N/A Kai Kristiansen Cabinet

Kai Kristiansen cabinet by Kai Kristiansen for Preben Schou Anderson, c. 1960.

Kristiansen is relatively unknown outside of Denmark, though his work is well respected in his home nation.

He trained as a cabinet-maker and following graduation in 1948 went on to Danish Academy of Fine Arts, under the tutorage of Kaare Klint. Thereafter he opened his own office and worked for a host of respected furniture manufacturers including Fritz Hansen and Magnus Olesen.

His designs for shelving and case furniture utilised a geometric relationship inspired by Klint’s work, and his seating designs, such as the No.42 chair, captured the spirit of Denmark’s, post-war golden period of design.

The rosewood cabinet produced by Preben Schou Anderson c. 1960 displays a simple and timeless outline. The use of inset aluminium door and drawer pulls and sabots on the legs create a very individual and restrained aesthetic. The influence for the decorative use of aluminium may be traced back to Josef Hoffman and secessionist designs. The cabinet demonstrates strong use of scale and is bold in dimensions when many Danish designs of this period were smaller and lower.