Bensen

Name: Bensen
Brand: Canada
Availability: OutOfStock

since 1981 : Refined Modernism from Vancouver to Italy

Bensen was founded in 1981 by Niels Bendtsen, born in Denmark in 1943. He grew up immersed in design and craftsmanship, apprenticing under his father, a cabinetmaker who had worked with Danish modernist master Jacob Kjær. The family moved to Canada in 1951, and in 1963, Bendtsen opened his first design store in Vancouver, called Danet Interiors, which was later renamed Inform Interiors.

In the early 1970s, he returned to Denmark and designed for leading Scandinavian companies, including Eilersen, IKEA, and Kebe. His Ribbon Chair, designed in 1975 for Kebe, was included in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Creation of the Bensen Brand

Bendtsen launched Bensen in Vancouver to produce furniture that combined refined design, durability, and approachable pricing. For nearly four decades, design and production remained in Vancouver before gradually expanding internationally.

Expansion to Italy

In 2010, Bendtsen partnered with Paolo Chiarot to establish Bensen Italia in the Friuli region of Italy, a renowned center for fine furniture craftsmanship. By 2018, all production had been fully relocated to Italy, while the design direction continued to be based in Vancouver. This blend of Canadian design leadership and Italian manufacturing excellence has become central to the brand’s identity.

about bensen

Core Identity

Bensen positions itself as a design and manufacturing company that combines Scandinavian minimalism with Italian craftsmanship. Its goal is to create timeless, versatile furniture that seamlessly integrates into homes, hotels, offices, and hospitality spaces.

Design Leadership

Niels Bendtsen continues to oversee design, bringing decades of experience from hands-on cabinetmaking to international collaborations and product innovation.

Design Aesthetic

Bensen’s designs are known for clean lines, restrained decoration, and quiet elegance based on proportion and material rather than ornament. The brand emphasizes comfort and usability, with carefully layered foam, webbing support, and ergonomic seat dimensions.

Products range

Bensen’s collection spans most furniture categories, including:

- Sofas, sectionals, modular seating, and lounge chairs such as the Neo, Max, and Grant

- Dining chairs, stools, and bar seating, such as the Circa Chair

- Dining tables, coffee tables, side tables, and desks

- Beds, nightstands, cabinetry, and storage systems

- Outdoor furniture for patios and terraces

- Small accessories like poufs, cushions, and side tables

Craftsmanship and Materials

All production is now based in Italy, where highly skilled upholstery, joinery, and finishing are part of local heritage. Bensen utilizes advanced technology, including precision CNC machinery, alongside traditional craft techniques.

Frames are crafted from high-quality metals and woods, upholstery features multiple layers of high-resilience foam with webbing support, and finishes are executed with meticulous attention to detail. Many sofa covers are removable for easy care, which is rare in high-end modern furniture.

Bensen emphasizes modularity and flexibility, offering sectional sofas and tables that can be adapted to various interior spaces. Comfort is engineered into every product layer, ensuring that visual elegance never compromises function or durability.

why bensen

Simplicity and Honesty

Bensen creates designs that are honest and clear, allowing structure and material to speak for themselves rather than relying on decorative effects.

Timeless Design

Rather than chasing trends, Bensen focuses on enduring proportions and silhouettes that stay relevant across decades.

Elegant Accessibility

Bendtsen envisioned a brand that could deliver refined design and quality without the unattainable pricing of ultra-luxury furniture, offering long-lasting value.

Quality as an Attitude

The brand views quality not only as craftsmanship by hand but also as an approach to every part of production, from material selection to design engineering and operational discipline.

Blending Cultural Heritage

Bensen merges Scandinavian values of proportion and clarity with Italian mastery of materials and finishing, resulting in a distinctive and balanced identity.

where to find

Bensen distributes through a worldwide network of agents, showrooms, and dealers.

- Bensen Italia in Pordenone manages the European market

- Agents are listed for Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Croatia, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, and Ireland

Retail Showrooms
Bensen furniture is stocked in high-end design showrooms around the world, from Canada and the United States to Taiwan, Japan, and major European capitals.