“Furniture has to create experiences – and keep on doing so. A piece of furniture should be able to take many years of people getting into it.”

Strand + Hvass – alias Christina Strand and Niels Hvass, who both graduated Danmarks Designskole – are certainly experts in brilliant furniture design Working together and on their own, they’ve won countless design awards in Denmark and abroad.

“It’s important that a piece of furniture has something to give. It has to tell a story,” says Niels Hvass.

Strand and Hvass make it clear that they make furniture for people.

“For me, the ultimate praise is when a customer sits down in a chair I’ve designed and says ‘They’ve been thinking about me’”, Christina Strand explains.

This user-oriented approach can be seen in numerous Strand + Hvass works, including the exquisite TAZ series of stackable chairs and dining tables. The series is distinguished by its combination of uncompromising functionality and clean lines.

The TAZ chair was created to accommodate people’s natural seating needs and to harmonise with the curves of the body – without compromising its elegant styling. The TAZ table was designed for integration with everyday life – and features a discreet look, perfect leg placement, and materials that can withstand real-world use.

The designers always build models of their designs – often 1:1 scale – before presenting them to the manufacturer. The home they share is furnished with their prototypes.

“It’s our laboratory. When one of our tables goes into production, we can personally vouch for its ability to withstand children’s felt-tipped markers and their parents’ spilt wine,” the couple says. Strand + Hvass work with all kinds of materials.

“We let the idea suggest the materials we use. If we’re focusing on durability, we might use wood. If we’re more concerned with dynamics, then moulded veneer might be more appropriate,” says Hvass.