The elegant, tradition-inspired Biennale stool takes at least 12 weeks to make, requiring not only skill but also quite a lot of physical strength from Nikari’s cabinetmakers. Read on to find out how exactly the stool is made! Read more
Cabinetmaker Kari Virtanen is the winner of the Kaj Franck Design Prize 2022, one of the best-known design prizes in Finland. Over the years, Virtanen has designed a wide range of wooden furniture for Nikari, a company he founded in 1967, and collaborated with Alvar Aalto and even Kaj Franck himself. Read more
Ready, set, picnic! The sun is shining and the birds are chirping – it’s an excellent time to gather your nearest and dearest for some outdoor fun. Check out our best tips for the ultimate pique-nique experience and get ready to soak up some rays. Read more
The Milan furniture fair, or Salone del Mobile.Milano, is one of the most essential events in the entire design industry. While the fairgrounds are dedicated to presenting new product launches, the city’s many palaces, galleries, showrooms, and courtyards are always bustling with inspiring exhibitions – and guests lined up to get in! Here are the Finnish Design Shop team’s favorites from the design week. Read more
A couple who work with wood live with their children in the Maununneva district of Helsinki. At first glance, you wouldn't guess from the art gallery-like space that many of the items in the home are pre-owned – and that it’s a place for spontaneous ball games. Read more
The Stockholm Furniture Fair and Stockholm Design Week 2023 were organized in February, and the city was bustling with interesting exhibitions and events. The Finnish Design Shop team was there to explore new launches and trends – check out our picks from Stockholm! Read more
The Finnish apartment developer Newil&Bau has become known for its innovative projects that blend visionary architecture with concepts created by interior architects. One of the company’s latest projects, 76&Piha, is located in Helsinki and involves transforming a former office complex into a modern residential building. Read more
Refurbishing a wax-oiled wooden chair may sound difficult, but small-scale maintenance can even be carried out at home. Franckly wants to promote furniture repair and maintenance. We had the privilege of watching how a used December chair by Nikari became as good as new. Read the expert tips and check out the photos! Read more
Melburnian, a unique high-rise apartment designed by Edition Office, invites you to explore and interpret living space from a new perspective, without traditional room divisions. The simultaneously open and intimate space creates an experiential framework for both core everyday activities and rest. Read more
Finnish Design Shop’s new logistics center was designed to blend in with the surrounding forest and meet the strict requirements of the environmental certification BREEAM. In an interview with Design Stories, interior architect Joanna Laajisto describes how the large warehouse was made cozy and inviting. Read more
Holiday home by Þingvallavatn is an arresting masterpiece by KRADS, located in the dream-like landscapes of Iceland’s southwest coast. The building overlooking the mountains and lake Þingvallavatn offers a connection to nature and culture unlike no other. Read more
Sauna and architecture lovers are in for a treat at the unique Art Sauna of the Serlachius Museums, opened in Mänttä-Vilppula, Finland, in the summer of 2022. Read more
Designed by Nao Tamura, the July stool brings together timeless design and Nikari’s signature craftsmanship and respect for the environment. The beautiful wooden stool, which is well suited for use as a seat or side table, is unique and versatile. Read more
Sculptor Pekka Jylhä thinks that his home is at its best in the afternoon when the sun shines in at the right angle. He approaches home decoration the same way as artistic work. Take a home tour with Design Stories! Read more
Once a place where maids and farmhands gathered for mealtime, the former servants’ hall of the Erkylä manor has been tastefully converted into an office space for Sinituote, a renowned Finnish manufacturer and marketer of home care products. Located in Hyvinkää, Southern Finland, the atmospheric office was designed by Joanna Laajisto. Read more
Concealed behind the concrete facade of Edition Office’s Hawthorn House, lies in wait a sensitive and balanced entity that draws strength from contradictions. Read more
Jenni Roininen, who works as Nikari’s creative director, has won the Designer of the Year award at Monocle magazine’s Design Awards 2021. We interviewed Roininen to hear her thoughts fresh after the win. Read more
Kirsikka Simberg's summer includes dining al fresco, tending the garden, and bicycle trips – with a side of ice cream of course. Design Stories visited Simberg's summer home and got the best tips on what to bring as a gift to the cabin and for creating a summery table setting. Read more
Fashion professional and dancer Pete Rahikainen lives in Katajanokka, Helsinki, in an apartment where it always seems to be summer. The apartment features muted tones, a mix of styles and eras as well as a touch of Italian-style effortless elegance. Read more
“It’s not necessary to get everything you want or own everything you like” is a principle that Design Stories columnist Hanna-Katariina Mononen keeps saying to herself and even lives by – at least every now and then. Read more
Beautiful green spinach crêpes, wonderfully fluffy ricotta blueberry pancakes and frothy iced coffee make the most delectable breakfast of the spring. Check out the recipes and whip up tasty treats for a Mother's Day brunch or as a surprise for overnight guests. Read more
Every morning at their Kilpisjärvi log house, Valtteri Bottas, a Formula One driver currently competing with the Alfa Romeo Team, and Tiffany Cromwell, a top-level professional road cyclist, are greeted by a picture perfect view of the Saana fell. Discover the couple’s modern leisure home with Design Stories! Read more
Hanni Koroma is known as an interior architect who can design spaces in which old and new are delicately interwoven. Design Stories went to her for advice on how to make your home more functional and cozy. Read more
How to clean linen webbing? Can scratched linoleum be repaired? Design Stories picked the best tips from Artek's care instruction manual and put together a toolkit to help you take care of your precious Artek treasures. Read more
Ceramic artist Karin Widnäs loves the feel of clay between her fingers and gives a physical form to images conjured up in her mind. When she dreams, she dreams big. Often these dreams come true – like her atelier home in Fiskars and, more recently, the KWUM ceramics museum next door. Read more
Energizing spots of color, objects with curious shapes and surprising details give any interior an interesting edge, lift the spirits and tell the tale of their owner. We picked seven visually interesting products in our selection that not only catch the eye but also stimulate conversation. Read more
Two Finnish veterans of the design industry, Nikari, known for its solid wood furniture, and Woodnotes, known for its paper yarn carpets and furniture, will begin collaborating. We asked Johanna Vuorio of Nikari and Mikko Puotila of Woodnotes what was behind this surprise announcement. Read more
Finland is best known for the sauna, persistent people, salty licorice, and of course design! Finnish design is characterized by minimalistic features, beautiful Nordic nature, and little moments of joy. In honor of Finland’s Independence Day on 6 December, we present eight interesting holiday gift ideas from Finland, that will delight both the gift recipient and the manufacturer. Read more
Graphic designer Päivi Häikiö selected gifts, available at Finnish Design Shop, for the home decorator, board game player and bookworm, among others. “Simple, leisurely moments together are what make a good holiday,” she says. Read more
Architectural studio OOPEAA designed the Tikkurila Church in Vantaa, Finland, to be a place that is easy to visit. The interior was designed to be relaxed and inviting, with the aim of avoiding solutions that would make the church look like a municipal building. Finnish Design Shop’s Contract Sales provided the church with furniture and lamps. Read more