Focus on: the ‘Kubus’ candleholder

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The subject of the latest instalment in my ‘focus on’ series is a particularly special one for me, as it’s the first design classic I ever treated myself to after Chris and I bought our first home: the ‘Kubus’ candleholder, created by Danish architect Mogens Lassen back in 1962.

Born in 1901, Mogens developed a keen interest in architecture as a child and would spend hours sketching and reading. He embarked on an apprenticeship after leaving school and had a stint at an engineering firm in Paris (where he became acquainted with Le Corbusier), before opening his own studio back in Denmark. He was strongly influenced by the Bauhaus and Modernist movements and focused on developing concepts for the whole home, from the building itself right down to the furniture and accessories.

The ‘Kubus’ candleholder came about as a result of Mogens’ interest in proportion and geometry, and combines the angles of a perfect cube with cylindrical tubes. Interestingly, he worked on it for a long time before arriving at the shape we know today, and the base stood unadorned on his desk for months while he mulled over its future development.

The finished design – an eight-candle version now known as the ‘Kubus 8’ – was finally unveiled at a dinner party hosted by the famous furrier family of Birger Christensen, with the renowned architect Finn Juhl as a guest. It proved so popular that Mogens soon developed an entire series consisting of the ‘Kubus 4’, ‘Kubus 2’ and single-candle ‘Kubus 1’, but for decades they were reserved solely for family and close friends. In fact, they weren’t put into full production until 2008, when the third and fourth generations of the Lassen family formed by Lassen with the aim of bringing Mogens’ visionary designs – and later those of his brother Flemming – back into public consciousness.

I fell in love with the elegant, clean-lined aesthetic of the candleholders as soon as I first saw them in interiors magazines and finally decided to buy one during a city break in Copenhagen. I remember standing next to the by Lassen display in the Illums Bolighus department store for ages, agonising over which colour and size to choose. In the end, Chris got so bored of waiting that he wandered off for a coffee while I made up my mind!

Eventually I settled on a black ‘Kubus 4’ and it still has pride of place in our dining room. It’s since been joined by several other ‘Kubus’ pieces (some which I bought myself, others kind gifts from by Lassen) – and not only candleholders, but matching bowls, tea-light holders and centrepieces that have been added to the range in recent years. There are even now ‘Kubus’ vases and flowerpots, all created by Mogens’ grandson Søren to reflect the characteristics and proportions of his original design.

All ‘Kubus’ products are made by skilled artisans in the Danish town of Holstebro, using steel pieces that are carefully welded together and sanded for a sharp finish. They’re then lacquered in black or white or plated with brass, nickel or copper, before being stamped to prove their authenticity.

Over the years various other companies have launched designs inspired by the ‘Kubus’ range, but for me nothing comes close to the real deal, which is a true icon of Scandinavian design. I know I’ll treasure my pieces for years to come, and I can’t wait to see what other items join the ‘Kubus’ family in the future, too.

You can shop the full ‘Kubus’ collection on by Lassen’s website. Prices range from €48 to €428, and free delivery is available within the EU for all orders of €130 or more. 

Most photography by Abi Dare; image eight onwards via by Lassen