The Danes really do like their chairs. I mean they are seriously obsessed. In our apartment there are pictures of chairs on the walls; in the shops you can buy mini models of chairs and get this, at the the table where I sit and do my blogging in our apartment, you guessed it, there’s a chair! (Four in fact!) The reason for this passion is because the Danes are very proud of their furniture and their furniture designers. In fact when we first got into our apartment, Karen said “ohh I like that coffee table. It’s very…errr…Scandinavian”.

The problem is that when we think of Scandi designed furniture, we immediately think IKEA, but don’t say that too loudly here. There is still a bitter rivalry between Denmark and Sweden and whilst their neighbours may have more successfully dominated the world stage with their stripped wood furniture, the Danes would claim that theirs is better designed.

Now I like a good sit down. After lying down, it’s probably my favourite position. I really don’t understand these standing desks. I think people who use them have misunderstood the only advantage of being stuck at a desk working…you are sitting. Sitting with a cup of tea, even better. I really am a big fan of sitting. If only there was a museum which celebrated the humble chair. What’s that? There is? And it’s here in Copenhagen? Who knew!

The Design museum celebrates not only chairs, but tables, telephones and toasters. But the chair really does take centre stage. It’s the only museum I know with a dedicated “chair corridor” (I said they were obsessed). It was amazing how many items we looked at and went “I know that…oh, it was designed by a Dane”. I always thought that the cafetierre (or French Press as the Americans call it) was designed by the French. But it would appear that it was Mr Bodum (Danish) who came up with the concept. That sunny face logo for renewable energy that was all over the place in the 1970’s; Danish.

I think spindly chairs, renewable energy and coffee pretty much sums up the Danish psyche. I like them. Especially their meatballs. Oh hold on I’ve got that wrong again haven’t I?

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