Kai Kristiansen, Pair of Rosewood Nightstands/Side Tables
View Similar Items
Kai Kristiansen, Pair of Rosewood Nightstands/Side Tables
About the Item
- Creator:Kai Kristiansen (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 25.6 in (65 cm)Width: 33.47 in (85 cm)Depth: 12.6 in (32 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (In the Style Of)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Copenhagen, DK
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU154124906953
Kai Kristiansen
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.
- Pair of Severin Hansen Side Tables in Rosewood, Denmark, 1960sBy Severin Hansen, Haslev MobelsnedkeriLocated in Copenhagen, DKSeverin Hansen & Haslev Møbelsnedkeri Scandinavian Modern A beautiful pair of side tables, Model 41B, in rosewood by designer Severin Hansen, Haslev Møbelsnedkeri, Denmark 1960...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern End Tables
MaterialsRosewood
- Pair of Scandinavian Modern Side Tables, Mahogany and Decorative Glass, 1940sBy Jacob KjaerLocated in Copenhagen, DKScandinavian Modern Design A beautiful pair of Scandinavian Modern sidetables attributed to designer and cabinetmaker Jacob Kjær, Denmark 1940s. Th...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Side Tables
MaterialsGlass, Mahogany
- Severin Hansen, Scandinavian Modern Table in Rosewood, Denmark 1950sBy Severin Hansen, Haslev MobelsnedkeriLocated in Copenhagen, DKSEVERIN HANSEN & HASLEV MØBELSNEDKERI SCANDINAVIAN MODERN A beautiful coffee table or end table for beds, Severin Hansen, Haslev Møbelsnedkeri, Denmark 1960s. Elegant design and perfect for end of...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Tables
MaterialsRosewood
- Pair of Tapio Wirkkala Silver Candlesticks 1950sBy Tapio WirkkalaLocated in Copenhagen, DKTAPIO WIRKKALA - SCANDINAVIAN MODERN A beautiful pair of silver candlesticks, model no. 89, were designed in 1957 by the famous Finnish multi designer Tapio Wirkkala. Artist signa...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Candlesticks
MaterialsSilver
$3,081 / set - Just Andersen, Early Pair of Pewter Candelabras, Denmark, 1920sBy Just AndersenLocated in Copenhagen, DKJust Andersen - Scandinavian modern. A early a pair of pewter candelabras with two arms, Dessin 1171, manufactured in Denmark between 1918-1929. ...Category
Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern Candlesticks
MaterialsPewter
- Pair of Cast Iron Urns by Olof Hult Scandinavian ModernBy Olof HultLocated in Copenhagen, DKOLOF HULT - SCANDINAVIAN MODERN Trädgårdsurnor "Mikrokosmos" by Olof Hult, Sweden. Cast iron with natural patina. Model exhibited at The International Exposition of Modern Indus...Category
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Decorative Bowls
MaterialsIron
- Pair of Rosewood Nightstands by Arch. Kai Kristiansen, Denmark 1950s, RareBy Aksel Kjersgaard, Kai KristiansenLocated in Forest, BEThis is a pair of floating consoles/ nightstands. The model is extremely rare and rarely offered in rosewood. Made of the finest veneer. The drawer is made of massive rosewood and th...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsRosewood
- Pair of Kai Kristiansen Model 385 Tallboy Chests, RosewoodBy Kai KristiansenLocated in London, GBKai Kristiansen - Pair of Model 385 Chest of Drawers, circa 1960 Rosewood tallboy chests, produced by Aksel Kjersgaard in Odder, Denmark. Solid rosew...Category
Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Dr...
MaterialsOak
- Superb Kai Kristiansen Rosewood Chest of DrawersBy FM Møbler, Kai KristiansenLocated in BROOKLYN, NYBeautiful and seemly never used chest of drawers by the famous designer Kai Kristiansen, Denmark. Model # 701 Featuring four very clean drawers frame...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsRosewood
- Rosewood floating Nightstand/console by Arch. Kai Kristiansen, Denmark 50s, RareBy Kai Kristiansen, Aksel KjersgaardLocated in Forest, BEThis is a elegant floating console/ nightstand. The model is extremely rare and rarely offered in rosewood. Made of the finest veneer. The drawer is made of massive rosewood and the ...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsRosewood
- Kai Kristiansen Diminutive Rosewood Chest of DrawersBy Kai KristiansenLocated in West Palm Beach, FLKai Kristiansen diminutive rosewood chest of drawers. Four drawers with circular cut out pulls. Some faint wear to top (please refer to photos). Would work well in a variety of i...Category
Vintage 1960s European Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsRosewood
- Kai Kristiansen Model 385 Tallboy Chest, RosewoodBy Kai KristiansenLocated in London, GBKai Kristiansen Model 385 Chest of Drawers, circa 1960 Rosewood tallboy chest, produced by Aksel Kjersgaard in Odder, Denmark. Solid rosewood frame...Category
Vintage 1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Dr...
MaterialsOak