Design Stories
Villa Skeppet: Alvar Aalto’s last private home is monumental yet intimate
Designed by Alvar Aalto, Villa Skeppet is located near the center of Ekenäs, Finland. Aalto designed the house in the late 1960s for his close friend, writer Göran Schildt, and Schildt’s wife, Christine. Villa Skeppet would become the last private home Aalto designed during his career.
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The Danish Karstad family enjoys cabin life between the sea and the forest
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Visiting Serban Ionescu’s whimsical home and atelier
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At home with Katrine Møbius: A 19th-century farmhouse shaped by everyday life
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Meet Tenten: Finnish Design Shop launches its own brand
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A new cabin in a familiar spot: Inside the Puotila family’s summer retreat on Lake Saimaa
The Puotila family has been spending summers on the shores of Lake Saimaa since the 1950s. When their old log cabin finally called for a major overhaul, the family arrived at an unusual solution: tear down the original and build a new one in exactly the same spot. Everything that had worked well was recreated – only better.
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Inga Sempé finds beauty in the everyday – and turns it into something extraordinary
From her Paris studio, French designer Inga Sempé creates objects that are witty, precise, and utterly her own: lamps, sofas, and everyday things that don’t take themselves too seriously. We sat down with her to talk about daily life, long processes, and why good design should always be worth fighting for.
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The Danish Karstad family enjoys cabin life between the sea and the forest
At Mikkel and Camilla Karstad’s cabin just outside Copenhagen, outdoor cooking and year-round sea swims are part of everyday life. At the heart of their forest-surrounded retreat are Muuto’s outdoor furniture pieces, which set the scene for a relaxed outdoor lifestyle.
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Onni Alanko’s paintings bring color to summer at Finnish Design Shop
Once again, Finnish Design Shop’s showroom & shop has shifted into summer mode. Alongside fresh design and delicious food, visitors can immerse themselves in the paintings of visual artist Onni Alanko – read the artist’s interview on Design Stories!
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A century of light: Louis Poulsen launches the PH Centenary Collection
In 1926, Poul Henningsen invented a three-shade lighting system that would change the way we experience light at home. One hundred years later, Louis Poulsen celebrates the anniversary with the PH Centenary Collection: a small group of heritage pieces crafted in aged brass, including the long-awaited return of the iconic PH Chandelier.
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TOP 5: Ready for summer's gifting season – the most inspiring new products of the month
Is your summer calendar already filling up with graduations and birthdays? Our newest arrivals offer gift ideas for all ages – pick your favorites and save them for the season ahead!
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Villa Skeppet: Alvar Aalto’s last private home is monumental yet intimate
Designed by Alvar Aalto, Villa Skeppet is located near the center of Ekenäs, Finland. Aalto designed the house in the late 1960s for his close friend, writer Göran Schildt, and Schildt’s wife, Christine. Villa Skeppet would become the last private home Aalto designed during his career.
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What's new: Saana ja Olli's Joutilas collection
There's a quiet luxury in moving at your own pace and letting the hours unfold without a plan. Finnish design brand Saana ja Olli invites you to embrace exactly that with their new home textile collection, In My Own Time. Step in, slow down, and find the pieces that make space for your most unhurried moments.
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Marimekko’s beloved prints come to life at its own textile printing factory
“About one million metres of fabric are printed at Marimekko’s textile printing factory in Helsinki each year,” says Minna Kemell-Kutvonen, Marimekko’s Design Director, Home & Print Design. In her interview with Design Stories, Kemell-Kutvonen shares why the company’s own printing factory remains at the heart of Marimekko’s print design – and what happens before the brand’s bold colours and expressive prints become fabrics, clothing and home textiles.
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Meet Tenten: Finnish Design Shop launches its own brand
Tenten is Finnish Design Shop’s very own brand, debuting with a collection of high-quality home textiles. Brand Manager Anu Soiniitty shares more about the new label and reveals her favorite pieces from the Tenten collection.
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Salone del Mobile.Milano 2026: Trends and highlights from the Milan Furniture Fair
The design world gathered once again at Salone del Mobile, held in April at Milan’s Rho Fiera exhibition center. Finnish Design Shop’s interior designer Riikka Soini-Ferraguto visited the fair to explore the ideas, aesthetics and emerging directions currently shaping the industry.
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Shirley Villavicencio Pizango’s colorful world comes to life with Serax
In Shirley Villavicencio Pizango’s work, people and objects exist side by side in richly layered interiors. Now, her imagined ceramics have become real in a collaboration with Serax. We visited the artist in her Ghent studio.
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Out of love for Aalto – Virpi Suutari worked on her documentary at a cottage in the Turku archipelago
Documentary director Virpi Suutari was reading love letters sent between Alvar and Aino Aalto at her summer cottage. These and numerous other sources, along with filming trips around the world, became the foundation for her acclaimed documentary Aalto.
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Savory-sweet goat cheese and berry tart for sunny summer days
This summery tart brings together the sweetness of fresh berries and the rich savouriness of goat cheese in one delicious bite. It’s equally at home on a festive summer table or enjoyed with a chilled glass of sparkling wine on a sunny afternoon.
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Erik Bryggman's Resurrection Chapel is a gem of Finnish architecture
Amidst the tumult of the Second World War, architect Erik Bryggman designed a peaceful cemetery chapel in Turku, in which death is encountered with respect and gentleness. It has become a landmark of Finnish architecture.
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Ilmari Tapiovaara – life, oblivion and rediscovery
For Ilmari Tapiovaara, work was his whole life, and at times, his family was also left in its shadow. The Finnish designer died an almost forgotten great, but then the retro boom began.
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From paper to plate: Fish “en papillote” and lemon aioli are the perfect easy weekend lunch
Fish “en papillote” is as easy as the fishy business gets. Simply wrap fish in parchment, whip up some lemon aioli, and you’ve got an easy, effortless, and tasty weekend lunch. Catch these fresh spring recipes and treat yourself – bon appétit!
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The Aalto House in Helsinki surprises with its timelessness
The Helsinki home of Alvar and Aino Aalto, and later Elissa Aalto, remains as modern today as it was nearly a hundred years ago. Discover the charming home of the Aaltos in Helsinki with Design Stories!
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The Danish Karstad family enjoys cabin life between the sea and the forest
At Mikkel and Camilla Karstad’s cabin just outside Copenhagen, outdoor cooking and year-round sea swims are part of everyday life. At the heart of their forest-surrounded retreat are Muuto’s outdoor furniture pieces, which set the scene for a relaxed outdoor lifestyle.
More home stories
Marimekko’s beloved prints come to life at its own textile printing factory
“About one million metres of fabric are printed at Marimekko’s textile printing factory in Helsinki each year,” says Minna Kemell-Kutvonen, Marimekko’s Design Director, Home & Print Design. In her interview with Design Stories, Kemell-Kutvonen shares why the company’s own printing factory remains at the heart of Marimekko’s print design – and what happens before the brand’s bold colours and expressive prints become fabrics, clothing and home textiles.
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Summer starts here!
Summer Shop
Sunny days, light-filled evenings, and nowhere in a hurry to be – are you already dreaming of summer? Finnish Design Shop’s Summer Shop has every dreamer covered. Whether your daydreams drift towards new furniture for the summer house or a laid-back lounger for basking in the sun, here you’ll find everything you need to create your own perfect summer oasis.
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TOP 5: Ready for summer's gifting season – the most inspiring new products of the month
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What's new: Saana ja Olli's Joutilas collection
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What’s new: Créme Atelier's Soft Serve lamps
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TOP 5: Bring on spring – the most inspiring new products of the month
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Introducing: RYE
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TOP 5: Summer dreaming – the most inspiring new products of the month
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Design Stories – Exploring contemporary Nordic design
Design Stories is an online magazine published by Finnish Design Shop, focusing on Finnish and Scandinavian design, interiors, and architecture. We cover the latest design releases, explore timeless classics, and step inside inspiring homes in Finland and around the world.
Design Stories brings together stories on design and interiors, interviews with designers, and design-minded travel and culture tips. The content is created by Finnish Design Shop’s editorial team in collaboration with an international network of contributors, with selected articles produced in partnership with Asun, Mondo, and Avotakka magazines. The editor-in-chief of Design Stories is Mikko Vaija.
Design Stories is the online magazine of Finnish Design Shop, created to inspire and delight design lovers everywhere. We hope you enjoy exploring with us! Have a story tip or thoughts on our content? We’d love to hear from you.
