Poul Kjærholm
Idealist with an international outlook.
Through his work as an architect and professor, Poul Kjærholm became an international design personality and one of the leading figures of modernism.
Poul Kjærholm (1929–1980) was an influential designer known for his functionalist, uncompromising approach, his use of innovative materials and his international outlook rooted in the Danish craftmanship tradition. Throughout his career, he created a range of furniture designs – often in steel, leather and glass – of which many are icons in their own right while blending into the room as a whole.
Despite his relatively short career as a furniture designer – in favour of a long teaching career at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts – Kjærholm’s outstanding craftsmanship and pure expression resulted in a series of iconic designs that have had an influence far beyond his own lifetime.
Poul Kjærholm found inspiration in global pioneers such as Gerrit Rietveld, Mies van der Rohe, Piet Mondrian and Charles and Ray Eames. In the post-war years, he distanced himself from the sweeping, organic forms that otherwise characterised Danish design at the time. His design idiom was simple and modern with a nod to industrial design, as he found new ways to combine tradition and innovation.
Born in 1929 in Østervrå, a village in northern Jutland, Kjærholm originally trained as a cabinetmaker before studying furniture design at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, graduating in 1952. He returned to the academy as a lecturer in 1955, succeeding Ole Wanscher as professor in 1976, and remained employed at the academy until his death in 1980. Through his work and teaching, Kjærholm became an influential, international figure.
Kjærholm was not only influenced by international trends, but also by Kaare Klint, who had set the tone at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts with his understanding of how to cut away all the superfluous elements from a design while retaining its simplicity and function. An approach that became synonymous with Kjærholm.
As a furniture designer, Kjærholm was an idealist, and uncompromising in the way he constantly refined his designs. He was constantly caught between aesthetic considerations and the industrial technical possibilities of the time.
He did not see himself as someone who designed furniture, but as someone who created spaces. Kjærholm often designed furniture with specific locations in mind, and did so with a thoroughness and attention to detail that still inspires admiration today. In his own words, Kjærholm sought to express the unique language of each material.
In addition to his work as a furniture designer and his teaching role at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Poul Kjærholm also won international recognition for his achievements. Many of his furniture designs can be found in international museums, including MoMa in New York, and he was awarded a number of prizes, including the Lunning Prize in 1958, the Eckersberg Medal in 1960 and several ID Prizes.
“It’s the inherent language of the materials I want to express.”
Poul Kjærholm
Our designers
Hans J. Wegner
Danish furniture designer Hans J. Wegner (1914-2007) is considered one of the most creative, innovative, and prolific designers of all times, renowned for his precision, great insight into craftsmanship and uncompromising approach to design.
Anker Bak
Designer and cabinetmaker Anker Bak (b. 1983) is known for his problem-solving and human-centric design approach.
Arne Jacobsen
As one of Denmark's most famous and renowned architects, Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971) is synonymous with modernism both in Denmark and abroad, where his stringent and expressive style became characteristic of his architectural and design work as a whole.
Bodil Kjær
Danish professor and architect Bodil Kjær has significantly contributed to the spread of Danish Modern design principles through her travels, knowledge gathering and promotion of the relationship between design and architecture.
Bonderup & Thorup
Claus Bonderup (1943–2022) and Torsten Thorup (b.1944) are regarded as some of the most prolific post-modern designers, leaving their mark on everything from architecture and international design projects to industrial design.
Brad Ascalon
Brad Ascalon is an American designer born in 1977. He entered the art and design world at a young age. His grandfather, a sculptor and industrial designer, and his father, a renowned artist, encouraged a passion for design, craftsmanship and materials that would last.
Børge Mogensen
Cabinetmaker and designer Børge Mogensen (1914-1972) created durable and simple furniture with a focus on people and is today regarded as one of the most influential representatives of Danish Modern.
EOOS
The design studio EOOS, founded by Martin Bergmann (b. 1963), Gernot Bohmann (b. 1968) and Harald Gründl (b. 1967), enjoys a reputation for its poetic approach to design.
Frits Henningsen
Frits Henningsen was an uncompromising designer known for his perfectionism and vibrant personality. He gave new expression to traditional designs and viewed quality craftsmanship as essential. Unlike most cabinetmakers, he always designed his own furniture pieces.
Kaare Klint
Architect Kaare Klint (1888–1954) was a beacon of Danish design and, with his unique understanding of proportions, he laid the groundwork for the Danish Modern concept.
Larsen & Bender Madsen
Ejner Larsen and Aksel Bender Madsen designed around 300 works, including the Metropolitan Chair. While the chair was their favorite object, they also made other pieces from bedroom suites to bookshelves. The results were always simple and timeless.
Linie Design
Linie Design, a Danish design company, was founded in 1980 and since then has specialized in the development of handmade rugs in elegant designs and of the highest quality materials.
Mads Odgård
The Danish industrial designer Mads Odgård (b. 1960) is known for his minimalist design approach with straight lines, geometric shapes and rationalism.
Mogens Lassen
Architect Mogens Lassen created works rooted in cubist architectural ideals inspired by Le Corbusier. Considered a pioneer of functionalism in Denmark, Lassen’s designs showcased his ability to express ideas through diverse materials.
Morten Gøttler
Morten Gøttler (b.1944) is a Danish designer with a unique appreciation of materials, form and functionality.
Nanna Ditzel & Jørgen Ditzel
Her desire to explore spaces and experiment with techniques on the edge of what is possible led Nanna Ditzel – one of Danish design’s most distinctive personalities – to become acquainted with the entire design universe.
Ole Wanscher
Ole Wanscher was integral to the aesthetic and functionality of modern Danish design. Having studied under Kaare Klint, he helped shape Danish furniture design as a designer and as an educator when he took over Klint’s professorship at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.
Fabricius & Kastholm
Function and minimalism were the watchwords for Danish designers Preben Fabricius (1931–1984) and Jørgen Kastholm (1931–2007), when this design duo created a wide collection of design-led furniture and lighting of international renown.
Rikke Frost
Rikke Frost (b.1973) is recognised for her profound knowledge of materials and for how she combines different craft traditions. This is clearly reflected in her portfolio of designs, where contemporary and traditional design axioms and materials converge in organically styled furniture and lighting.
Strand & Hvass
The Strand + Hvass duo is part of a new breed of Danish designers whose work continues in a direct line from their celebrated predecessors. With the Extend Table design, they infused the modern Danish furniture tradition with a bold new expression.
Tadao Ando
Japanese architect Tadao Ando bases his work on a design philosophy that unites Japanese design traditions with modern Western expression. Inspired by Le Corbusier, Ando’s style is minimalistic and innovative, with a focus on functionality.
Thomas Bo Kastholm
Thomas Bo Kastholm creates designs that unite diverse materials into compelling compositions with clear purpose. The TK8 Daybed, with its close ties to the core principles of classic, modern Danish design, exemplifies Kastholm’s ideals.
When you choose a product from Carl Hansen & Søn, you get more than just a piece of furniture. You will become part of a long and proud tradition of beautiful and distinctive craftsmanship where nothing is left to chance. We are the world’s largest manufacturer of furniture designed by Hans J. Wegner, and we also produce furniture created by renowned furniture designers such as Arne Jacobsen, Børge Mogensen, Ole Wanscher, Kaare Klint, Poul Kjærholm, Bodil Kjær and Tadao Ando. Carl Hansen & Søn represents more than 100 years of Danish design history, and our furniture is sold worldwide.
* Five-year warranty on indoor furniture. Two-year warranty on outdoor furniture
