If your home is craving a touch of color, charm, and imaginative artistry, the world of Bjørn Wiinblad is about to steal your heart. He was one of Denmark's most beloved and prolific artists — a painter, ceramicist, illustrator, and designer whose joyful characters and vibrant colors set him apart from virtually every other designer of his era. And once you've seen his work, you never forget it.

The Artist Behind the Smile

Bjørn Wiinblad was born in Copenhagen in 1918 and showed a gift for drawing from childhood. His father steered him toward typography for practical reasons, but Wiinblad couldn't stay away from art — after completing his training, he enrolled at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and never looked back. By the late 1940s he was designing posters for the U.S. Embassy in Paris, creating costumes and sets for the Royal Theater of Copenhagen, and producing ceramics that were being exhibited in New York.

In 1960 he was appointed artistic director for Rosenthal, the prestigious German porcelain company — a role that brought him international recognition and allowed him to collaborate across Europe. His work eventually entered the permanent collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm. He was named Man of the Year in New York in 1985.

All of that, and his pieces still make you smile the moment you see them.

A Creative Universe Full of Character

Unlike the clean, muted tones typically associated with Nordic décor, Bjørn Wiinblad created his own world: rich, poetic, quirky, and wonderfully theatrical. While minimalism dominated Scandinavian design throughout the mid-century, Wiinblad went the other direction entirely — painting larger-than-life female figures, whimsical mythical creatures, and endlessly inventive patterns filled with color and life.

His work spans ceramics, prints, tapestries, theater design, and textiles. But today, his most beloved pieces are the Eva series and the enchanting Lady with Hat collection — each infused with expressive faces, hand-painted details, and a storytelling flair that instantly brightens any space.

The Iconic Eva: A Muse Reimagined

Of all Wiinblad's creations, Eva is the most enduring. She began as his original smiling female vase — wide head, cone-shaped body, blushing cheeks, almond-shaped eyes — a face he returned to throughout his entire career. The modern Eva series, produced in mirror-glazed fine porcelain with colored decals and floral reliefs, is a faithful reinterpretation of those original forms.

Eva appears in vases, candleholders, bowls, and flowerpots — all in joyful colorways of pink, yellow, blue, and soft green. She's not a shelf piece to be admired from a distance. She's a vase you fill with tulips in April, a candleholder that lights your table in December, a flowerpot for the succulent on your windowsill. She is designed to be used and loved every day.

Pieces like the Eva Blue Porcelain Vase or the Eva Bowl on Stand serve as colorful centerpieces that spark conversation and joy.

The Charming Lady with Hat Collection

Wiinblad adored designing extravagant hats — sculptural, towering, and delightfully dramatic. This passion inspired the Lady with Hat collection: a series of vases and candleholders that showcase striking color combinations and hand-painted details. Each piece feels like its own character — bold, elegant, and full of whimsical attitude.

The Lady with Hat Vase in Green is a customer favorite — an expressive statement piece that works beautifully with flowers or displayed on its own.

Why Bjørn Wiinblad Still Captivates Today

In an era where neutral interiors dominate design trends, Wiinblad's playful universe offers a refreshing invitation: decorate with personality. His pieces resonate with people who love art, color, and storytelling — and who want their homes to feel joyful and imaginative rather than predictable.

Whether you're starting a collection or adding a single accent, a Wiinblad piece instantly elevates a room with vibrant colors that hold their own against modern interiors, hand-painted details that feel personal and artistic, functional forms — vases, bowls, candleholders — that double as sculptures, and a whimsical charm that appeals equally to design lovers and art collectors.

Start Your Own Wiinblad Collection

Explore the full assortment of vases, bowls, candleholders, and decorative pieces in our Bjørn Wiinblad Collection. From the Eva Candleholder in Light Green to the sculptural Lady with Hat Vase in Pink & Yellow, each piece is a small work of art — bright, expressive, and designed to bring joy into your everyday life.

Welcome to the world of Wiinblad — where every piece tells a story and every detail sparks a smile. Explore the full collection