Finn Juhl

Finn Juhl was a Danish architect and interior designer who played a prominent role in introducing the ‘Danish Modern’ style to America. The popularity of Finn Juhl furniture is easy to understand when you consider the way it melds and enticing softness with stark modern wood frames. Interestingly, Finn Juhl furniture is available in both teak and other dark woods, unlike most other Danish Modern designs which were produced primarily in oak. Finn Juhl chairs are known for their floating back and seat and are typically upholstered in utilitarian fabrics such as wool. Finn Juhl was influenced both by the work of abstract sculptor Jean Arp and by tribal art. As a hat tip to his influences, Finn Juhl has exhibited his famous work, the Finn Juhl Chieftain chair, alongside photos of weapons from anthropological studies. The organic shape of the Finn Juhl Chieftain chair makes it a showstopper, while its luscious teak wood makes it pop in any room. Finn Juhl’s furniture saw a resurgence of popularity in the 80s and 90s. The 57 sofa, in particular, which debuted in Copenhagen in 1957, was relaunched in 2010 after Finn Juhl’s widow, Hanne Wilhelm Hansen, commissioned a single issue of the sofa based on drawings for his 10th anniversary of passing. This Finn Juhl sofa won the Wallpaper design award in the Best Reissue in the sofa design category. Love the modernist bent of Juhl’s work but looking for something with a bit more vamp? Check out the striking designs of eight-time Golden Compass winner Mario Bellini.