Cees Braakman, Dutch modernist of Pastoe

Cees Braakman (1917-1995) is one of the founding figures of modern Dutch design. A designer at UMS Pastoe in Utrecht from 1945, he ran the studio for thirty years and developed a language halfway between American modernism (discovered during a trip to Herman Miller in 1947) and Scandinavian rigour. His Made to Measure series (from 1955), modular, in teak or rosewood veneer, equipped a whole generation of European interiors. A democratic and sober body of work, today rediscovered for its absolute formal coherence.

Made to Measure sideboards, bookshelves and desks by Cees Braakman for Pastoe remain the designer's most recognisable pieces. Dutch vintage furniture to find for those wanting a sober modernist signature, halfway between Knoll and Danish design.