The Reading Chair Takes On New Expressions: Now Introduced in an All-Walnut Version
Finn Juhl's distinctive Reading Chair is both understated and beloved. Today, the most well-known version of the chair combines walnut and oak, but over the past few years, the chair has been introduced in several variations. Now, a version is being introduced in the wood type that Finn Juhl proposed to the American furniture manufacturer Baker Furniture – crafted entirely in walnut. The new version is available with a veneered or upholstered seat.
The Qualities of the Dark Wood
Walnut offers a deep, warm hue that ranges from golden brown to dark chocolate. The walnut wood is finished with oil to protect the surface and enhance its resistance to water and stains. The wood absorbs the oil, creating a soft, natural finish that highlights the grain.
The Reading Chair is crafted at our own workshop in Vejen, Denmark. We use only American walnut sourced from suppliers who collaborate with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), an international trade organization promoting the use of American hardwood and supporting responsible forest management.
Designed for the American Market
Finn Juhl had an affinity for exotic woods such as rosewood, Cuban mahogany, and teak, and he often combined light and dark woods – for example, walnut, oak, maple, and beech. The Reading Chair is especially known for this distinctive feature, but Finn Juhl also designed a version for the American market made entirely of walnut. On the watercolor he created for Baker Furniture in 1952, he wrote:
"Nowadays, a dining chair is used for many other purposes than seating people at meal-times. This chair has a rather low back, corresponding in height to the dining table-top, and it also has a horizontal armrest, which can be used when a person is seated informally. Two versions are suggested: All in walnut with upholstered seat, all in walnut with a veneered plywood seat."
This description reflects his practical mindset and his enduring ambition to unite aesthetic subtlety with functional detail.
The Reading Chair, which was produced in Denmark by Bovirke, is considered a timeless and versatile classic. With its clean lines and subtle details, it suits private homes as well as hotels and restaurants. It is available in walnut, ash, oak, black-painted oak, or a combination of oak and walnut.
The Reading Chair can be ordered through our Finn Juhl partners all over the world.
