Poul Kjaerholm

Poul Kjærholm (1929–1980) was a Danish furniture designer whose work brought a distinctly architectural approach to mid-century Scandinavian design. Trained as a cabinetmaker, he graduated from the Danish School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen in 1952. While many of his contemporaries focused primarily on wood, Kjærholm became fascinated with steel, which he regarded as a natural material in its own right. He often paired it with leather, cane, marble, glass, and wood, allowing the character of each material to remain visible. In 1955, Kjærholm began a long collaboration with manufacturer Ejvind Kold Christensen, producing many of the designs that would define his career. Among them are the PK22 lounge chair, PK61 table, PK24 chaise longue, and PK80 daybed. Their slender structures and carefully balanced proportions demonstrate Kjærholm’s interest in reducing furniture to its essential elements without sacrificing comfort or material richness. Alongside his design practice, Kjærholm taught at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and became a professor there in 1976. He received the Lunning Prize in 1958 and major awards at the Milan Triennale. Following his death, Fritz Hansen took over production of much of the Kjærholm Collection, keeping his furniture in continuous production today.