Oliver Furniture: A Journey Through 20 Years of Craftsmanship and Design

Oliver Furniture stands for timeless children's furniture with sustainable design, deeply rooted in the classic Scandinavian design tradition. Since the inception of MY SNOWFLAKE, Oliver Furniture has been with us as a brand and long-standing partner. We not only appreciate the beautiful design and high product quality of their children's furniture but also the fact that sustainability plays a paramount role at Oliver Furniture. All Oliver Furniture furniture is sustainably produced in Europe from wood from European, certified forestry. The topic of sustainability is very close to the brand's heart, which is one of the many reasons why we have been able to build such a beautiful and lasting business relationship over the past years. Here is an insight from our last visit to the Oliver Furniture showroom in Copenhagen. Oliver Furniture is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, and these two decades have rightly earned the brand a place at the forefront of Scandinavian furniture design. We'll tell you here how it all began.

What began two decades ago as a lifestyle brand with classic trunk benches and display cabinets for simple Nordic interiors and easy living, also evolved into a collection of children's furniture with the birth of Søren Rørbæk's son, Oliver. Søren had difficulty finding children's furniture of a quality and design that appealed to him – that was the beginning of Oliver Furniture. The vision has always been to defy fleeting trends and tendencies. Instead, the goal was to create timeless children's furniture of outstanding quality in sustainable design that is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing for modern families.

The History of Oliver Furniture

In 2003, trained cabinetmaker Søren Rørbæk and entrepreneur Eva Henningsen recognized an opportunity in the market due to the lack of high-quality children's furniture. In the heart of Nordic nature, which serves as inspiration for their products, they founded Oliver Furniture in North Zealand, just half an hour from Copenhagen. With views of the sea, beach, and forest, this remains an attractive location for the company, which today is based in the historic Hellebæk Klædefabrik.

Oliver Furniture's pieces are not only beautiful but also boast a special manufacturing process. The clever combination of solid wood and MDF gives the furniture exceptional stability. All curved and load-bearing elements are made from solid wood, while surfaces are predominantly made from wood fiberboards.

The quality of the paints is also first-class. They exclusively use non-toxic, water-based interior paints. All components used come from Europe.

Since 2012, all Oliver Furniture pieces have been produced entirely in sustainable, modern facilities in Europe. The brand stands firmly behind its robust quality and offers an impressive five-year warranty on its furniture pieces for defects in the wood structure. They also offer a five-year warranty on the availability of standard conversion kits for their adaptable furniture from the date of purchase.

"We have been producing at the same location for over 10 years, building a solid foundation of trust with the factory workers who handle our furniture daily. Relationships are crucial for me, and the people I know become more interesting over time," explains Søren Rørbæk.

Sustainable & Timeless

Oliver Furniture pieces are made to last for generations. They place great importance on sustainability in materials, manufacturing, and lifespan. An Oliver Furniture piece combines the sophistication of Danish design: timeless aesthetics with simple, elegant lines, robust construction, and durability to be passed down to future generations. Their designs are versatile and appealing to both children and parents, adapting to the changing needs of families – gentle on the environment and the wallet. For example, the changing table from the Wood collection easily transforms into a dresser for the living area after the baby stage.

Great emphasis is placed on fair production and high-quality materials. They work exclusively with selected European factories with a well-thought-out, transparent supply chain. The wood used comes solely from European forestry. Fairness in production and good relationships with suppliers and customers form the foundation of the company's structure.

"We want our furniture to be inherited or resold to new families. And it's important that we sell products that make sense. The world doesn't need more useless products. Good design, high quality, and durability make our furniture a long-lasting companion for families." SØREN RØRBÆK

Over the past 20 years, more than 20,000,000 children have been tucked into bed in Oliver Furniture beds, and over 24,000,000 babies have been cuddled and changed on their changing tables. Many of their children's furniture pieces have since found a second life – whether through resale or conversion – exactly as Oliver Furniture's founders envisioned from the very beginning.

Oliver Furniture has three collections: their classic Seaside Collection, the simple Wood Collection, and the new Camp Collection. In addition, there are four different bed series designed to grow with the child and family. The beds can be individually reconfigured, which extends their lifespan and thus aligns with Oliver Furniture's sustainability philosophy.

The Oliver Furniture Wood Collection

A trademark of the Wood Collection are the rounded corners – for child-friendly furniture with thoughtful design. The furniture in the Wood series is characterized by its modern expression: clean lines and rounded shapes, fine details, and a clear purpose. The Wood Collection includes two bed series: Wood Mini+ and Wood Original.

The Wood Mini + series consists of a curated selection of beds – perfect for growing children and expanding families. Our favorite is the grow-with-me Mini+ cot and junior bed, the ultimate first bed for your baby, usable as a cot from birth. With the appropriate extension set, it can be converted into a junior bed, becoming a long-term companion, because for Oliver Furniture, sustainability means furniture that lasts a lifetime.

The beds in the Wood Original series come with a modern, soft look, characteristic of the 1950s. With their unique slats and rounded corners, they evoke memories of old trams. New to the Wood Original bed series are the Wood Original house bed and floor bed, specially designed for small children. With their low floor height, they allow even the youngest, from about two years old, to climb into bed independently. Ideal for the gentle transition from a cot – and a real eye-catcher in the children's room.

After birth, babies sleep most safely very close to their parents. In the beautiful co-sleeper from the Wood Collection, your baby has its place right next to the parents' bed. When it's time for their own nursery, the open side can be easily closed.

Oliver Furniture's furniture is characterized by its classic, white look. For their twentieth anniversary, they developed the Mini+ in high-quality oak wood.

The Oliver Furniture Camp Collection

With the Camp Collection from Oliver Furniture, playful design meets the refined aesthetics of Japanese craftsmanship. The collection not only creates a cozy and safe place for children to rest, but also space for imaginative stories and play adventures. At the heart of the collection is the Camp Canopy Bed: a lovingly designed piece of furniture with high-quality craftsmanship and various canopies, which inspires children's dreams and invites them to dream of faraway worlds. The simple, Scandinavian design made of high-quality, solid oak wood in natural and white subtly blends into any interior. A beautiful furniture series that will bring joy for many generations.

The Oliver Furniture Seaside Collection

The simple, Scandinavian design of the furniture from the Seaside Collection, with its classic look inspired by simple living, blends harmoniously into any interior. The furniture in the Seaside Collection, with its clean lines and delicate details, is inspired by the casual flair of a beach hut, the feeling of sand between your toes and the sound of the sea in your ear - just like the company's location in the historic Hellebæk Klædefabrik. Currently, only the beds from the Seaside Classic Collection are still being produced.

A highlight is the mid-high loft bed, perfect during the day for cozy dens or comfortable reading nooks and in the evening for a secure night's sleep – the ideal solution for small children's rooms!

The Seaside Collection also had two subordinate bed series. Seaside Lille+, which was perfect for growing children and changing family needs. The Lille+ cot bed, including the conversion kit to a junior bed, was a bed with a long lifespan. It could be transformed into five different bed variations without additional cost.

The originally classic beds of the Seaside Collection belong to the Seaside Classic series. They are characterized by a versatile look that, with its contemporary design, seamlessly blends into any home - whether in a child's, teenager's, or guest room.

Dear April - Bed linen for dreaming

After twenty years, Oliver Furniture has a little sister: Dear April. Inspired by nature's magical spring season, Dear April designs beautiful bed linen, fitted sheets, and lovely baby essentials such as changing mats, muslin cloths, changing station caddies, and more in delicate colours and soft patterns. Timeless design with appealing details made from natural fabrics. The fitted sheets, of course, perfectly fit Oliver Furniture beds.

The beautiful bed linen is designed in the studio in Hellebæk, surrounded by the sea and the beautiful forests of North Zealand, Denmark. Inspired by nature, designer Marley draws all motifs by hand. They exclusively use natural, sustainable & ethically produced materials from GOTS-certified producers. Fair Fact: Pure White is made from undyed organic cotton percale.

"I never dreamt of having a large company with high turnover. The most important thing for me is to stay true to myself and spend time with my family. I design and develop the furniture, but the employees play just as big a role in the company as I do. Oliver Furniture wouldn't be where we are today without our employees."

SØREN RØRBÆK

Oliver Furniture has had an impressive journey over the last 20 years. The combination of tradition, modern technology, talented designers, and a clear focus on quality has made the brand synonymous with exclusive furniture design. With a look to the past and an outlook to the future, Oliver Furniture promises to continue creating timeless pieces of the highest quality.

Here's to the next twenty years of beautiful children's furniture.

Would you like to experience Oliver Furniture's pieces up close or do you need advice on the ideal baby cot, suitable furniture for a small nursery, or the best choice for a changing table in the bedroom? Visit us at our store in Zurich, Manegg for a personal and comprehensive consultation.