Danish design in Copenhagen

For decades, the Danes have exerted ‘national design power’, producing heaps of inspiring architecture, timeless interiors, and award-winning design to improve life. Some even say that the Danish approach to design is part of the local DNA as its citizens, ever since the post-war period, have fostered an influential and accredited design culture in all walks of life, including lifestyle, welfare, and sustainability, of course.  

In Copenhagen, there are traces of original Danish design on every street corner: In public places and spaces, at cultural institutions, venues, hotels, restaurants and bars, independent shops and even the local’s beloved bikes might be of Danish design origin. Here, you can explore Danish design on guided design tours, sleep and eat in it, tour the coolest of showrooms and flagship stores, and simply indulge in that ever-growing number of people who appreciate the timeless local design language. In other words, Copenhagen is seeping Danish functionalism and aesthetics and these days it is an absolute must-visit destination for design lovers worldwide.

• Simplicity, functionality, and elegance have been - and still are - the basic aspects of Danish design, yet nowadays much combined with sustainability.  
• Organic and natural materials often feature in Danish design, reflecting a solid relationship to nature. Wood, cotton, and wool also feature, as do house plants. 
• Often-used colours are neutral and monochromatic – bright, warm whites with black and tan - and with pops of colour added as accents. Plush pinks, Gray-blues, and colours rooted in nature are also popular in Danish (and Nordic) design.  
• Furniture, lighting, architecture, fashion, and jewellery are areas in which Danish designers excel particularly well. 
• A must-visit venue for anyone exploring Danish Design in Copenhagen is the Designmuseum Denmark located in Bredgade which has just relaunched in June 2022.  
• As design and architecture go hand in hand in Denmark, add the BLOX building and the inspiring Danish Architecture Centre on the harbour front to your local design bucket list. 
• The world’s first actual design hotel happens to be The Radisson Collection Royal Hotel designed in 1960 by the legendary Danish designer and architect Arne Jacobsen. 
• Mid-century pieces of Danish Modern design are seen as coveted art pieces and are nowadays often sold at staggering prices at international auction houses.  
• The 3daysofdesign which falls every year during a weekend in the summer is open to design lovers from near and far and is a brilliant way to meet creators, be inspired and enjoy the Danish capital of design.  
• In 2023, Copenhagen will bear the official title of UNESCO World Capital of Architecture, but already it holds the unofficial title as one of the world’s coolest capitals of Design.