Finnish Design Shop's April arrivals featured a mix of classics and fresh new designs. We picked five that we think are the most swoon-worthy – take a look and get inspired!
1. Fritz Hansen: KN Slide mirror
Danish Fritz Hansen's luminaires have been available in our online store already for a while, and in addition to the luminaires, our selection also includes the brand's accessory collection. The range features products from acclaimed designers like Jaime Hayón, Cecilie Manz and Paul McCobb, among others.
In addition to top design names, Fritz Hansen has also embraced the work of new talent, one example of which is Karin Nakamura: her Slide mirror was created when Christian Andresen, Fritz Hansen’s Head of Design, served as her mentor while Nakamura studied at Central St. Martins School of Art in London. Slide's gist lies in its sliding mirror, which allows objects stored in the concrete base to be hidden or revealed as desired.
• KN Slide mirror >
• All mirrors >
2. Pholc: Romb table lamp
Designed by Broberg & Ridderstråle for Pholc, Romb is an interesting luminaire whose unique charm is based not only on its strong, geometric shape but also on thoughtful details such as the corrugated cardboard-like texture. The lamp's structure, consisting of two rhomboid forms in aluminum, is accentuated when the lamp is on, as the light glowing from under the upper part is reflected from the angular, undulating surface. The luminaire is available in two shades and two different sizes.
• Romb table lamp >
• All table lamps >
3. Alvar Aalto Designer
In April, bookworms were treated to a real book buffet as Finnish Design Shop's book selection expanded with a whopping 40 works. The new arrivals include a wide variety of topics ranging from designers and architecture to interior design and photography, and books like Beauty and the East, which showcases modern Chinese architecture, or the full story of top chef Magnus Nilsson's now permanently closed Fäviken restaurant. Alvar Aalto fans were spoiled with not one but several volumes on Aalto's designs and architecture, such as Alvar Aalto Designer published by the Alvar Aalto Foundation.
• Alvar Aalto Designer >
• All books >
4. New brand: Vaarnii
Our latest brand addition is the Finnish Vaarnii, whose furniture and home accessories could be described as unusual, to say the least – like a breath of fresh air in the modern design field! The brand's ruggedly beautiful furniture is made in Finland from wild-grown pinewood, which has been a regrettably overlooked material in recent decades, but which Vaarnii now wants to bring back to the limelight. Many consider pine to be a second-class material for its knots and tendency to patinate, but Vaarnii believes these traits are exactly what makes pine so special; knots and patina should be celebrated, not rejected. What's more, they perfectly fit the brand's brutal aesthetics.
Two other new brands were also added to the online store in April: the Finnish Niimaar and the Swedish Nouie. Both manufacture high-quality everyday objects that meet the standards of even the most discerning aesthetes, as can be witnessed in Niimaar's recycling stations and Nouie's kitchen utensils.
• 005 coffee table >
• All products by Vaarnii >
5. Artek: New shades of Siena
Although Alvar Aalto has already been mentioned on our list, we simply cannot ignore the new shades of Artek's classic pattern Siena, inspired by Aalto's architecture. Tinted in hues of sand, brick red and gray, the new Siena textiles look refreshing and make the graphic pattern available to those who prefer other color combinations to the classic black and white. The new colorways are available in fabrics, cushion covers, little pouches and practical plywood trays.
• Siena novelties >
• All products by Artek >
Check out what else is new:
• Latest arrivals at Finnish Design Shop >
Text: Emmi Ratilainen Images: Jussi Puikkonen, Nicole Bachmann and manufacturers