Mad About … Danish Interior Design

It’s finally back. Series III of The Killing returned to our screens at the weekend and whether you’re a fan of the gritty Danish drama or not, it feels like a perfect excuse to have another look at some  fabulous Danish design.

Once again, the interiors will no doubt play their part as viewers try to spot the design classics that will surely feature, and mad about the house can offer you an extra treat as we have learned that the furniture company Fritz Hansen loaned several products to the show. So let’s see which ones you can spot as the series goes on.

THE OXFORD CHAIR

Designed by Arne Jacobsen for the professors of St Catherine’s College, Oxford. When the Dean of St. Catherine’s College chose Arne Jacobsen to build an extension for the college, he was also commissioned to design the surrounding landscape and  furniture. In spite of initial protests and uproar over the commission of a foreign modernist, Arne Jacobsen received an honorary doctorate from Oxford, upon completion of the project. This groundbreaking example of total design is, today, considered Arne Jacobsen’s most outstanding work.

THE LILY CHAIR

Another classic by Arne Jacobsen, the Lily was originally designed for the Danish National Bank, according to the Aram Store. It is also known as the Series 8 and there is also a version with no arms.

THE CHINA CHAIR

Another design classic, this is a Hans Wegner Chair and would later evolve into the famous Wishbone. Designed in 1944, it is the only solid wood chair in the Fritz Hansen collection and was inspired by the Chinese chairs from the 17th and 18th centuries.

KAISER IDELL 

This iconic lamp celebrated its 80th birthday last year and is celebrating with a new matt black version and an appearance in The Killing. It is now recognised as one of the world’s most famous lighting designs that evolved from the Bauhaus era. Created by the German Silversmith Christian Dell in1931,it is available as a table lamp, floor lamp, wall lamp and pendant.

THE COAT TREE

Despite its delicate appearance, the coat tree by Sidse Warner will take a surprisingly large number heavy coats – a vital function if you live in cold and wet Copenhagen. Fritz Hansen have named it part of their Little Helpers collection, which also includes Jacobsen’s Dot stool.

ESSAY TABLE

You could imagine interrogating a suspect on this. Or possibly enjoying dinner with friends but Sarah Lund doesn’t really go in for socialising much. Although  -plot spoiler alert – in series III she apparently tips out one ready meal onto a PLATE rather than eating it straight from the box so you never know.

SPACE CHAIR 

Designed in 2007 by German Duo, Space JL10 was inspired by the human body and nature’s ability to design itself. Never mind all that, it just looks supremely comfortable and the perfect chair to relax in after a hard day’s murder hunt.

THE ICE CHAIR

The ice chair is the first chair in the collection that is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. It was designed by Kaspar Salto and is made from aluminium and plastic making it both lightweight and stackable.

NEST OF TABLES PK71

You might think nests of tables are very old fashioned but look again. This set, by Poul  Kjærholm, is part of the collections at MoMA. See if you spot one, or all three, in the new series.

T No-1 TABLE

Seen below with the Oxford chair from above, this table was designed by Todd Bracher in 2008 and is the epitome of  elegance.

And one more for luck from Louis Poulsen

PH 3/2

Designed in the 1920s, this lamp was reissued ten years ago and has been extremely popular ever since. Design by Poul Henningsen (he of the Artichoke Lamp fame) it is now produced under licence by Louis Poulsen. Danish architect Henningsen, known by his initials, PH was obsessed with light and is said to be the world’s first lighting architect.

So there you have it. Good luck with spotting the products. Do add your spots into the comments below and let’s see if we can score full marks.

It’s not just a murder hunt you know.