Skagerak folding chair

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Photographed in the yard at Nord

Through the 20th Century several Danish furniture designers produced folding chairs. The Classic Chair from Skagerak was designed by the architect Peter Karpf. Born in 1940, he trained first, in the late 1950s, as a cabinet maker with the Danish company Fritz Hansen and then, in the early 60s, studied at the Copenhagen School of Arts and Crafts.

Work by Karpf is exhibited in the collections of major galleries and museums around the World and he has won many design awards including the Bruno Mathsson Prize in 2002. The judges for that award concluded that Peter Karpf’s “strong sense of form in combination with a deep understanding of materials and manufacturing techniques make him one of the greatest contemporary Nordic designers.”

The Classic Chair comes in either oak or teak and has black leather seat and back and sturdy metal cross struts.

Skagerak Sway

This wide and low garden chair was nominated for a Danish Design Award in 2012. It is constructed in teak and has pale blue/green webbing for the seat and back. With it’s shallow rockers it seems ideal for snoozing in the garden during a long and warm summer afternoon ... should we get any long warm afternoons in England this summer. It is beautifully made so maybe it could be brought in and set beside the fire. The additional cushions in Dusty Green or in the small geometric pattern called Breeze are covered in Barriere® which is weather resistant so the cushions and chair can be left outside. According to Skagerak, Barriere is “capable of tolerating rain without becoming waterlogged.” Not sure I can say the same about myself.

the Helios Firebowl from Skagerak

The Firebowl is a shallow brazier that can be used with small logs for an outdoor terrace heater or there is an additional steel grill which converts it into a very stylish barbecue. Nord also stocks the Helios Barbecue Set in steel with teak handles and the large Nordic Bowl in porcelain ... ideal for the salad to go with whatever you cook on the barbecue.

Bars and cafes in Copenhagen, particularly those by the water of Nyhavn and along the string of lakes that form the west boundary of the city centre - from Sankt Jorgens Sø round to Sortedams Sø - have tables, seats and heaters outside and as the sun goes down then bar staff bring out light blankets for your knees and legs. I can’t think of many more civilised ways to get the most out of a long Summer evening.

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