Avotakka’s picks from Finland: “Pine has once again become trendy”
1. Kolho love
Last summer in Repovesi National Park in Kouvola, the Finnish national landscape took my breath away. I could have endlessly stared at the steep cliffs rolling into the lake and the pines swaying in the wind – if I weren’t afraid of heights!
The curvy legs and sturdy seat of Made by Choice’s Kolho chair feature the same opposites as the Finnish traditional landscape. The Kolho chair, designed by Matthew Day Jackson, provides your home with a touch of wilderness and good memories from trips to nature.
• Made by Choice's Kolho chair >
2. The clock is ticking
Whether you are staying in a small B&B or a chain hotel, at some point, you’ll find yourself lying on the bed and staring at a flat-screen TV featuring a digital clock at the bottom. It would be much more comfortable to check the time on a clock that doesn’t shine blue or red light. The plump Alva clock by Katriina Nuutinen is easy on the eyes, and when you are looking at it, time seems to pass more slowly than usual. What's best, the movement hidden under the matte glass dome is completely silent.
• Katriina Nuutinen's Alva clock >
3. Bread from a board
At a hotel breakfast, I always have freshly-baked bread, since it’s nice to taste delicacies by local bakeries. It’s a pleasure to cut bread on a sturdy, wooden board that isn’t trying to slip away from under the loaf. The Halikko cutting board by Hanna Saari has a uniquely patterned wooden surface and a beautiful handle, which I would use to hang the elegant the board on the kitchen wall after use.
• Hanna Saari's Halikko cutting board >
4. Strawberry addict
Finnish strawberries taste heavenly, and a one-liter box of them doesn’t last long. Fortunately, legendary Marimekko designer Maija Isola understood the significance of strawberries for mental wellbeing and created the fabulous Mansikkavuoret (strawberry mountains) pattern in 1969.
And what would be nicer than sitting down on a soft Mansikkavuoret pouf (also suitable for us acrophobics!) on a summer evening. The Mansikkavuoret pouf is only available in Finnish Design Shop for a limited time.
• Marimekko's Mansikkavuoret pouf >
5. Pine is hip
One of the must-do things in a Finnish national park is popping in the rest-stop cottage and taking in the minimalist Finnish-style interior, which includes dim lighting and large tables made of pine. Pine has once again become trendy, and I’m excited about Finnish Vaarnii’s 009 pine bowl that stands on thick legs and is great to look at even when it’s empty. The wooden bowl designed by Mac Collins makes fruit look really delicious.
• Vaarnii's 009 bowl >
6. Coffee break
Coffee is part of the Finnish lifestyle. And coffee breaks are part of any car or bike trip. I’m not a fan of the cardboard cup culture that has become so popular, and I hope that people would start to appreciate traditional porcelain cups! The Sirkus porcelain cup by Vaja Finland has good proportions and features colorful, decorative patterns that put you in a happy summer mood.
• Vaja Finland's Sirkus cup >
Anna Aromaa works as an interior journalist at Avotakka. She has a passion for furniture with organic shapes and unexpected material combinations.
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Text: Anna Aromaa Images: Manufacturers
Published on 1 Jul, 2021
