Vintage furniture: Danish and Scandinavian design in Antwerp.

February 10, 2016 | Designbest editorial staff

pecialised in Danish and Scandinavian design, Modest Furniture is just the right place for finding vintage pieces, from the fifties and the sixties, to mix with contemporary furniture. By bringing together the different stylistic trends of that period, Modest Furniture sees “vintage” as a sign of quality and not as a specific style. And apart from original furniture, lamps and a number of iconic re-editions, there are also a multitude of extremely interesting “humble” pieces, sometimes even unknown to experts of the field.

The interior of Modest Furniture at Antwerp

Foreground, the Heart dining set by Hans J. Wegner, brought back by Fritz Hansen. Stackable tripod chairs with solid oak frame and seat in teak veneer.

We are in Antwerp, the beautiful Flemish town on the banks of the river Scheldt. With its close to half a million inhabitants, Antwerp is the second largest city in Belgium. Located at an intersection between maritime and river traffic, Antwerp is one of the most important ports in Europe. And since the sixteenth century, all along the ninety kilometers which separate the town from the North Sea, flourishing commerce brought wealth, art and culture.

The window of Modest Furniture in the building designed by Lèon Steynen.

The building façade, which houses Modest Furniture. This building was designed in 1956 by Léon Steynen, who’s the most important modernist architect in Antwerp.

Modest Furniture is approximately one kilometre away from the old town centre, in a building constructed in 1956 by Léon Steynen, the most important functionalist architect in Antwerp and at one time head of the school of architecture. This small store has a warehouse nearby. Here, Mid-century modern furniture is kept, restored and those clients, who have time to wait for a thorough restoration, are shown around. This space also serves as a photographic studio.

Vintage furniture by Jacobsen, Wegner, Eames and more

At Modest Furniture you can find iconic Mid-century modern designers like Jacobsen, Wegner, and Charles Eames, who greatly influenced by Scandinavian style. Furthermore, there are also pieces by minor Scandinavian designers like Arne Vodder, Kai Kristiansen and Kurt Ǿstervig.

Arne Jennard and Vincent Lemson, owner of Modest Furniture

Arne Jennard (left-hand side) and Vincent Lemson (lying on the sofa). This photograph was taken in the warehouse, which also serves as a photographic studio.

Modest Furniture is the result of a partnership between Vincent Lemson and Arne Jennard; they perfectly complement each other even if they come from two completely different backgrounds. Vincent deals with the store and furniture restoration and Arne, who’s an industrial designer and a photographer, takes care of the website and social media. United by a desire to do well and a passion for Mid-century modern pieces, they strive to promote “positive and humble” top quality design. Their success is a sign this is a winning concept.