Some brands have a history. Kosta Boda has nearly three centuries of one. Founded in 1742 in the small Swedish village of Kosta — where two military officers, Anders Koskull and Georg Bogislaus Staël von Holstein, lent their names to the enterprise — Kosta Boda began as a practical operation producing everyday glass for the Swedish market. What it became is something else entirely: one of the world's most creatively fearless glassworks, where master craftspeople and visionary designers have been making objects worth collecting ever since.
At Fina Tavola, we are proud to carry Kosta Boda as an authorized US retailer. Here is a closer look at the brand — and a few pieces from our collection that we think deserve a place in your home.
A Brand Built on Collaboration
What sets Kosta Boda apart from other heritage glass brands is its deep commitment to design as an artistic act. Rather than producing safe, commercially driven glassware, the brand has consistently partnered with bold creative voices — artists and designers who push the material in unexpected directions. The result is a range that spans everything from collectible sculptural works to beautifully designed everyday tableware, all united by an unmistakable sense of craft and intention.
The designers behind the collection read like a roster of Scandinavian design royalty: Bertil Vallien, whose haunting face motifs and layered glass boats are among the most recognized works in contemporary glass art. Anna Ehrner, whose centrifuged bowls transform a spinning technique into swirling, one-of-a-kind objects. Göran Wärff, whose light-refracting bases bring quiet brilliance to the table. Ludvig Löfgren, whose skull-shaped votives manage to be equal parts playful and provocative. And Studio Front, whose Pavilion vase collection earned the iF Design Award 2024 for its precise geometric vision.
Pieces Worth Knowing
If you are new to Kosta Boda, these six pieces from our collection offer a generous introduction to the breadth of what the brand does — and does beautifully.
Companion Hope by Bertil Vallien is one of the most quietly powerful pieces in the entire collection. Cast from circular glass — waste glass collected from Kosta Boda's own production — each Companion head carries a single word on its forehead. Hope. Love. Yes. The color varies from piece to piece depending on the source glass, which means every Companion is genuinely unique. It is the kind of object that rewards attention: the more you look, the more you find.
Still Life Skull Votive in Black is Ludvig Löfgren at his most dramatic. Inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet — the skull as a meditation on existence — the Still Life series has become one of Kosta Boda's most beloved contemporary designs. In deep, glossy black glass, the skull is brooding and bold, its reflective surface amplifying candlelight in the most striking way. Equal parts art object and functional candle holder, it sets a mood the moment it enters a room.
Brick Votive in Blue by Anna Ehrner takes its inspiration from the most elemental of architectural forms. The square glass candle holder achieves its distinctive look through the natural separation of color in the glass — a process that ensures no two are exactly alike. In blue, it has a cool, water-like quality that shifts beautifully depending on the light. Simple, striking, and endlessly versatile.
The Pavilion Vase in Light Pink is the result of Kosta Boda's collaboration with Swedish design studio Front, and the iF Design Award 2024 it earned is well deserved. The collection's signature ribbed, geometric interplay gives the vase a bold architectural presence, while the soft pink glass adds a delicate warmth that makes it as at home in a modern interior as a romantic one. Perfect for a single stem or simply as a standalone object.
For those who love the ritual of a well-made drink, the Limelight Double Old Fashioned Glasses by Göran Wärff are a quiet revelation. The Limelight collection's signature textured base optically refracts light, adding a subtle brilliance to every pour. Handmade in Sweden and dishwasher safe, they are the kind of glasses you reach for whether you are serving bourbon on the rocks or sparkling water with dinner.
And finally, Azur Frost Petrol by Bertil Vallien — part of the Kosta Boda Artist Collection — is a piece that stops people in their tracks. Cast in a graphite mold at Kosta Glassworks, the deep petroleum-blue glass carries Vallien's signature face motif sandblasted into the surface, creating a textured contrast between smooth glass and sculptural relief. Contemplative, mysterious, and unmistakably the work of a master.
Why Kosta Boda Belongs in Your Home
The best objects do more than fill a space — they change how a space feels. Kosta Boda pieces have that quality. Whether it is a votive flickering on a dinner table, a sculpture anchoring a shelf, or a set of glasses that makes an ordinary Tuesday feel like a occasion, these are objects made with intention and built to last. Nearly 300 years of craft is not an accident. It is the result of a brand that has never stopped taking glass seriously — and never stopped making it beautiful.
Browse the full Kosta Boda collection at Fina Tavola and find your piece.