In 1938 Danish architect Kaare Klint introduced the Spherical Bed at the Cabinetmakers’ Autumn Exhibition titled “A Lady’s Boudoir.” The name directly referred to the geometry behind the design: the sphere. This year Danish furniture company Carl Hansen & Søn brought Kaare’s iconic design back to life, unveiling a double-bed version at the 3daysofdesign festival in Copenhagen. The new piece was handcrafted by the company’s master cabinetmakers and apprentices at the LAB, their in-house workshop.
In 1938 Danish architect Kaare Klint introduced the Spherical Bed at the Cabinetmakers’ Autumn Exhibition titled “A Lady’s Boudoir.” The name directly referred to the geometry behind the design: the sphere. Photo courtesy of Carl Hansen & Søn
Production Supervisor Jeppe Ravn Frederiksen and Project Coordinator Martin Tolberg Møller say they began the redesign process by piecing together the one-person bed from Kaare’s original drawings. “The sketches we used are part of the bed’s history, showing the marks and notes of cabinetmakers from the time,” Martin says. “We digitized the old calculations, and even though we used modern software, all of the original measurements were correct. It was incredible how accurate the designer had been.”
Described as “a mathematical stroke of genius,” the space between the Spherical Bed’s headboard, footboard, and sides follow the shape of a fictitious sphere, mirroring its rounded edge. Expanding to a double size would be a careful process. “Once we could calculate the one-person bed’s geometric shapes, we had to pull the dimensions outward,” Jeppe says. “It was nerve-racking,” Martin admitted, describing the pressure to maintain the original bed’s essence while evolving it for contemporary tastes. “Before launching the double bed we hoped people would love it as much as we do. We even consulted the Klint family for approval.”
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- Described as “a mathematical stroke of genius,” the space between the Spherical Bed’s headboard, footboard, and sides follow the shape of a fictitious sphere, mirroring its rounded edge.
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- Only a few beds are produced each year, making it a rare collector’s item. Between sourcing materials and building the frame, it takes a full month to create one bed. Photos courtesy of Carl Hansen & Søn
Only a few beds are produced each year, making it a rare collector’s item. Between sourcing materials and building the frame, it takes a full month to create one bed. “We focused on making it as exceptional as possible, down to the veneer on both the inside and outside, which comes from the same log of timber sourced from Germany,” Martin says. “It’s difficult to find wood of that quality and size, but it was important to us to get it right. Everything is done in-house, from raw planks to the final bed.”
The result is a dramatic, freestanding design that is intended to be a focal point, standing alone in the center of a room. “I have seen it many times,” Jeppe says. “But whenever the bed comes together, it’s quite stunning to see the shapes on it.”
