Spectrum

Spectrum is a Dutch furniture brand whose history starts in 1941, when weaving mill De Ploeg founded ‘t Spectrum to keep its workers employed during wartime shortages of raw materials. The first collection was made from small timber offcuts and rush, and Gerrit Rietveld sat on the jury assessing it. In 1954 Martin Visser became head of the design department and, over two decades, brought in Friso Kramer, Constant Nieuwenhuys and Benno Premsela.

Visser’s 1960 collection, with the BR 02 sofa bed as its best-known icon, remains the backbone of the range. Since 2014 a partnership with sister company Rietveld Originals has added a large group of Rietveld designs, while newer work by Carolina Wilcke and Aart van Asseldonk carries the line forward. Spectrum’s furniture is now being brought into the Pastoe collection.