Is Scandinavian Design Furniture Well Made?

Natural Shapes and Materials

• Characterized by a commitment to natural materials and shapes, this emphasis in Scandinavian design furniture contributes to its enduring qualities. Designers employed quality woods such as teak and walnut as integral parts of their designs. Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian designers shared a strong relationship with the environment due to the geography of their region, which came through in their designs. Their choices of fabrics -- natural wools or leathers -- also contributed to the quality and durability of their pieces. Designers such as Arne Jacobsen, best-known for his Egg and Ant chairs, and Eero Saarinen for the Womb and Tulip chairs, crafted organically shaped furniture to naturally cup and support the body.

Emphasis on Craft

• Whether it is traditional or contemporary, the craftsmanship of Scandinavian furniture dedicates itself to quality in design and materials. Designer Hans Wegner offers one such example. After working as a cabinetmaker apprentice from a young age until 17, he signed up with the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design. He brought his skills as a cabinetmaker to bear in his minimalist chair designs. Known for constructing perfectly finished joints, Wegner stuck to designs that primarily utilized natural materials. In this tradition, Scandinavian design sets its sights on the best uses of each country's handcraft practices. It also focuses on the furniture's organic functionality because of limited resources due to the region's geographic isolation.

Form Follows Function

• Scandinavian-designed furniture starts with the idea of organic functionality. When making children's furniture, these designers made pieces that met children's needs rather than simply adopting miniature versions of adult pieces. Similar considerations including storage, space and materials led Arne Jacobsen to create the Ant chair, which is light, durable and stackable, versions of which you can find in many offices and schools today. Along with the organic functionality of Scandinavian furniture, many of the forms found in the furniture drew on the inherent qualities of the materials used when crafting the furniture.

Timeless Design

• Contemporary Scandinavian furniture designers combine the accessibility and utility of products, such as those made by current manufacturers with an ongoing exploration of matchless designs. The philosophy behind Scandinavian furniture includes democratic design, which means quality designs that most any person can afford. Just as Mid-Century Modernist and Scandinavian designers emphasized materials and quality, contemporary Scandinavian furniture adopts the same approach. Contemporary designers produce new products featuring traditional materials that include walnut, ash and oak. The ongoing emphasis on materials, craftsmanship, function and accessibility make Scandinavian design -- whether mid-century or contemporary -- examples of well-made and accessible furnishings.