Showroom Manager and interior architect Maija Rasila introduces the most interesting items in the new spring exhibition at our showroom in Turku, Finland.
“SPRING WILL BE HERE soon, and we get more and more daylight each day. Spring is also in the air at our showroom, which now sports cheerful colors and showcases the most interesting new products of the season. The theme of our new spring exhibition is the bedroom, as now is the perfect time to give the room a do-over; to get new pillows and duvets or perhaps even update the whole interior.
The exhibition includes beds and bed frames available in Finnish Design Shop, some of which have just only been added to our online store. The showroom also provides the opportunity to get a feel of the silky soft bedding and compare different duvets and pillows – not to mention the chance to draw inspiration for bedroom lighting and decoration.
As usual, in addition to products related to the theme, the items on display include interesting sofa and dining sets that feature the same fresh, topical colors as the rest of the exhibition. So, let the spring come – we’re ready!”
• Finnish Design Shop's showroom >
A classic pair
The combination of oak and blue and white textiles is an evergreen classic that instantly makes you think of spring. The streamlined Rye Beds bed frame is a brand-new addition to our selection and will be added to our online store during this spring.
We paired classic oak with preppy blue and white stripes on Magniberg’s bedding, inspired by and named after dress shirts popular in the banking world of the 1980s. The Wall Street Oxford collection has also won the Wallpaper Design Award 2021, and for good reason. Not only does the collection look timeless, but it is also made of the finest Egyptian cotton, and you can really feel the high quality. The products are also sure to please those who want their sheets to be wrinkle free, as all it takes to smooth the fabric is a light touch of the iron.
The cool aluminum, on the other hand, gives the timeless elements a touch of character. Tolomeo, designed in the 1980s, is a classic choice that we warmly recommend to avid readers or anyone looking for efficient lighting. The adjustability and luminous flux of the lamp are unparalleled, and its minimalist shape makes it suitable for all kinds of settings.
The lamp on the other side is MENU’s popular Torso, which has a fabric shade that diffuses soft, atmospheric light. The bench at the foot of the bed is &Tradition’s Betty, which reflects the streamlined design of the bed.
• All beds >
• Magniberg's bed linen >
A highly adaptable bed
Now our showroom also provides the opportunity to test the popular Aina bed, a sustainable, durable and easily adaptable innovation by Finnish Matri. The mattress consists of three separate pieces of padding – soft, medium soft and firm – that can be arranged freely according to personal preferences.
The bed is also available with medium-firm and firm springs, which can be compared on site at our showroom. We also like the bed’s repairability and wide spare part selection, as well as the fact that it is made of eco-friendly, toxin-free materials. This is a real feel-good choice!
“The Aina bed is a sustainable, durable and easily adaptable innovation by Finnish Matri.”
We complemented the bed with a compatible Slim headboard and Lempi bedside table made of ash, both by Matri. The sleek table lamp with black accents is Colette, a new product by &Tradition, which is also available with burgundy accents.
• Matri's Aina bed >
The new era of pine
Pine has gained more and more popularity in recent years. The material, which has been in the sidelines for decades, has gotten a new boost from both the launch of new pine products and the relaunch of old ones, and it was also a prominent element at the Stockholm Furniture Fair that was held recently.
In addition to the brutally modern pine furniture, more curved models, drawing inspiration from holiday home furniture popular in the 1970s, are trending this spring and becoming an interesting phenomenon. One example of this style is the Daumiller chair, which was designed by Rainer Daumiller in 1977 and recently relaunched by GUBI. The smooth surface and curved shapes of the chair make you want to touch it and test it, and the chair is sure to provoke feelings, both for and against. Be that as it may, the chair represents a breath of fresh air among current interior design trends.
We paired the chair with Muuto’s plush Connect sofa, featuring the same curved shapes as the pine chair. FontanaArte’s clean-lined Tavolo Con Ruote glass table gives the set a light overall look, and the new Tilkku tube cushion by Johanna Gullichsen, featuring beloved patterns by the designer, repeats the style of the minimalist table.
A truly minimalist bed
One of the most popular products in our selection, the Cubile bed by Collaboratorio, is a sleek choice for a more minimalist bedroom. It is a particularly good choice for those who prefer a futon or just a lower and more streamlined bed in general.
The bed frame is made in Finland, and not a single screw is required for assembling it: the notched wooden parts are just put in place one by one. The bed can also be complemented with a compatible headboard or desk, which can be hidden inside the headboard, if necessary. The version on display at our showroom is made of beech, but the bed and additional parts are also available in oak.
The angular shape of the bed is reflected in the elegant check pattern on Paustian’s textiles made of fine wool. Tekla’s crisp cotton-percale bedding and black details add the finishing touch to the relaxed, modern bedroom.
• Collaboratorio's Cubile bed >
• Tekla's bedding >
Wood and square stitching
Plush modular sofas are now the trendiest. Stitching that provides structure and other classic features are also still very prominent. For this spring, we updated HAY’s modular Quilton sofa, known for its square stitching, with greenish, sandy wool Coda 222 fabric. The shade is fresh yet neutral, making it easy to combine the sofa with both light and dark, sandy and gray tones.
Wood also goes excellently with the greenish upholstery fabric. The X HM10 lounge chair in the foreground is a product relaunched by &Tradition, originally designed by the duo Hvidt & Mølgaard in 1957. The eye-catcher in this chair with an oak frame is the small, sleek walnut detail visible from the side that accentuates the chair’s curved shape. This slender chair is a good choice for small spaces, and thanks to its compact size, it is also suitable for bedrooms.
• HAY's Quilton sofa >
• All sofas >
Favorite new product
As usual, the beginning of the year offers all kinds of inspiring new things for decorators to explore: the new year and the new trade fair season introduce interesting new products and interpretations of trends, into which it is exciting to delve deeper.
Of all the intriguing newly-launched products, my personal favorite is probably the Alima trolley, designed by Note Design for &Tradition. The shiny chrome frame, rhythmic perforation and contrasting rattan and oak details create an absolutely irresistible combination.
“It’s easy to come up with uses for this trolley in the kitchen, living room as well as even the home office.”
It’s easy to come up with uses for this multi-purpose product in the kitchen, living room as well as even the home office, and thanks to the smooth-rolling wheels, the trolley is effortless to move from one place to another. I would use the trolley in the kitchen as additional storage space and move it to the living room for serving whenever necessary. The trolley would also provide a beautiful place for storing and displaying magazines and the best-looking coffee table books.
• &Tradition's Alima NDS1 trolley >
Interior architect Maija Rasila picks the most inspiring products, objects and issues of the month from novel and classic items. Modern Scandinavian style can be spiced up with plenty of details, surprising colors and personal touches.
See also:
• Finnish Design Shop's showroom >
• All items at Finnish Design Shop >
Text: Maija Rasila Images: Suvi Kesäläinen