 |
| knoll.com |
Risom helped introduce Scandinavian design to America and will be remembered for his innovative and elegant furniture.
Showing posts with label Jens Risom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jens Risom. Show all posts
Monday, December 12, 2016
Remembering Mr. Risom (1916-2016)
Noted mid-century furniture designer Jens Risom died December 9, seven months after his 100th birthday.
Risom helped introduce Scandinavian design to America and will be remembered for his innovative and elegant furniture.
Risom helped introduce Scandinavian design to America and will be remembered for his innovative and elegant furniture.
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Jens Risom
I ran across a wonderful DWR interview with Jens Risom...100 years old and still in the game. This extraordinary man just keeps on contributing to modern design!
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Celebrating early
Here's the little Jens Risom side table that I picked out for our family room. I'm even happier with it than I expected to be.
 |
| New Jens Risom T.710 side table from DWR |
 |
| Tornado side table from CB2, bought years ago |
 |
| Family room/dining room |
And while we're on the subject of my love for Jens, here's a photo of one of my favorite vintage pieces (and one of the first I ever bought)...a classic Risom credenza, which backs up to the sofa.
 |
| Risom credenza |
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Jens Risom side table
I ordered a Jens Risom side table from Design Within Reach a few days ago and was told that it's backordered, so it might be January before it comes in. You can imagine my delight when I found out today that it should be here next week!
I'm a devoted Risom fan, so I couldn't be more excited about getting this table. I think it will be perfect in our living room.
I'm a devoted Risom fan, so I couldn't be more excited about getting this table. I think it will be perfect in our living room.
 |
| Jens Risom side table dwr.com |
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Jens Risom
I started this blog September 6, 2010. Some of you have been readers since the beginning. Others have come on board later. From now through the end of the month, I'm going to be on a short blogging break. Not only am I in the middle of a big volunteer project, I'm also trying to help get the new store open, so I've decided share some of my favorite posts from the past four years. I'll throw in a few new photos for you longtime supporters who read the posts when they were first published.
(First posted 10/31/2010)
Jens Risom (1916- ) studied interior and furniture design at the Arts and Crafts Academy of Copenhagen, graduating in 1937. In 1939, he immigrated to the United States where he established himself as a proponent of the Scandinavian Modern style, which, at the time, had not yet achieved popularity.
That changed in 1940, when his design for a model house in New York's Rockefeller Center attracted widespread attention, generating both publicity and commissions, among them the distinction of being the first person invited to design furniture for Hans Knoll.
One of Risom's most recognizable designs is the birchwood chair (1941), which was made of molded birch and army surplus webbing. It is still in production today in a variety of colors. He is also known for his sculptural tables, chairs and sofas which had a lip that edged over an open base, giving the piece the illusion of floating.
After the Second World War, Risom founded his own furniture business, Jens Risom Design. He served as chief designer until 1973, when he sold his company to Dictaphone. He then moved to New Canaan, Connecticut, where he founded a consultancy studio called Design Control. It is still active.
From lostcityarts.com
(First posted 10/31/2010)
That changed in 1940, when his design for a model house in New York's Rockefeller Center attracted widespread attention, generating both publicity and commissions, among them the distinction of being the first person invited to design furniture for Hans Knoll.
One of Risom's most recognizable designs is the birchwood chair (1941), which was made of molded birch and army surplus webbing. It is still in production today in a variety of colors. He is also known for his sculptural tables, chairs and sofas which had a lip that edged over an open base, giving the piece the illusion of floating.
After the Second World War, Risom founded his own furniture business, Jens Risom Design. He served as chief designer until 1973, when he sold his company to Dictaphone. He then moved to New Canaan, Connecticut, where he founded a consultancy studio called Design Control. It is still active.
From lostcityarts.com
.jpg) |
| Lounge chair bonluxat.com |
 |
| Bench archiexpo.com |
 |
| Credenza 1stdibs.com |
 |
| Armchairs 1stdibs.com |
 |
| Magazine table 1stdibs.com |
 |
| Slipper chair 1stdibs.com |
 |
| 3-seater sofa 1stdibs.com |
 |
| Chair and ottoman 1stdibs.com |
 |
| Side table 1stdibs.com |
 |
| Love seat 1stdibs.com |
 |
| Risom's Rhode Island residence dwell.com |
 |
| Interior of Risom residence dwell.com |
 |
| knoll.com |
Saturday, September 7, 2013
In the store: Jens Risom coffee table and lounge chairs
Jens Risom is one of my favorite designers. One look at the beautiful floating top on this coffee table reminds me why. This particular piece has a beautiful finish and an extraordinary wood grain on the top.
And, by the way, the blog turned three years old yesterday, and I forgot to celebrate. On September 6, 2010, I posted for the first time, having no idea that you great folks would join me in this ongoing experience. I just read that first post, and I was amazed at how prophetic it was. We hadn't even thought about opening a store at that time, yet I was already talking about having great finds shipped from other locations. (We recently shipped several pieces to a customer in Hong Kong. Who could have predicted that?)
I want to thank you again for your loyalty, support and encouragement. You're the best bunch of readers anyone could ask for!
 |
| Jens Risom coffee table |
 |
| Alternate view |
 |
| End view |
 |
| Top view |
We haven't had many Risom pieces in the store lately, so I'm especially happy to announce the arrival of these handsome solid walnut high back lounge chairs, which have been fully restored. Everything about these chairs remind me of the elegant and debonair Mr. Risom himself.
 |
| Jens Risom high back lounge chairs |
 |
| Front close-up |
 |
| Back close-up |
 |
| Portrait of Jens Risom knoll.com |
**************************************
I want to thank you again for your loyalty, support and encouragement. You're the best bunch of readers anyone could ask for!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Designer fails: Where's the base?
I started this series on designer fails with a post about an Adrian Pearsall collection that was lush, plush overkill. I mentioned at the time that I was starting with Pearsall to prove that I could be impartial, because I'm usually a real fan of his.
Without really planning it, this second post of the series is about another of my favorite designers, Jens Risom. My original premise was that even great designers have ill-conceived or poorly executed ideas, and I have an example residing in my own home.
At his best, Risom has produced furniture with the most gorgeous bases I've ever seen, including some that make the tabletop, chair or sofa seem to float. Take a look at some of these stunning designs.
Take, on the other hand, the tables I have in my home. They have beautiful bases. Unfortunately, you can't see them without practically lying on the floor. The table tops extend almost 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) beyond the bases and are simply too large. Couple that with the fact that the tables are extremely low, and even someone who's 5'3" like I am has problems seeing what's underneath. As a result, the bases that were designed to make the tabletops appear to float are hidden and seem crushed under the weight of the massive tops.
Remember the Wendy's commercial in the 1980s featuring Clara Peller asking, "Where's the beef?" That's how I feel about the bases when I look at my tables.
Without really planning it, this second post of the series is about another of my favorite designers, Jens Risom. My original premise was that even great designers have ill-conceived or poorly executed ideas, and I have an example residing in my own home.
At his best, Risom has produced furniture with the most gorgeous bases I've ever seen, including some that make the tabletop, chair or sofa seem to float. Take a look at some of these stunning designs.
 |
| Comfort Conscience lounge chairs...a definite SUCCESS circamodern.com |
 |
| Floating bench...another SUCCESS 1stdibs.com |
 |
| Lounge chair floating on a three-legged base 1stdibs.com |
 |
| Floating coffee table...YES! |
 |
| My Jens Risom credenza...a KEEPER! |
Take, on the other hand, the tables I have in my home. They have beautiful bases. Unfortunately, you can't see them without practically lying on the floor. The table tops extend almost 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) beyond the bases and are simply too large. Couple that with the fact that the tables are extremely low, and even someone who's 5'3" like I am has problems seeing what's underneath. As a result, the bases that were designed to make the tabletops appear to float are hidden and seem crushed under the weight of the massive tops.
Remember the Wendy's commercial in the 1980s featuring Clara Peller asking, "Where's the beef?" That's how I feel about the bases when I look at my tables.
 |
| My table...Where's the base? This has to go down as a FAIL. |
 |
| The same table taken from a better angle See, it really does have a beautiful base under there. worthpoint.com |
Friday, June 1, 2012
Meet Mr. Risom
Jens Risom is one of my favorite designers, so when we dropped a Risom sofa off to be reupholstered a couple of weeks ago, I could hardly wait for it to be finished.
We chose a beautiful Maharam fabric in apple green with gray circles in a pattern called Repeat Dot Rings which was designed by Hella Jongerius. I expected it to be a real eye-catcher, but it exceeded my expectations.
This sofa is an early piece from Risom, designed for Knoll in the late 1940s. The arms on this sofa look so streamlined and cool...a design ahead of its time.
This sofa is an early piece from Risom, designed for Knoll in the late 1940s. The arms on this sofa look so streamlined and cool...a design ahead of its time.
 |
| Jens Risom sofa |
 |
| Maraham Repeat Dot Ring fabric by Hella Jongerius |
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Did you blink?
Everyone who loves mid-century design has seen the 1961 photo below that ran with a Playboy magazine article featuring the major designers of the day.
What you may not have seen is a real, live C140 chair, now affectionately called the Playboy Chair, with which Jens Risom is posing. And if you blinked, you may have missed the two fully restored C140s we had in the store. They were exquisitely restored with the exact fabric and same cane the chair in the photo had. Take a look at these beauties.
These were, hands down, the most accurately restored pieces we've ever had in the store, and they flew out the door yesterday before I could even publish this post. Before the end of the day, the new owners had visited our Facebook page to share a picture of the chairs in their home.
 |
| l to r: George Nelson, Edward Wormley, Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, Charles Eames and Jens Risom |
What you may not have seen is a real, live C140 chair, now affectionately called the Playboy Chair, with which Jens Risom is posing. And if you blinked, you may have missed the two fully restored C140s we had in the store. They were exquisitely restored with the exact fabric and same cane the chair in the photo had. Take a look at these beauties.
 |
| C140 "Playboy Chairs" by Jens Risom at the store |
These were, hands down, the most accurately restored pieces we've ever had in the store, and they flew out the door yesterday before I could even publish this post. Before the end of the day, the new owners had visited our Facebook page to share a picture of the chairs in their home.
 |
| Jens Risom C140s in their new home |
 |
| Jens Risom, whose 96th birthday is coming up May 8. |
Monday, December 19, 2011
Christmas wish list: 1stdibs
I've posted wish lists from eBay and Etsy already. I figured, while I'm at it, I might as well up the ante and choose a few things from 1stdibs. After all, if my loved ones are going to have to take out a loan, it might as well be a big one. :) Here are a few things that would jingle my bells.
 |
| Isamu Noguchi tripod lamp - $1,600 1stdibs.com - Just in Modern |
 |
| Poul Henningsen light fixture - $2,600 1stdibs.com - Gallery L7 |
 |
| Alvar Aalto Paimio chairs - $3,400 1stdibs.com - Sputnik Modern |
 |
| Jens Risom bench - $4,800 1stdibs.com - ABC Modern |
 |
| Richard Stein daybed for Knoll - $5,800 1stdibs.com - Collage |
 |
| Peter Hvidt settee/sofa - $7,200 1stdibs.com - Dual |
 |
| Adrian Pearsall sofa - $8,650 1stdibs.com - Las Venus |
 |
| Hans Wegner Papa Bear chair - $10,800 1stdibs.com - Machine Age |
 |
| Vladimir Kagan sofa - $27,000 1stdibs.com - Almond Hartzog |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)