[ad] Getting in the festive mood with Carl Hansen & Søn’s sustainable wooden accessories

[This post is a paid partnership with Carl Hansen & Søn]

The nights are slowly drawing in and I’m starting to think about the C-word. Cosy? Christmas? Carl Hansen & Søn? All three actually. Wrap them up together and you get a quietly considered Christmas that’s all about slowing down, and appreciating the handmade and subtle beauty of nature.

Danish design company Carl Hansen & Søn may be known for its iconic furniture designs and beautiful, handcrafted chairs, but did you know that it also produces a collection of sustainable wooden accessories too? Founded on the same principles of simplicity, timeless craftsmanship and functionality, these elegant pieces are designed to be enjoyed everyday and cherished for years to come. Just like the design classics Carl Hansen & Søn has been making for well over a century, these accessories are both beautiful and (perhaps most importantly) useful.

Conceived as a way to minimise waste and conserve the planet’s precious resources, the handcrafted designs are made from off-cuts from Carl Hansen & Søn’s furniture production. This is just one of the ways the company is putting its commitment to sustainability into action – Carl Hansen & Søn uses nearly every bit of the wood it sources from responsibly managed forests; even the 16 tonnes of wood shavings it produces every day helps power up a heating plant that provides warmth for more than 400 local homes in Denmark’s Gelsted. It also offers a repair and refurbishment service so well-worn, much-loved designs can be restored and given a new lease of life.

‘At Carl Hansen & Søn, we believe that one of the best strategies for sustainable living is to make and buy things that last, which is why we use the best materials and craftsmanship in everything we produce. Our products are crafted to last a lifetime and our hope is that they will be passed down and enjoyed for generations.’

Launching a collection of sustainable wooden accessories also helps the world of Carl Hansen & Søn become more accessible to more people. You might one day dream of saving up for a Wishbone chair, but in the meantime could enjoy displaying one of their handcrafted wooden trays on your coffee table. Indeed, Christmas Hearts from the collection are made from the same solid, lacquered oak that is used for the Y-shaped back piece of the Wishbone chair.

William Morris once said ‘have nothing in your home that you don’t know to be beautiful or believe to be useful,’ and for me that extends to the little details in a space too. And as I start to think about Christmas presents this year, I want to make sure I’m giving something that will endure and be used for many years to come. I always think the best presents are the ones you wouldn’t necessarily buy for yourself, but are the objects or things that elevate what you already have or use – an exquisite chopping board, a handmade bowl, a luxurious throw, for example. How delightful would it be then to unwrap one of Carl Hansen & Søn’s accessories and appreciate the tactile quality of the handcrafted wood, then and for many occasions to come?

For me, the festive period is all about gathering with loved ones and sharing cosy moments together to help brighten up those dark months with a bit of winter magic. I’ll be setting my table with a natural linen tablecloth and simple, organic shaped tableware, before dressing it with foraged greenery to bring an element of nature into the warm indoors. I’ll serve mince pies in wooden trays and nuts to crack open in front of the fire. Small gifts – perhaps a Carl Hansen & Søn butter board or candleholder – will be wrapped up in reusable fabric and presented as a place setting for each guest. The feel will be relaxed and effortless, allowing guests to pick at a selection of treats on one of Carl Hansen & Søn’s tapas boards and perhaps enjoy a glass or two of glögg!

Featured sustainable wooden accessories by Carl Hansen & Søn, all handmade from FSC certified wood in their workshops in Denmark and Vietnam:
Tapas Board – part of a series of three boards and available in two colours
Wooden oak trays (set of two)
Buttering boards in oiled oak – designed by Børge Mogensen
Wooden oak plates – also designed by Børge Mogensen
Christmas heart ornament in oak – available in two sizes
Blok candlestick – assorted woods and available in two sizes

Also featured:
Dinner plates – designed by ceramicist Ditte Blohm
Side plates
Cereal bowl
Small clay bowl – made in southern Spain according to ancient traditions
Striped blanket – made of 100% fine alpaca wool sustainably sourced from the Andes Mountains in western Bolivia

Available in Carl Hansen & Søn’s flagship stores