholstery
By Schou Andersen Møbelfabrik, Kai Kristiansen
Located in Knebel, DK
Kai Kristiansen set of twelve fully restored teak dining chairs by Schou Andersens Møbel Fabrik. The A-frame model 31 dining chairs were designed by Kai Kristiansen in 1956 for Schou-Andersens Møbelfabrik and the A-frame chair is one of the most well-known chairs designed by Kai Kristiansen - a true Classic with its modest appearence but advanced design with curved backrest, crooked angles, straight yet at the same time curved and bended lines... and on top of that as all of Kai Kristiansens chairs very comfortable in use. The chairs have been checked, restored and reglued if needed, sanded and refinished by our cabinetmaker to insure that they are in very good condition with only minimal signs of age and use and and will be reupholstered in fabric from a wide list of "Kvadrat" / Romo fabrics of your choice or a list of standard leathers from "Sorensen Leather" / "Camo Leater". Kai Kristiansen who is still alive was born in 1929 and raised in Thy, North Denmark. Originally a carpenter, Kristiansen was educated as a building architect at the Royal Academi of Arts in Copenhagen and graduated from here in 1954. His father was the propritetor of at furniture production company, so his interest in furniture was founded early. Kristiansen was one of the last pupils of the famous architect Kaare Klint who died in 1959 and is considered the founder of modern Danish design. During the years 1958-1978 Kristiansen worked in his business in Aarhus owned jointly by himself and designer and cabinetmaker Illum Wikkelsø (1919-1999). Kristiansens works met their most intense demand during a few decades from 1950, then production of them was discontinued. However, several of the are now being produced again by the Japanese furniture producer Miyazaki Chair Mill in Tokushima. An Australien producer has also included Kristiansen production in their portfolio. Kai Kristiansen might have been the originator of mass produced furniture, had he accepted an offer from Ikea-founder Ingvar Kamprad. He declined to let himself enroll in the Ikea staff. Kristiansen exhibitions include numerous participations in furniture and design shows in Milano, Paris, Cologne and London. Among his most cherished works is the Paper Knife collection...
Category

1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen

Materials

Teak

Mid-Century Bookends by Kai Kristiansen for FM 1960s, Set of 8
By Feldballes Møbelfabrik, Kai Kristiansen
Located in Asaa, DK
Mid-century bookends by Kai Kristiansen for FM 1960s, set of 8. Very decorative Danish modern bookends in rosewood and metal designed by Danish designer Kai Kristiansen for Feldball...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen

Materials

Hardwood

Kai Kristiansen. a Model 394 Rosewood Dresser from Aksel Kiersgaard Denmark 1960
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in Paris, FR
Kai Kristiansen (Denmark. Born 1929) Low, 4-drawer chest made from rosewood, produced by Aksel Kjersgaard in Odder, Denmark, c1960. Features Kristiansen’s trademark circular drawer ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Kai Kristiansen

Materials

Rosewood

Dining Room Chairs Model 31 Made In Rosewood By Kai Kristiansen From 1960s
By Kai Kristiansen
Located in Lejre, DK
A set of four dining room chairs, model 31, designed by the renowned Danish designer Kai Kristiansen around the 1960s. These exquisite chairs are crafted with rosewood frames by Scho...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen

Materials

Fabric, Teak

Kai Kristiansen Set of Four Dining Chairs in Teak for K.S. Mobler Denmark, 1960s
By Kai Kristiansen, Niels Otto Møller, K.S. Mobler
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Fantastic set of four dining chairs in teak with wool seats designed in the 1960s by Kai Kristiansen for K.S. Mobler of Denmark. The style of these Kai Kristiansen chairs is often mi...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Kai Kristiansen

Materials

Teak

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Creators Similar to Kai Kristiansen

More Kai Kristiansen Designs
Kai Kristiansen 42 Chair
Kai Kristiansen 42 Chair
Average Price
$8,136
Number Available
35
Kai Kristiansen 42 Chair
By Kai Kristiansen
Materials
Wood, Fabric, Rosewood, Hardwood
Styles
Scandinavian Modern
A radical, simple piece of furniture, Kai Kristiansen's (b. 1929) Chair #42 perfectly exemplifies Danish modern design’s meld of form, space and functionality. Produced in 1956 for Danish manufacturer Schou Andersen, the functional and modest properties of Kristiansen’s minimalist dining chair are emphasized when viewed from the front. Admiring Chair #42 from the side tells a different story, however, as the focus shifts from its sharply inclined rear legs and joined armrests to a tilting, fl...
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Kai Kristiansen Model 31 Chair
Kai Kristiansen Model 31 Chair
Average Price
$5,178
Number Available
22
Kai Kristiansen Model 31 Chair
By Kai Kristiansen
Materials
Wood, Hardwood, Teak, Fabric
Styles
Scandinavian Modern, Mid Century Modern
Shop All
Paper Knife Chair
Paper Knife Chair
Average Price
$7,817
Number Available
16
Paper Knife Chair
By Kai Kristiansen
Materials
Fabric, Wood, Hardwood, Teak, Wool
Styles
Mid Century Modern, Scandinavian Modern
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Kai Kristiansen Fm Reolsystem
Kai Kristiansen Fm Reolsystem
Average Price
$3,862
Number Available
12
Kai Kristiansen Fm Reolsystem
By Kai Kristiansen
Materials
Wood, Hardwood, Rosewood, Teak
Styles
Mid Century Modern
Shop All

Kai Kristiansen furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Kai Kristiansen furniture 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 furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 404 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 1 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Kai Kristiansen were created in the Scandinavian Modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Arne Vodder, Niels Otto Møller, and Johannes Andersen. Prices for Kai Kristiansen furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $72 and can go as high as $27,370, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,761.

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