The Nyhavn Desk w/ Tray Unit | Finn Juhl | 1945
Finn Juhl was known for bringing a sense of visual lightness to his furniture, and the Nyhavn Desk is a fine example of this approach. The desk is available in several sizes and comes with a veneered tabletop in teak, oak, walnut, Oregon pine, or linoleum in 'black' or 'mushroom,' paired with matching wooden toes. The frame is offered in burnished steel, black, orange, or light blue (note: the 136 cm version is not available in burnished steel). A tray unit with three trays can be added and is available in either a warm or cool color palette.
Please note that the actual colors and materials may vary due to image editing and differences in screen balances and settings. The versions shown are intended to serve only as examples. We kindly encourage you to view the physical material samples at our official retailers. Learn more about our materials here: material page.
Design:
Finn Juhl
Year:
Desk: 1945, relaunched in 2009.
Tray unit: 1953, relaunched in 2012.
Materials:
Teak, oak, walnut, Oregon pine veneer or linoleum in the colours 'black' or 'mushroom' with matching wooden toes. Tabletop is in veneer or linoleum with solid edges. The frame is in burnished steel or painted black, orange or light blue.
Model and Dimensions:
FJ 5381 L: 190 cm | W: 85 cm | H: 72.5 cm FJ 5380 L: 170 cm | W: 85 cm | H: 72.5 cm FJ 5369 L: 136 cm | W: 68 cm | H: 72.5 cm
Tray unit:
FJ 5385
L: 43 cm | W: 51 cm | H: 26 cm
Finn Juhl was known for bringing a sense of visual lightness to his furniture, and the Nyhavn Desk is a fine example of this approach. The desk is available in several sizes and comes with a veneered tabletop in teak, oak, walnut, Oregon pine, or linoleum in 'black' or 'mushroom,' paired with matching wooden toes. The frame is offered in burnished steel, black, orange, or light blue (note: the 136 cm version is not available in burnished steel). A tray unit with three trays can be added and is available in either a warm or cool color palette.
Design:
Finn Juhl
Year:
Desk: 1945, relaunched in 2009.
Tray unit: 1953, relaunched in 2012.
Materials:
Teak, oak, walnut, Oregon pine veneer or linoleum in the colours 'black' or 'mushroom' with matching wooden toes. Tabletop is in veneer or linoleum with solid edges. The frame is in burnished steel or painted black, orange or light blue.
Model and Dimensions:
FJ 5381 L: 190 cm | W: 85 cm | H: 72.5 cm FJ 5380 L: 170 cm | W: 85 cm | H: 72.5 cm FJ 5369 L: 136 cm | W: 68 cm | H: 72.5 cm
Tray unit:
FJ 5385
L: 43 cm | W: 51 cm | H: 26 cm
A Table with Character
When Finn Juhl established his first studio at the exclusive address of 33 Nyhavn in central Copenhagen in 1945, he designed a simple desk with burnished steel legs – a detail that would go on to influence much of his furniture design in the 1950s. Finn Juhl adapted this simple concept for many purposes and in many variations, and even after relocating his studio to 38 Sølvgade in 1957, the same tables remained in use.
In designing the Nyhavn Desk, Finn Juhl drew inspiration from the clean, modern lines of his American contemporaries – particularly Charles Eames. Yet it is his distinctive sense of functionality and detail that gives the piece its enduring character.
Lightness and Exclusivity
Throughout his career, Finn Juhl created a number of tables featuring slender, almost invisible legs in burnished or painted steel with wooden feet. This construction lent his designs a distinctive sense of weightlessness – an effect he explored repeatedly.
The Nyhavn Desk can also be interpreted as a subtle reply to those who criticized the exclusivity of his sculptural approach, offering a more restrained, functional form while retaining his signature elegance.
The tray unit is suspended with discreet metal brackets, further reinforcing the desk's light, hovering expression. Its vibrant orange and blue accents are characteristic of Finn Juhl's palette and reflect his fascination with Goethe's theory of warm and cool colors.
