Niels Otto Møller

A designer particularly close to Great Dane’s heart, Niels Otto Møller (1920-1982) is one of the most influential furniture craftsmen of his time. Proud to stand by practices that have been around since he opened his workshop in Aarhus, Denmark in 1944, Møller’s family-run business legacy is to never compromise on quality – where old craft traditions are still used today.

Born in Århus in 1920, the work of Danish designer Niels Otto Møller earned a reputation for consistent excellence in quality and workmanship. This dedication to his craft stemmed from his cabinetmaking apprenticeship, completed in 1939, which was followed by further study at the Århus School of Design.

Following his studies, Niels founded J. L. Møller in 1944 and achieved great success under his tutelage, which included winning the Danish Furniture Prize awards in 1974 and 1981. Today the company is helmed by Niels’s granddaughter, Kirsten Møller, where the commitment to careful material selection by specialist cabinetmakers is upheld to this day. The Møller factory proudly remains a workshop free of assembly lines…a rarity in this modern era.

A piece of Møller furniture is instantly recognisable. The iconic paper cord design harks back to World War II when rubber was substituted for durable cord in Denmark. Niels Otto Møller incorporated this traditional, twisted paper cord into the seat design of his chairs, synonymous with Scandinavian design today.