When it comes to furniture, nothing excites me more than wood that’s been hand crafted and designed with care.  Done properly, solid wood furniture is at once natural, human and timeless.  Eastvold Furniture, a small, independent shop in Minnesota, definitely has the goods.

Primarily a custom furniture maker, Eastvold also maintains a storefront on Etsy.  All of their pieces are lust worthy, and while they’re a bit pricey they have the quality to back it up.  This furniture will last you a lifetime.

For more details, visit Eastvold Furniture or their Etsy storefront.

First up, two sofas.  Because finding the perfect sofa is so difficult, I’d like both.  The “Neo” sofa by Bensen, and the “Hepburn” sofa by De La Espada.  Gorgeous, comfortable and pricey.

Next, the 2010 Audi S4.  A friend of mine just splurged on one of these, and I’m smitten.

The Hans Wegner Ch445 “Wing” chair has been on my list for a long time now.  It’s the most comfortable chair I’ve ever used, and has a price to match.

While we’re talking ridiculous, chalk up a few nights in Room 606 at the Royal SAS Hotel in Copenhagen.  It’s the only one that kept its original Arne Jacobsen design, all the way down to the silverware and door hardware.

Lastly, no design geek is complete without a MacBook Pro.  So shiny!

Enter De La Espada.  I’ve been smitten by this Portuguese company’s woodcraft for years, and we ended up selecting a table from their Atlantico line.  The entire table is constructed using mortise and tenon joinery, and the legs separate from the top for easy moving.  The oiled white oak is silky smooth, stunning in the sunlight and has a deep, rich golden brown grain.  De La Espada doesn’t just make tables; they do chairs, sideboards and beds as well.  No matter what piece you pick, their work is modern and yet timeless, fitting in with nearly any décor.

Speaking of celebrations, this blog is now officially 100 posts and 529 days old. Thanks to all of you readers!  Don’t forget to become a fan on our Facebook page!

Would Obama, Netanyahu or Hu Jintao all pick the same chair for negotiations during the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit, COP15? Might the chair be a sandbox? Two chairs tied together by one length of fabric? Might it resemble a fountain with water jets indicating different points of view? Be a transparent wall? Or a chair with flexible legs? Does it even make sense to think that a chair can make a difference?

Personally, I just enjoy the eye candy.  Here are my favorites from the lot alongside the names of their designers.

Christina Strand

Jakob Jørgensen

Carlo Volf

Sebastian Holmbäck and Ulrik Nordentoft

Mogens Toft

Torben Skov

Torben Skov

Thomas E. Alken

Ubiquitous airport gate seating; millions have seen these chairs in lounges all over the world.  While many people know of the talents of Charles and Ray Eames, far fewer are aware that they designed the Tandem Sling chairs.  Originally designed for Chicago O’Hare in 1962 and based on their Aluminum Group seating, these chairs have withstood the tests of time and lots of rear ends.  I love the picture of Charles above; it’s a good representation of the Eames were all about.

844 Belhaven St., Jackson, Mississippi.  For more details, see the agent’s listing.

I don’t have any children (yet), but I’m nevertheless fascinated by high quality products for kids.  The Stokke Tripp Trapp highchair is a classic example of a piece of furniture that is both ubiquitous and iconic.  It’s simple design might hide the fact that it is superbly ergonomic, adjustable and sturdy.  One can only wish that all kid furniture was this nice.

Hans Jørgen Wegner (pronounced “VAY-ner”) was a Danish legend, a prolific artisan producing wood and upholstered furniture for over 60 years.  His chairs added comfort and durability to the trendy Danish modern furniture aesthetic and in doing so became design icons.  Most Americans were unwittingly exposed to his work during the Nixon-Kennedy debate, where they appeared on television sitting in Wegner’s “The Chair”.

Wegner started designing furniture in the late 1930′s in the Århus office of another Danish design legend, Arne Jacobson.  After finishing work in Århus, he moved on to open his own studio in Copenhagen, designing furniture for production by Carl Hansen and Søn, PP Møbler and other prominent Danish firms.  His chairs always took inspiration from beautiful antique furniture, such as his Chinese chair.  At the same time, they are modern, simple and utilitarian without being stark or forced.  Wegner seemed to understand how to make each chair with both a soul and a purpose.

The most distinctive feature of Wegner’s wood furniture is its craftsmanship.  Honesty in both materials and manufacture are omnipresent, as are beautifully rounded lines and precise joinery.  My favorite Wegner chairs are those constructed using soaped white oak, a beautiful wood with strong marbling and a soft feel.  The wood is treated with natural oil-based soap and water, both protecting it and giving it a wonderfully golden hue.  Luckily, we were recently able to pick up some of Wegner’s iconic Y Chairs (a.k.a. The “Wishbone” chair) for our dining set, complete with handwoven black papercord.  They are gorgeous, and if treated with love they should last the rest of our lifetime.

In short, I’m a Wegner fanatic.  As far as I’m concerned the man could do no wrong.  When he died in 2007, the world lost one of its most influential designers.  Fortunately, his work will stick around for a very long time.  Here are some of my other favorite examples of Wegner’s genius.

CH445 "Wing" Chair

CH07 "Shell" Chair

CH28 "Sawbuck" Chair

J16 Rocking Chair

CH27 "Easy" Chair

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It is with sadness that I dedicate this post to my uncle, James Shelton, who passed away today.  He was a master craftsman and he inspired my love of woodworking from a very young age.  He taught me that a beautiful piece of wood is like a piece of art and should be treated with respect.  Jim, you will be missed.

My Danish mom-in-law may not be into design, but she always manages to introduce me to the most wonderful home accessories.  My favorite so far have to be from Trip Trap, a furniture and home décor firm based in Hadsund, Denmark.  We’ve had their cool coasters and trivets for a few years now, but our recent trip revealed an entire line of lust-worthy goodies.

Check out this beautiful umbrella chair, appropriately named the Lido:

An adorable egg cup, complete with salt cellar:

Gorgeous walnut fruit bowl:

And of course, our lovely coasters:

Unfortunately Trip Trip is only available for purchase from Denmark.  In any case, their site (in Danish) offers a lot of eye candy!