Just right
- Posted on , by David Bjørngaard
A well-crafted and scaled piece of furniture can set the mood, revel in materiality and innovation, and ultimately unify a room. Here are a few examples from our work.
Set the mood. A home starts at the front door. Setting the personality of the inhabitants, introduce the material palette, and/or bringing together existing treasures with a perfectly scaled piece.
Develop a theme. For Decorator Showcase 2018 powder room, our theme of roman, from fountains, materiality and film were grounded in ancient history and the French avant-garde. The lines of the Colosseo Quadrato inspired this simple, functional table, while the inversion of materiality was a nod to the Italian avant-garde: prioritizing the inexpensive to the rare. An inexpensive Ash, a typical structural material for fine furniture is on the exterior, with the highly polished Rosewood floats from the interior.

Exquisite + utilitarian detailing. Inset leather, marquetry, joinery. An understanding of new and traditional techniques, deployed in a new, contemporary vocabulary provides furniture with deep meaning and enduring use.


A time and place to reflect. Smartly deployed, reflective metal, glass, lacquer and mirror can reflect surroundings, blurring boundaries between interior/exterior or doubling the impact of a prized piece of art.
Technological finesse. A slight of hand can achieve the seemly unachievable with sophisticated engineering and design. With a network of artisans, metalsmiths and carpenters, we are able to explore ideas and develop an actionable design.


Floating in space. Almost lighter than air, a cantilevered cabinet, vanity or desk lightens the mood, visually expanding a room. Done with grace, a floating piece of furniture provides needed utility without a heavy, full feeling.

Shou Sugi Ban. Controlled fire used to char wood is an ancient Japanese exterior siding technique that preserves wood. This is a technique that I have employed for years to expose the grain of wood, and provide a deep patina with luxurious touch when waxed.

Scale. The right piece of furniture needs to take into account the overall shape and volume of a room, providing clarity and unity. Sometimes the move is counter intuitive…all is dependent on each individual space and how it relates to adjacent rooms, the architecture, light and place.
David Bjørngaard, October 2020
Check out more of our work, at Bjørn Design