Danish Design

If I had to choose one item of furniture for my dream house, that would definitely be the Egg Chair.

The Egg Chair was designed by Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen for the lobby and reception areas of the Royal Hotel, in Copenhagen in 1958. He was commissioned the design of the whole hotel's furniture and interiors but the Egg remains his most famous design. The design of the Egg makes it an elegant complement that creates privacy in open spaces.

So, when I think about design, I immediately think about the Egg and then of course, of Denmark, home to one of the most important design centres of the world. The Danish Design Centre carries out a variety of activities such as workshops, inspiration and feedback meetings, courses, conferences and exhibitions which help provide a better understanding of the potential of design as a tool for innovation. 

When I think of Denmark I think of design, because it is an integrated part of the living in this country, because every detail in any space is taken care of and I appreciate its functional, a bit minimalistic, yet cozy approach.

So, what are my favorite brands and addresses in Copenhagen for design?

Here's a quick list:

- Royal Copenhagen: let's start with a classic. The Royal Porcelain Manufactory was founded in 1775 under the patronage of Queen Dowager and King Christian VII. Its beautiful and elegant designs can be admired (or bought) at the shop in Amagertorv 6, a beautiful renaissance building from 1616 and one of Copenhagen’s oldest houses.

- Georg Jensen : next to Royal Copenhagen's shop, there's Georg Jensen, where you can find stylish and functional pieces of design for the home, the office, the table and even jewelry (look for Arne Jacobsen's line of silverware).

- Illums Bolighus: but why walk around the city looking fror design shops when there's a shop that hosts them all, and right in the same square, Amagertorv. At Illums Bolighus 'a store with furnished interiors, where textiles and furniture interacted with art' (as they describe themselves) you can find all kinds of brands like Royal Copenhagen, Georg Jensen, Stelton, Ilse Jacobsen, Margit Brandt, Rosendahl, Fritz Hansen, Louis Poulsen, etc.

For a more affordable piece of Danish design to bring back home, walk a few steps to get to Illum or Magasin, the two high-end department stores of Copenhagen. There, in the higher floors, you can find brands like Bodum, Normann Copenhagen, etc. sometimes offering really good deals.

Still hung on danish design? Then head to Designmuseum Danmark, Denmarks largest museum for Danish and international design and a central exhibition forum for industrial design and applied arts in Scandinavia.

Check the following map to pinpoint these places and many more you should definitely stop by:


View Danish design in Copenhagen in a larger map

If you are an Arne Jacobsen fan, you should visit the Restaurant Jacobsen north of Copenhagen (in Klampenborg, to be more precise), its interiors are an homage to this great designer.



Here's my wishlist of my favorite Danish design pieces:

A good guide for a three-day design visit to Copenhagen can be found here.