Danish modern furniture was most popular between 1930 and about 1975. It gained quick acceptance in the United States, especially after the 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair. Stores in New York City saw notable success by selling Scandinavian products, and the style came to be replicated all over the country. Especially after the end of World War II, Danish modern furniture came to symbolize, in a way, an era of forward-thinking designs that came from Northern Europe.

During World War II, owing to the military occupation of many areas of Northern Europe, there was great despair and economic hardship. Scandinavian craftsmen and designers, faced with a lack of manufacturing materials, had to get creative and come up with new designs. Many saw that old techniques from various crafts, including cabinetry, pottery, and glassblowing, could be incorporated into new furniture designs. This idea began to catch on and became an expression of hope for the future as well as an echo of the past.