Seagrass Woven Chair Weaving

Seagrasses are the only flowering plants able to live in seawater and pollinate while submerged.

They often grow in large groups giving the appearance of terrestrial grassland or underwater meadow.

The seagrass used in chair weaving comes from Asia.

The seagrass is twisted to form a green rope material when newly woven and will brown as it ages.

Seagrass is a courser and more rigid material than the Danish cord material.

The diameter of seagrass varies drastically within a coil. Because of this, the number of wraps can vary between chairs, and the pattern can have gaps if woven in the rushing or envelope weave.

It tends to sit more proud and offers beautiful tones in the twisted grass.

Seagrass can be woven in different patterns, as shown above; however, many chairs are designed to accept a specific gauge or size of material and pattern.

Some exceptions to this rule are ladderback chairs and stools.

Peter Hvidt and Orla Molgaard

Peter Hvidt (1916-1986) and Orla Mølgaard-Nielsen (1907-1993) were pioneers of Danish mid-century design and the founders of Copenhagen-based firm Hvidt & Mølgaard.

Peter Hvidt was born in 1916. He studied at the School of Arts & Crafts in Copenhagen and taught there from 1942 until 1945.

Orla Molgaard-Nielsen, born in 1907, studied at the Aalborg Technical School before moving to the School of Arts & Crafts.

Model 316 Seagrass

Mid-Century Model 316 Chair by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard Nielsen for Søborg Møbelfabrik 1958.

Model 317 Seagrass

Mid-Century Model 317 Armchair by Peter Hvidt & Orla Mølgaard Nielsen for Søborg Møbelfabrik 1958.

Borge Mogensen Woven Chairs

Armchair Model 157

Model 537 Oresund Chair

Chair J39

Børge Mogensen was born in Aalborg, Denmark, 1914 - 1972

He began his studies in furniture design at the Danish School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen in 1936.

Borge Mogensen made the concept of “Danish Modern” known worldwide.

Armchair Model 157

Mid-Century Børge Mogensen Armchair Model 157 woven in seagrass for Søborg Møbelfabrik 1954.

Model 537 Oresund Chair

Model 537 Oresund chairs were designed by Borge Mogensen for Karl Andersson & Söner, 1955.

These chairs stem from the first production period. The design was inspired by American Shaker furniture. It is made of oiled oak and paper cord.

Chair J39

This is Mogensen’s most famous chair. The J39 Chair earned the nickname ‘The People’s Chair’ for its simplicity and versatility in 1947.

The vision was to create high-quality functional furniture at a reasonable price to make the ideas of simple modernism popular among the people. Mogensen decided that the furniture should all be based on established cabinet-maker’s principles using local production without compromising on quality.