In 1987, Michael Frilund founded Frilunds Specialværksted.
His dream was to create a workshop where he could invent, construct and develop his craft. That dream came true early on when, in 1989, PP Møbler chose Michael to take over the metal production for several Wegner pieces, a collaboration that has grown ever since. Over the years, Michael Frilund and his team built extensive experience in developing and manufacturing frames and fittings for makers of Danish furniture classics. The business has always been driven by the desire to create the finest craftsmanship and the most beautiful design. The ambition to keep developing Denmark's strong craft traditions was also a key reason Michael Frilund decided, in spring 2024, to start producing his own furniture. Shortly after, cabinetmaker Mie Hansen joined the Frilund workshop, and since then the Blacksmith and the Cabinetmaker have worked side by side in developing Frilund's furniture.
Ever since he was a child, Michael Frilund has been fascinated by technology, machines and processes. When it came to choosing an education, he never doubted that he would train as a machinist and smith. At just 23, he opened Frilunds Specialværksted in 1987, driven by curiosity about what could be made from metal and a wish to keep developing. Michael has worked across many branches of metalwork, including making frames and fittings for Danish furniture classics designed by Hans Wegner and Poul Kjærholm. Along the way, he also qualified as a chemical engineer, specialising in electroplating and technical chemistry, and for many years his workshop has also built process equipment for surface treatment.
Mie Hansen has always had a strong interest in furniture and design, but it was during her time at Krabbesholm Højskole in Skive that she decided to make it her profession. Soon after, she began training as a cabinetmaker, serving her apprenticeship at Kvist Industries in West Jutland, where she produced Danish design furniture by Hans Wegner and Børge Mogensen, among others. Once qualified, Mie was accepted onto the Furniture Design programme at VIA University College in Herning, where she trained as a design technologist in furniture design.
Mie is driven by making beautiful objects from wood. Her curiosity, her talent for development, and the opportunity to work with and produce in wood inspire her to find new solutions. That is why she said yes when Michael asked her to help develop and produce an entirely new furniture brand. At Frilund, she can also carry Danish craft traditions forward and create furniture focused on metal, wood, aesthetics and function.
