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Designer of the week: Finn Juhl

Posted by Manhattan Home Design on Dec 10th 2018

Born in 1912, Finn Juhl is one of the lesser known figures of the mid-century modernist movement, though for real fans, he’s actually the very first. Primarily an architect and interior designer, Juhl not only contributed to the Danish modern design trend, he actually introduced it to America.

Originally from Denmark (obviously), he pursued a career in architecture because his father would not approve of his artistic tendencies. However, like many other mid-century colleagues, those inclinations would be the ones to produce the work he would be most remembered for in the future.

The forgotten child of the mid-century modernist movement

Juhl started making furniture to show at the Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibitions, a series of shows that offered young and upcoming designers with an opportunity to innovate. However, he failed to impress exhibition goers many times, and received harsh criticism for his earlier works.

Suggested Item: No 45 Chair

Ironically, his furniture was described as tired and even ugly, and he never enjoyed the success that other artists, like Hans Wegner, had at those exhibitions. His passion never waned, nonetheless, and in 1948 he became the main feature on a very famous Danish magazine called “Interiors.”

A lifetime of hard work allowed him to perfect his furniture designs, successfully marrying contemporary trends with the formal stylings of Danish lore and culture. Following a partnership with Edgar Kaufman Jr., an American architect, his works were prominently featured on US soil, beginning with the MoMA’s Good Design exhibition in Chicago.

The No. 45 chair

Juhl is mostly remembered for his chair designs, especially the beloved No. 45 chair. Thanks to Design Within Reach, mass production started early in the 1950s, igniting the spark for America’s love of mid-century modernist furniture from Denmark.

Suggested Item: No 45 Chair

The No.45 chair is an extremely stable and solid chair, but the engineering principles behind its manufacturing make it light and slender. Nowadays, an original design will cost you a whopping $10,000 at DWR, but there are always better options.

Manhattan Home Design is offering a No. 45 replica for a tenth of that price ($883). It’s made from ash wood and padded leather cushions, quite friendly and elegant for living rooms and other types of open spaces.

Pre-Order

A pre-order is manufactured just for you or is in the process of being manufactured and allows you to save 40% since we can cut out any storage and warehousing fees.
Our specialized team will start handcrafting it for you and deliver it in just 2-12 weeks. The lead time should show on the page next to the Pre-Order option, feel free to chat with us to confirm it. The standard in the furniture industry is over 20 weeks.
If you have any questions, our team will guide you through the ordering process.

TESTIMONIALS

The team was a pleasure to work with - customer service, workmanship, and quality are outstanding. 8 weeks lead time is actually fast for the furniture industry!
-Suzanne Palmer

Being able to customize the color of my furniture was key for us. We placed a custom order, got the colors we needed, and saved big compared to in-stock items. Great experience overall, 12 weeks was worth it!
-Richard Eaton

PRE-ORDER POLICIES

Custom-made items are put in production within 48 hours after the order is placed.
Pre-orders are not able to be returned or refunded based on buyer’s remorse.
The following terms will apply:

  • Full payment is required for pre-orders.
  • Order can be cancelled within 48 hours without fees.
  • After 48 hours, cancellations will require a 20% fee from the customer.
  • After two (2) weeks a pre-order is placed, the order cannot be canceled, and ManhattanHomeDesign.com will have the full right to receive full payment for the order placed for the pre-order item.