Meeting Nanna Ditzel lead to an irresistible urge to put her furniture in your home. Partly because of her unparalleled innovative talent, but also in the hope that her personality would have had a contagious effect on your rooms.
Ditzel, who trained as a cabinet maker, was known for her professionalism and sure sense of the needs furniture is expected to meet. At the same time, however, she was renowned for her bold experimental style which won her numerous furniture awards. At an age when most other people have long since retired, the grand old lady of Danish design continued to attract worldwide attention and she welcomed the inspiration that came from new materials and production methods.
Ditzel was reluctant to discuss her current projects, but you could always be sure that the experimental designer had something innovative and spectacular in the pipeline.
‘Three steps forward and two back still means I’ve taken a step in the right direction!’ she used to say.
1943 Trained as a cabinet maker1944
Exhibited furniture at SE (the Joiners' Autumn Exhibition)
1945 Awarded 2nd prize at SE
Hospitant (temporary student) at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts' School of Furniture under Kaare Klint
1946 Trained at the School of Arts, Crafts and Design
Established own design studio, in collaboration with Jørgen Ditzel
1947 Won eight competitions in design textiles, furniture, glass, enamel and pottery
1950 Won 1st prize in the National Board of the Goldsmith Trade in Denmark's competition
Won the armchairs, woven chairs and teak frames competition of the Copenhagen Cabinet Maker's Guild
1951 Silver Medal, Triennale, Milan, Italy
1952 Began partnership with Unikavæv and Halling-Koch
1954 Silver Medal, Triennale, Milan, Italy
Published the book "Danish Chairs"
Began partnership with Georg Jensen
1956 Awarded the Lunning Prize
1957 Silver Medal, Triennale, Milan, Italy
1960 Gold Medal, Triennale, Milan, Italy
1964 Designed the "Hallingdal" furnishing fabric
1970 Established own design studio in London
Created the Interspace International Furniture House/Design Centre, London, in collaboration with husband Kurt Heide
1981 Elected chairman of the Design and Industries Association, London
1986 Established own design studio in Copenhagen
1989 Awarded Gold Medal for BENCH FOR TWO at the International Furniture Design Competition, Asahikawa, Japan
1992-94
Member of the Board of Directors of the Danish Design Centre
1995 Awarded the ID Prize for the TRINIDAD chair
1996 Elected Honourable Royal Designer by the Royal Society of Art, London
1997 Awarded the Honorary Grant of the Anniversary Foundation of Danmarks Nationalbank
1998 Awarded lifelong Artist's Grant by the Danish Arts Foundation
Awarded the Crafts Council's Annual Prize
1999 Awarded the Thorvald Bindesbøll Prize
2001 Awarded the Danish Design Prize (Classic Prize) 2001, for Hallingdal textiles
