Finarte’s Atelier collection is an ode to everyday creativity

Finarte's spring 2021 novelties abound with delicious shades and interesting patterns. With the new Atelier collection, Finarte encourages creativity and finding your inner artist, one way or another.

Finarte Namu rug
The Atelier collection by Finarte encourages you to make your home a haven for creativity.

FINARTE'S NEW ATELIER COLLECTION brings tactile artworks into homes – in the form of rugs. According to Finarte, a beautiful rug can be seen as the focal point of a room, much like a work of art, around which furniture is assembled. The collection is also a tribute to self-expression within the walls of one's own home: Finarte sees each home as an atelier where residents use their creativity to come up with interior design solutions that express their own style.

“We want the collection to highlight the importance of the home as a place of self-expression,” says Larissa Immonen, CEO of Finarte. "At Finarte, we feel that a rug can very well be like a work of art in the home and something that reflects the residents’ personality."

The products in the new collection are, indeed, like works of art – their designs clearly show the signature style of each designer. The collection was created in collaboration with Eri Shimatsuka, who has previously received acclaim for her charming Terttu rugs, and Minni Havas, who is designing for Finarte for the first time.

Finarte Namu rug
The Atelier collection's Nami wool rug is decorated with softly undulating stripes designed by Eri Shimatsuka.
Designer Eri Shimatsuka
Textile designer Eri Shimatsuka has lived in Finland since 2007. For Finarte, she has also designed the Terttu pattern.
Finarte Namu rug
"Even though it wasn't my plan, the texture of the base fabric really stands out in the Nami rug. I thought it looked really fresh and so I decided to just go with it. In the design process, it's important to be flexible and believe in your intuition," Shimatsuka says.

Eri Shimatsuka’s creation in the collection is the Nami rug, tufted with a wavy, three-dimensional pattern. “The Nami pattern was born when I was experimenting with new kinds of stripes,” Shimatsuka says. “I drew a lot of sketches by hand, with organic lines emerging on paper. I think the asymmetrical stripes are pretty sympathetic.”

The name of the rug, Nami, is Japanese and means ‘wave’. Eri Shimatsuka thinks it’s fun that the pattern can be interpreted in other ways, as well. “The pattern is quite playful – it also looks a bit like licorice candy. It's a nice coincidence that Nami also means ‘yummy’ Finnish!”

Finarte Zeniitti rug
In the Zeniitti pattern, you can see a glowing sun and the lines of the horizon.
Designer Minni Havas
Minni Havas is a Helsinki-based illustrator and pattern designer.
Finarte Zeniitti rug
“In astronomy, Zenith means the point in the sky directly above the viewer. Zenith is also a peak that can be understood literally or figuratively,” says Minni Havas.

In addition to the organically flowing Nami, the Atelier collection also offers eye candy for fans of a more geometric look in the form of the Zeniitti pattern by Minni Havas. The Zeniitti series includes not only a rug, but also a cushion cover with the pattern embroidered by hand. Like Shimatsuka’s Nami, Zeniitti was conceived while sketching.

“When I go to design patterns, I don’t think about any particular motifs first. I create compositions instinctively, following my intuition,” says Minni Havas. “In the Zeniitti pattern, just the right elements, their places and directions snapped into place. In the pattern, I see the sun and the horizon, among other things.”

Finarte Zeniitti rug
Zenite is available in two different color combinations. Minni Havas says that originally there were dozens of variations, and the final colors were only chosen after seeing the samples.
Finarte Paletti cushion cover
The fascinating pattern of the Paletti cushion cover has been hand-embroidered.

Minni Havas has also designed another cushion cover for the collection, which is called Paletti. Although this is the first time Havas and Finarte have collaborated, Havas’ patterns fit into Finarte’s collections perfectly. “Minni has just that amazing creativity and her own style, which we also hope will be conveyed from our collection,” Larissa Immonen says.

The design process of the Atelier collection began long before the current situation in the world, but its message fits the times as well: “During the pandemic, the meaning of ‘home’ has taken on a new significance. Many have turned their homes into art studios of sorts as painting and other hobbies have bloomed,” says Immonen.

According to Finarte, everyday creativity can be represented in homes in many ways – whichever way it does, it should always spark joy. “When creating the collection, we all had a common mission: to bring joy and beauty to people’s homes.”

See also:

All products by Finarte >
Interview with Larissa Immonen >

Edit: Emmi Ratilainen Images: Suvi Kesäläinen, Noora Lehtovuori and Finarte

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