Furniture Design

February 16th, 2010

While there are many differences between the United States and Denmark, I believe one of the biggest differences is how people decorate their homes. In America we tend to decorate our houses based on the region we live in. The East coast may have more of a historic feel to the décor of their interior spaces. Florida residents usually stick to a tropical motif and Southern Californians may decorate with a Latino infused modern style. But houses are no means confined to a particular style based on their geographical location. Often times you find places that have themed rooms. Perhaps the kitchen features a collection of chicken objects, or the bathroom feels like an ocean snorkeling adventure. These trends seem highly unlikely in the Danish and Scandinavian home of today.

A painfully tacky American bathroom

[http://sherryspage.com/]

The role furniture plays in the life of Danes is huge. Most Danes would be able to recognize a chair or lamp and name the designer. In the United States people don’t know if you bought your lamp from Target or a high-end lighting store. Our furnishings and architecture isn’t always very honest. After spending time getting to know the different Danish designers and their products I aspire to afford them for my house in the future. But even should I spend several thousand dollars for a lamp or chair, most American’s wouldn’t even realize where it came from or why it’s considered good design.

[http://www.arquitectura.com/arquitectura/monografias/notas/casa_tugendhat/index_en.asp]

These thoughts led me to consider whom we decorate our homes for? Obviously we must be happy within our dwellings, but are we trying to impress others with our furnishings. In the States I think it’s important to have a lavish space and looks and feels cohesive. In Denmark, Danes strive to showcase important pieces of their country’s famous designers. However, because such time and consideration was put into these pieces they function more efficiently and therefore hold a greater importance to the culture. Take for example the PH lamp. Not only does it shield your eyes from direct light, it’s hung lower to tables to help facilitate a stronger connection between the seated persons. These strong intentions proclaimed through honest design is what I hope to emulate back in the states and hopefully inspire others to embrace.