Three designers were challenged by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) to make the case for often-overlooked hardwood qualities in design at 3daysofdesign. This June, the exhibition ‘No.1 Common’ opened in Copenhagen and the three visionary designers unveiled unique works at the festival’s Material Matters fair from June 18 – 20, 2025, each championing a sustainable approach to material selection: ‘use what nature provides’. The designers – Andu Masebo, Anna Maria Øfstedal Eng and Daniel Schofield – were all tasked to showcase the potential of ‘cabinet grade’ hardwood as a versatile and desirable design material.
Hardwood producers across the world label their lumber on the basis of a number of factors – in the U.S., these include the size of the cutting area, the number of knots or other natural characteristics in the surface, and any variations in color and grain. In other words, the grade reflects the percentage of ‘clear wood’ in the board. Number 1 Common – aka No.1C – hardwood generally comprises the same clear wood as upper grades but in smaller cuttings. Although this category of timber was originally created as the ‘cabinet grade’, specifically selected to be used in cabinetry, flooring or furniture parts, it is not commonly used, in favor of ‘cleaner’ grades of timber.
“Unveiled at 3daysofdesign, AHEC’s No.1 Common project is an argument for broadening the grade’s usage categories, presenting visually and texturally unique designs to showcase the potential of No.1C hardwoods as aesthetically rich, high-performance design materials,” said Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director. “American hardwood forests contain more than twice the volume of standing timber today as 50 years ago. To maximize the potential of this natural resource, we need to rethink how we use timber – learning to appreciate and utilize not just the most ‘pristine’ cuts, which make up only up to 10% of the tree, but as much of the tree as possible.”
The initial inspiration for the project came when AHEC commissioned the English furniture maker Benchmark to explore the potential of No.1C timber. Benchmark conducted hands-on research to assess the technical, aesthetic and practical possibilities of using this grade of timber in furniture. The goal was not only to push technical boundaries but also to explore the benefits of using No.1C in terms of labor efficiency and yield. Following this, the three designers worked on developing pieces that highlight both the aesthetic appeal and practical benefits of the material, creating designs that reflect the qualities of Number 1 Common while contributing to a more sustainable future.
The resulting exhibition, debuting at Material Matters, questions what quality means when it comes to natural materials and highlight how sustainable and thoughtful material selection can shape the future of our forests and our world. The exhibition aims to demonstrate the shared power and responsibility that designers, industry leaders, and consumers have in prioritizing environmentally conscious decisions, rather than simply following trends that don’t always respect the rhythms and needs of nature. No.1 Common was open to the public during 3daysofdesign (June 18 – 20, 2025) at Ground floor, Gammel Dok, Strandgade 27B, 1401 København.
‘Around Table’ by Andu Masebo
London-based designer Andu Masebo is interested in the things we make, the way we make them and the systems that they become a part of once they are made. He has turned his expertise in ceramics, metal fabrication and carpentry to a number of high-profile projects, retaining a focus on simplicity, accessibility and materiality. For ‘No.1 Common’, Masebo has designed a dynamic tablescape that transforms over the three days of the festival, facilitating a series of events guided by the act of bringing people together.
In most homes, the dining table is a hub for social interaction. More than just a surface for utensils to rest on, it provides a context for inviting people into spaces, a place to gather around, somewhere for sharing stories and making new ones. This project imagines the table as a center of gravity and seeks to create moments that bring people towards it. Made in No.1 Common red oak, the table comprises eight curved segments that are reconfigured in various ways throughout the exhibition. As the surface evolves, it becomes a stage for objects that invite connection – and a canvas for the traces left behind by each event. Made from No.1 Common brown maple, a set of semi-stackable stools echo the table’s design language, offering maximum adaptability and forming a cohesive family of pieces.
‘Common Room’ by Daniel Schofield
Based in Copenhagen, British designer Daniel Schofield brings a complementary set of skills from his background in graphic design and carpentry to his practice as a furniture designer. He looks for – and finds – beauty in simplicity, creating highly rational pieces with elegant and enduring charm. The concept behind ‘Common Room’ plays on the timber grade’s name while addressing a real need. As demand grows for flexible workspaces that balance productivity, community, and privacy, Schofield’s project asks: can simple, adaptable pieces meet the needs of this new way of working? Can the rich character of No.1 Common enhance wellbeing through a biophilic connection to nature?
Schofield has used No.1 Common cherry wood to create a furniture family comprising a table, bench, stools, and screens of varying heights. With its natural variation – knots, color shifts, and irregular grain – No.1 Common often requires more work to make it viable for large-scale production. Rather than hiding these characteristics, Schofield has developed a system to embrace them. A simple yet effective approach to joining splits and patching knots maximizes the potential of No.1 Common. The butterfly joint, traditionally sharp-edged in handcraft, has been given rounded corners to speed up production and highlight its machine-made nature. This soft triangular form defines the collection’s design language, uniting function with expression.
Kontur Series by Anna Maria Øfstedal Eng
Furniture and homeware designer Anna Maria Øfstedal Eng embraces the hand of the maker in her creative process, celebrating imperfection as an emblem of honesty and transparency. From her studio in Fjellhamar, Norway, she creates unique sculptural objects in ceramic, wood, stone and metal. She is interested in how contrasts – raw and polished, curved and angular – can spark a dialogue within a design, enhancing its presence both visually and texturally. In 2023, she participated in AHEC’s 3daysofdesign exhibition, ‘Three’. For ‘No.1 Common’, Øfstedal Eng has designed a cabinet and wall mirror inspired by material experimentation using characterful yellow birch. Her discoveries connect closely to her long-standing inspiration she has found in roots and branches – forms that twist and shape both structure and silhouette.
A key insight from Øfstedal Eng’s collaborative, hands-on experimentation with Benchmark was the discovery of yellow birch’s rich spectrum of color variations. This led to laminating boards of the same species displaying different tones and grains to create a range of patterns – some bold and graphic, others subtle and soft. A three-layer lamination, with a 20mm core and 8–10mm outer layers, revealed its visual impact when carved along the grain. Patterns emerged, forming Øfstedal Eng’s signature organic silhouettes and showcasing the wood’s natural character. These sculptural elements contrast with clean, light surfaces used for cabinet fronts, tabletops, seats, and backrests. The dialogue between expressive and simple forms highlights the beauty and versatility of No.1 Common timber, elevating its value through craftsmanship and thoughtful design.
Nothing wasted
Designed by KUF Studios, the multidisciplinary practice of Danish designer Kia Utzon-Frank, the exhibition has been built using offcuts from the production of the pieces on display – thereby demonstrating the amount of material typically discarded in furniture-making – and is designed to be disassembled and reused with minimal intervention in future design projects. The exhibition space draws inspiration from timberyards, forests, and workshops, environments where raw material, process, and function coexist. Using stacking methods used in timber drying, visual markers from the yard such as ratchet straps and crayon marks, and structures that echo the simplicity of tools and jigs, the setting invites visitors to wander, explore, and reflect.
