His first recognition as a designer would come in 1948, when he won the Holmegaard Glass Competition. In that same year, he was rewarded for work in another medium, receiving the Danish Cabinetmakers Guild’s annual award. Danish furniture maker Faarup Møbelfabrik saw his potential and hired him. It was here that he designed one of his more spectacular pieces: the Model 66 sideboard. His work with Faarup established him as a designer. He followed the basic tenets of Danish mid-century design, creating versatile, practical pieces with a graceful, minimalist aesthetic. Yet, in the minds of some collectors today, he stands out from other Danish designers of the mid-century period because of his “talent for honouring the innate qualities of his chosen materials. Kofod-Larsen was known for working with the natural grains and patterns in the raw materials he used and making those elements the focus of his designs.

His work with Faarup brought Kofod-Larsen to the attention of furniture makers in Sweden and the UK.  In Sweden, he worked with OPE Möbler to create one of his most famous designs, the Salen or Seal chair which was first made in the 1950s.  The now iconic chair epitomized the human-centred design that was prevalent in the mid-century period. Comfort is the main focus, seen in the angled frame and arms that invite reclining, and the warm leather seating. Despite being made of heavy materials, there is still a lightness in the chair’s appearance, seen in the way the “leather shell seems to be floating inside the wooden frame.