A new collaboration between Copenhagen-based design duo atelier axo and BoConcept has produced a dining collection of alluring clarity.
In the Axo series, designers Rose Hermansen and Caroline Vogel bring an architectural sensibility to the rituals of daily life. Tables taper with precision; cabinets sit in crisp, resolved volumes. Geometries are clear, while details define character; oak, rippled glass and travertine the key players.
It’s a collection that seeks to reinterpret Scandinavian craft traditions through a contemporary lens.
“For us, modern Scandinavian design is about honesty in form, materials, and craftsmanship,” says Rose. “It’s grounded in functionality and calm, but we’re less interested in trends and more in creating something lasting. People today mix styles and eras more freely, and we want our designs to live naturally within that; timeless, but open to contrast.
“We’re always drawn to the meeting point between structure and intuition — something you also find in architecture,” Rose explains. “There’s a strong sense of proportion in the pieces but we wanted to offset that with textures and details that feel almost handmade.
“Oak and travertine are both living materials,” Rose says. “They age beautifully — the more you use them, the more character they gain. That’s what gives furniture its soul.”
Conceived as a holistic dining environment, the tables are paired with a sideboard and a glass-fronted cabinet. The cabinet’s frosted glass an unexpectedly expressive detail. “The wavy glass has a sense of nostalgia,” says Rose. “It blurs and reveals at the same time — hiding what’s inside but still letting light and colour filter through. It brings a kind of intimacy and imperfection that we often look for in our work.”
It is, though, the tables that are the heart of this collection. “For us, dining is a ritual; a time to slow down, share stories and connect,” says Rose. “Human warmth, for us, is about creating a sense of ease. It’s not about grand gestures, but subtle cues: proportions that invite you in, materials that feel good to touch, light that softens a space. A dining setting should encourage conversation and togetherness.”
The Axo collection does just that. These are pieces with a modern Scandinavian sensibility that are at once calm, functional, and enduring.
The Axo collection is available from BoConcept’s Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch showrooms.
