Talking trends with designer Anders Engholm Kristensen

LTP Group was fortunate to have the opportunity to sit down with the renowned Danish furniture designer Anders Engholm Kristensen to get his take on trends in furniture design.
Anders is the newly elected winner in the Danish TV show ‘Denmark’s next classic’.

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Future trends are dear to our hearts, because every day we seek to design and develop furniture to meet the needs and desires of our clients around the world.  

In this fascinating interview, we were reminded that to predict the future, it is often necessary to revisit the past. Anders emphasized the role that Danish history, and the   economic fluctuations of the past half century, plays in influencing our lifestyle and outlook. We also covered the topics of the “storytelling” of wood, minimalism, furniture with a purpose, and how sustainability is currently the hot ticket in furniture design.

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A Brief History of Danish Furniture Design

Anders began by explaining the role of history and economic circumstances in influencing the types of wood that were used in Scandinavian furniture design. In the 1970s, the materials were influenced by both the hippie culture and the turmoil of the late 60s and early 70s. Dark, heavy woods such as mahogany and teak were replaced by lighter pine and spruce as a counterreaction. Anders says that “this wood has a lot of gnarls, and it actually can show the details of its individual history. Pine is a very good ‘storyteller’ in more than one sense.”

The pendulum swung back again later in the decade as the Italian group, Memphis Milano, livened up the design scene with its colorful postmodern furniture made from materials such as plastic laminate and terrazzo. As a result, many of the pine factories closed down. Fast forward to the crash of 2008 and its aftermath, when furniture was once again made with upcycled, inexpensive materials. A little over a decade later, locally sourced wood was back in style thanks to a desire for sustainable furnishings, and, according to Anders,  because “we are, once again, in a time of crisis due to the COVID pandemic.”    

But today, as we emerge from the most recent crisis, people have more money to spend. Home renovations are often do-it-yourself projects, with homeowners using local materials such as pine and spruce because they are inexpensive and easy to work with.

And so, we have come full circle, as we fill our homes with the same wood we fondly remember from our childhoods that create a sense of hominess, or “hygge” in Danish. The only change, according to Anders, is adding a splash of color to bring some excitement to interiors.

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Is New Nordic Minimalism Here to Stay?

The future of Danish furniture will still include its historic elements: natural materials, a light and minimalistic feel, earthy colors and streamlined shapes. But Anders imagines the addition of a touch of playfulness and surprise, using a multi-colored vase with its handle upside-down as an example, as well as the embracing of colorful African patterns and graphic prints, “something that makes us happy, something to smile about,” he told us.

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Design with a Purpose

Anders agrees with our observation that office and home furnishings are beginning to merge both aesthetically and functionally. Take a look at our recent article: Office Furniture Trend: Bringing the feeling of home into the office. He predicts a general willingness to be more daring in contract furniture, evidenced by the abundant use of color, adventurous shapes, and explicit functionalities such as sound-reducing features to provide acoustic solutions. There will be a “homey” touch as well, to entice workers to spend more time at the office.

“What we going to see in larger scale in contract projects,” Anders told us, “is furniture made for a specific location with specific purpose, making the furniture 100% relevant. It will be made to contribute to a desired atmosphere.”

An example of Anders’ work is featured on the Danish TV program, Denmark’s Next Classic, recently aired on DR1. As a contestant, he designed a chair for Aveny T, a new theatre in Copenhagen, based on specific requirements: suitability for indoor and outdoor use; made from sustainable materials; and having a multi-functional purpose. Crafted from colorful re-used plastic and designed for sitting backward as well as forward, it is conceived of to appeal the youthful culture of Aveny T.
This design secured Anders the winning title of the TV program and has now been picked up for production by Montana.

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Sustainability in Furniture Design

Anders sees sustainability as a major element of furniture design, even though it is often more expensive to produce. But the tide is slowly turning, as many manufacturers are increasing their production of sustainable products.

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The beechwood used in Scandinavia is considered sustainable because much of it was planted in the 1970s.  But according to Anders, we will see more innovative materials, including granulated plastic, which he used for his chair for Aveny T, and recycled textiles for upholstery.  

Anders pointed out that sustainability goes beyond materials - it’s also about functionality. For example, furniture should be designed to be easily taken apart and reassembled, making its transport more efficient because it can be flat-packed.

It's not just designers who are interested in sustainable furniture. There is a demand from consumers as well, and now, with more money than ever, they are willing to pay that little extra for a piece of furniture with a good story to tell.

At LTP, we pay close attention to developments and trends in the furniture market worldwide, and enjoy sharing that information with our customers. It also helps us to continuously develop our products and services so we can meet the needs of our partners as we progress together through the 21st century.

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About Anders Engholm Kristensen

Anders is a talented designer based in Aarhus, Denmark. He received his BA in Arts, Furniture Design from VIAUC, TEKO. He is the owner of Studio FEM, which specializes in furniture and interior design that pushes traditional boundaries.
Anders just won the Danish TV program ‘Denmark’s Next Classic’, which five designers competed in creating sustainable and multifunctional furniture.

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About LTP Group

LTP Group is production partner for demanding Sport &Outdoor and Furniture brands with 10 privately owned factories across 6countries in Europe, Asia, and North America.

About the Writer

Meryl Siegman is a content writer specializing in the interior design industry. She has an avid interest in the evolution of office design in a world impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.