eBay Browse-Athon: Danish Modern

Designed by Tori Golub of Tori Golub Interiors (http://www.torigolubinteriors.com), a breakfast room in an elegant New York City Fifth Avenue building gets a minimal treatment that includes Danish modern dining chairs.

Danish modern is a functional design and architecture style developed during the mid-century era of the 1940s through the 1960s. The wooden furnishings of this period are minimalist and sleek—often constructed of teak, though also found in walnut and rosewood. The decor of the family house in the "Brady Brunch" décor is a spot-on example of Danish modern (go Carol Brady!), and while the look has never really gone away, top interior designers of today, including Lars Bolander, Tori Golub, and Amy Lau, are enamored. (Sales and listings of "Danish modern" items on eBay have stayed fairly consistent over the past year, but average prices are up 8 percent over the last two weeks when compared with a two week period approximately one year ago.) Moreover, while iconic pieces, like Hans Wegner’s Wishbone “Y” chair and Jens Risom’s lounge chair—be they originals or reproductions—are generally pricey, no name vintage pieces in this style can be quite affordable.

Danish-born American designer Jens Risom designed the first chair manufactured by Knoll. He designed this 1950s settee, which has its original upholstery, with a walnut base.

This peppy azure sofa would be just as at home in a playroom as in an airy and elegant living room, providing the perfect pop of color and plenty of seating.

Produced in Denmark in the 1960s, this bar cabinet, in fantastic original condition, has a drop-down serving ledge, drawers, and sliding doors, with plenty of space for liquor bottles, glasses and swizzle sticks.

Furniture designer Ib Kofod-Larsen originally designed pieces for the Swedish market in the ‘60s but found more success in Denmark. These leopard velvet upholstered seats are amazing accent pieces.

Arne Jacobsen designed the now-iconic Egg chair for the lobby and reception areas of the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. This piece is an original from the ‘60s, manufactured (and labeled) by Fritz Hansen.

These mixed wood chairs, designed by Danish architect interior and industrial designer Finn Juhl and manufactured by Baker, are harder to find than the all walnut versions.

Danish furniture is renown for its clean lines and functionality, as evidenced by this coffee table with woven rope lower shelf.

Nesting tables are ideal for smaller spaces. Place a set next to a chair or sofa. These simple, well-priced teak pieces were made in Denmark in the 1960s.

A clean departure from the stuffy English-style valets once commonplace in gentlemen’s dressing rooms.

This multifunctional piece would work well for small space living as a desk for a laptop, or a bar if entertaining is more your thing.