Finland

Subterms

    Latest story

    150 Shares129 Views

    El Fant Café and Bar celebrates both traditional and contemporary Finnish design

    by

    Finnish design studio Yatofu collaborated with young and local craftspeople to create El Fant Café and Bar in Helsinki, Finland.

    The cafe and bar comprises three front of house spaces across 70 square metres, including a central bar with two adjoining dining spaces either side.
    El Fant Café and Bar features furniture by Helsinki-based workshop PuutamoYatofu intended to inject the energy of Helsinki’s contemporary design community into Torikorttelit, in Helsinki’s old town, where El Fant is located.
    “Our approach was rooted in celebrating the timeless qualities of Finnish design while infusing it with a contemporary twist,” Yatofu’s founders Angela Lindahl and Yihan Xiang told Dezeen.
    Paja&Bureau created curved galvanised steel shelving for this projectGuests enter into the central bar area featuring a custom galvanised steel bar designed by Yatofu in collaboration with local custom metal workshop Paja&Bureau.

    They designed the bar counter and matching shelving units to “add a touch of industrial modernity to the space”. The steel units bend and curve optimising the flow of the three connected interior spaces.
    Guests enter El Fant into a central bar areaYatofu also closely collaborated with Helsinki-based carpentry workshop Puutamo, led by young female carpenter Eveliina Ylöne, to create solid pine furniture.
    Yatofu purposefully worked with young and local craftspeople on the project, allowing them “to inject the space with fresh perspectives and a genuine connection to the community,” the studio told Dezeen.
    “By working with local craftspeople, we were able to explore new possibilities for local production and celebrate the creativity and innovation that defines the current generation of Finnish craftsmen,” they added.
    The cafe and bar features a pair of Howard Wall lamps by GubiEveliina Ylönen and Yatofu opted for four-centimetre-thick pine boards from northern Finland to create all the custom furniture pieces in the space.
    “Pine was selected for its historical significance in Finnish craftsmanship and its natural characteristics, durability and warmth,” said the studio.
    The interior includes dining chairs from the Finnish brand VaarniiThe result of the collaboration includes a set of stools, benches and tables with both natural and stained finishes.
    “Together, we explored how to maintain the wood’s natural beauty while introducing bold, contemporary design elements such as the saturated tomato-red dye, which added a modern twist to the traditional material,” Yatofu explained.
    The bar table features tomato-red stained finishThe stained finish was applied on a table and chairs set in the bar area, as well as benches in the dining areas.
    Paired with dining chairs from the Finnish brand Vaarnii, the solid pine pieces counterbalance the cool-toned steel.
    The earth-toned plaster walls are hand-finishedThis balance was also formed through the choice of earth-toned plaster walls and polished concrete flooring. As well as a series of warm-hued spotlights and wall lights, including a pair of Howard Wall lamps by Gubi.
    “The juxtaposition of warm natural materials like pine with cooler, industrial elements like galvanised steel was designed to evoke a sense of balance and harmony,” Yatofu explained.
    This balance of materials across the design scheme aims to create an “atmosphere that feels both relaxed and invigorating”.
    The interior balances contemporary and traditional design elementsOther projects featured on Dezeen by Yatofu include a furniture showroom in Hangzhou, China and a refined teahouse interior in Helsinki, Finland.
    The photography is by Aleksi Tikkala.

    Read more: More

    More stories

    • 113 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      NoDe exhibition presents 28 emerging designers from the Nordics

      by

      Swirling metal lamps, stools made from old kitchen cabinets and a fur-covered desk were among objects on show at House of Nordic Design’s exhibition during 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen.

      Titled NoDe, short for Nordic Design, the exhibition featured furniture, homeware and sculpture created by 28 up-and-coming designers and makers from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.
      Sissel Warringa’s Peel Lamp rests atop Anton Mikkonen’s Silhouette tableThese works were dotted around the rooms of a century-old artist’s atelier, located in a loft apartment on Store Strandstræde that could only be accessed via a small old-fashioned lift.
      The show was curated by Natalia Sánchez, who founded House of Nordic Design in 2023 to provide both a sales platform and a business support network for designers at the start of their careers.
      At the entrance, a textile by Plain Weavers hangs over Lisa Darland’s Mylla rug”When you’re on your own in a studio, it’s very hard to do everything that’s needed to get out there, be part of the market and get attention in the magazines,” she explained.

      Some objects were positioned as you might expect to find them in a home, while others had more surprising settings.
      Upon entry, visitors were greeted by a ceiling-hung textile by Plain Weavers, which created an unusual juxtaposition with Lisa Darland’s textural rugs underneath.
      Works by Moa Markgren, Atelier Marée and Netta Kandelin on display in the kitchenIn the adjacent kitchen, bulging wooden vases by Moa Markgren and ceramics by Atelier Marée are among objects that can be found on the work surfaces.
      A bright green stool by Better Weather provided a focal point here. It was playfully displayed atop a fridge freezer in a nod to its materiality – the product is made from recycled cabinet doors.
      Better Weather’s Transformer stool stands atop the fridge freezerThe living room featured Studio Kasa Kasa’s fur-covered desk, plus another by Anton Mikkonen with sculpted metal trestles and a glass top.
      Other works in this room included Sissel Warringa’s swirling Peel Lamp, Carlberg Design’s bent wire chairs, marbled panelling by Snedker Studio and a granite table by Reeta Laine.
      Studio Kasa Kasa’s furry desk stands with Carlberg’s Design’s Skir chairThe final room was a bedroom where a wall of shelves provided display space for many more curiosities. The room also featured a daybed embellished with a patterned textile by A Seat in Siena, as well as Tobias Berg’s bent aluminium chair.
      The list of contributors was completed by Anne Nowak, Bellamoli Studio, Dain Kang, Gabi Humnicki, Kajsa Willner, Linda Weimann, Live Berg, MMH Objects, Netta Kandelin, Shunsuke Koya, Stine Mikkelsen, Studio My Comét, Studio Wes, Tale Berger Hølmebakk and Tessa Lulu Kaner.

      Kasper Kyster handcrafts “organic” plastic furniture

      Sánchez made the selection after receiving 140 responses to her open call. Many of the designers will continue to work with House of Nordic Design, as it is set to launch an online shop later this year.
      “NoDe is an exploration of what’s to come,” said Sánchez.
      Artworks by Linda Weimann hang above Reeta Laine’s Torner Side Table”It’s about giving a platform to young designers who are not only pushing the boundaries of design but are also deeply committed to exploring and experimenting with their chosen material,” she continued.
      “These designers are the voices of the future, and their work reflects the innovative spirit that is at the heart of Nordic design.”
      Bellamoli Studio’s Ratio tables sit beside A Seat in Siena’s Verona daybedNoDe is the second exhibition that House of Nordic Design has staged, after launching with a smaller show at last year’s 3 Days of Design.
      The project forms a continuation of Sánchez’s long-running support of emerging designers. She was previously the curator of DAWN, a regular 3 Days of Design show dedicated to young Danish designers.
      Visitors to this year’s 3 Days of Design could also explore reiusses of a number of classic chairs and a colourful collaboration between designer Faye Toogood and Danish brand Frama.
      NoDe was part of 3 Days of Design, which took place at venues across Copenhagen from 12 to 14 June. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

      Read more: More

    • 150 Shares109 Views

      in Rooms

      Joanna Laajisto creates “dark and woody” interior for Pyhä Ski Resort pizzeria

      by

      Helsinki-based designer Joanna Laajisto has completed Popolo, a ski resort restaurant designed to be both cosy and practical for guests walking in from the slopes.

      The Studio Joanna Laajisto founder designed the pizzeria as part of Kultakero, a new hotel at the Pyhä Ski Resort in northern Finland.
      The interior pairs slate flooring with patterned timber wall panellingHer scheme features a floor made from irregularly shaped slabs of slate and wall panelling with distinct feather-like grain patterns.
      Other key details at Popolo include leather seating and copper lamps and candleholders, which offer a sense of warmth.
      Snowy scenes outside the window allowed for a darker material palette”The restaurant is designed to fit into the unique landscape of Pyhä; easily approachable yet atmospheric, suitable for both skiing directly from the slope and an atmospheric multi-course dinner,” Laajisto said.

      The designer based the design on her own experiences of the area. She has a vacation home in Pyhä and spends much of her time snowboarding and mountain biking here.
      “I have spent most of my winter holidays in this place with family and friends, so I just imagined a space we would all love to spend time in,” she told Dezeen.
      Copper lamps and candleholders bring a sense of visual warmthThe large windows, offering views of the snow-covered slopes, led her to explore materials that might otherwise have felt inappropriate.
      “Those elements allowed us to create a dark and woody interior without it becoming too heavy or classical for a Finnish ski resort,” she said.

      Space Copenhagen pays homage to historic features in Mammertsberg renovation

      The slate floor, made with stone sourced from northern Norway, takes cues from the floor in Pyhä’s original hotel.
      Laajisto explained how this stone floor, which has been in place since 1966, has remained in “mint condition” despite 60 years of being walked over in ski boots.
      “That’s why I knew it would be a durable and lasting choice,” she said.
      A pizza oven is a focal point in the spaceFor the wood panelling, which also features on Popolo’s tabletops, Laajisto chose a birch plywood with a veneer that was pad-dyed to give it a rich dark tone.
      The striking grain patterns come from cutting the logs at an angle.
      Finnish artist Johanna Lumme is responsible for the oil paintings that hang on the wallsFocal points include a large pizza oven and a series of oil paintings by Finnish artist Johanna Lumme, who was specially commissioned to paint the landscape of the Pyhä-Luosto National Park.
      Furniture and fittings include wooden chairs and stools from Czech brand TON, pendant lamps from British brand Mullan and a chequered wool textile, which forms upholstered backrests for the leather seating banquettes.
      Dining tables feature the same timber grain patterns as the wall panellingLaajisto has also designed interiors for various restaurants and bars in Helsinki, including wine bar and bakery, The Way, and French bistro, Cafe Savoy.
      Other recent projects include the logistics centre for Finnish Design Shop.
      The photography is by Mikko Ryhänen.

      Read more: More

    • 163 Shares139 Views

      in Rooms

      Finnish Design Shop creates forest-set logistics centre to enable “a more sustainable future”

      by

      Avanto Architects and Joanna Laajisto have designed a logistics centre for retailer Finnish Design Shop that features warm timber, a foraged-food restaurant for staff and visitors, and views of the surrounding forest.

      Located on the outskirts of Turku, west of Helsinki, the logistics centre is the hub for storage, management and dispatch of products from the Finnish Design Shop, which says it is the world’s largest online store for Nordic design.
      The company needed a new logistics centre after a period of high growth, but founder and CEO Teemu Kiiski also aimed for it to be a meaningful place for employees and visitors.
      The Finnish Design Shop logistics centre is located in the Pomponrahka nature reserve in Turku. Photo is by KuvioEmployees of the logistics centre can enjoy plenty of light and forest views as well as warm timber environments and a restaurant run by Sami Tallberg, an award-winning chef who specialises in foraging.
      The Finnish Design Shop had first explored whether it could convert an existing building in the Turku area, but, finding nothing suitable, chose to build on a site in the Pomponrahka nature reserve, where the surrounding forest would provide a calming work environment and reflect the appreciation for wood in Nordic design.

      To undertake construction there responsibly, the Finnish Design Shop says the builders saved as many trees as possible and landscaped the area with natural forest undergrowth and stones excavated from the site.
      The entrance features glass curtain walls that connect the interior and exterior. Photo by KuvioAvanto Architects designed the 12,000-square-metre building to blend into the forest as much as possible — a challenge given its massing, a product of the warehouse layout.
      The layout was created beforehand by specialist consultants to maximise the efficiency of operations, which are carried out by robots in an automated system.
      The centre includes a showroom. Photo by Mikko RyhänenThe architects opted for a dark facade with a vertical relief pattern that becomes visible on approach and echoes the tree trunks in the surrounding woodlands.
      “The pattern forms a more human scale to the large facade surfaces,” Avanto Architects co-founder Anu Puustinen told Dezeen. “We also used warm wooden accents in the main entrance vestibule, balcony and windows.”
      There is also a restaurant that specialises in foraged food. Photo by Mikko RyhänenThe architects gave the office spaces large windows so the employees could enjoy frequent views of the forest and lots of light, and included a balcony for access to the outdoors on the first floor.
      The entrance to the centre is through the showroom, which features glass curtain walls that showcase the use of the building and a long, straight staircase made from two massive glulam beams.
      The first-floor offices have a view of the warehouse floor. Photo by KuvioThe interior was designed by Laajisto and her studio, who aimed to make the space feel well-proportioned and comfortable despite its size and to create a good acoustic environment by liberally applying sound-absorbing materials.
      She kept the colour and material palette neutral and natural, with lots of solid pine and ash wood to continue the forest connection, but used furniture from the Finnish Design Shop in bright colours to punctuate the space.

      Formafantasma and Artek’s Cambio exhibition explores Finnish design’s link to forestry

      “The aim was that every aspect in the interior should be done well and beautifully,” Laajisto told Dezeen. “Attention to detail was embraced in things that typically are overlooked, such as doors, plumbing fixtures and electrical hardware selections and applications, acoustic ceiling panels and ceramic tiles.”
      The project is the first logistics building in Finland to be certified BREEAM Excellent, the second highest level.
      Special attention has been paid to creating a good acoustic environment with sound-dampening materials. Photo by Mikko RyhänenKiiski, who positions the company as the opposite of multinational e-commerce players such as Amazon, aimed for the new centre to be the most socially and environmentally sustainable online store.
      “The values that life in the Nordic countries is based on include transparency, equality and respect for nature,” said Kiiski. “It would have been impossible to create this company and our new logistics centre without unwavering respect for these values.”
      Wood is featured throughout the interiorHe believes that global online shopping can be socially and environmentally sustainable when issues in supply chains, logistics and operations are addressed.
      “Many studies show that online shopping can have a lower carbon footprint as compared to in-store shopping,” said Kiiski. “This is due to the more efficient logistics in e-commerce and the fact that in-store shopping usually involves private transport.”
      “We want to push the whole industry towards a more sustainable future,” he continued.
      The hub is meant to offer employees a healthy and humane working environment. Photo by Mikko RyhänenPast work by Avanto Architects includes the Löyly waterfront sauna in Helsinki, which has a multifaceted exterior that visitors can climb, and the Villa Lumi, a house with a sculptural white staircase.
      Laajisto’s previous projects include office interiors for service design company Fjord and the Airisto furniture collection for Made by Choice, which was inspired by Scandinavian holiday culture.

      Read more: More

    • 163 Shares99 Views

      in Rooms

      Antti and Vuokko Nurmesniemi's “common design philosophy” showcased at Helsinki Design Museum retrospective

      by

      A vivid orange Helsinki subway seat and an iconic timber sauna stool are among the pieces in this exhibition of work by design duo and couple Antti and Vuokko Nurmesniemi.

      Various works by the late interior architect Antti Nurmesniemi and textile designer Vuokko Nurmesniemi are presented in this eponymous exhibition at Helsinki Design Museum, which charts the pair’s work from the 1950s to the 2000s.
      An orange Helsinki subway seat is included in the exhibition. Photo is by Mari KallionpääFrom kitchen crockery to colourful textiles, the Nurmesniemis created a broad range of designs together and individually over their solo and shared careers before Antti’s death in 2003.
      “The exhibition is important because there has never been a joint retrospective exhibition about this central designer couple in Finnish design history,” curator Susanna Aaltonen told Dezeen.
      Colourful garments by Vuokko also featureArranged across a gallery at Helsinki Design Museum, the show includes a striking orange subway seat that Antti created in 1982 in collaboration with industrial designer Börje Rajalin – a model that is still in use on Helsinki transportation today.

      Visitors can also find an extensive cluster of garments featuring bright hues and geometric patterns, designed by Vuokko for her fashion label Vuokko Oy, which she founded in 1964.
      Antti’s red Pehtoori coffee pot is well-known in Finland. Photo is by Mari KallionpääA red Pehtoori coffee pot from 1957 by Antti is also on display – described by Aaltonen as a product that is “often highlighted as Finland’s early industrial design item” – as well as elegant models of electricity pylons created with interior architect Jorma Valkama in 1997.
      Also central to the exhibition are photographs of and furniture from Studio Home Nurmesniemi, the couple’s live-work home and atelier in Kulosaari, Helsinki, which was completed in 1975.
      Lounge chairs by the couple are defined by black, white and red pinstripesThese pieces include signature wooden sauna stools and 1980s geometric lounge chairs designed by Antti and upholstered in Vuokko Oy pinstripe fabrics.
      This furniture is displayed alongside archival imagery of the designers in their modernist house – a setting still used for Vyokko Oy photoshoots.

      Fyra celebrates bohemian history of Helsinki’s Hotel Torni in contemporary revamp

      “All in all, the couple’s shared home and studio house is the finest example of the [their] lifestyle dedicated to design,” reflected Aaltonen.
      “I hope that the exhibition will increase people’s understanding of Finnish cultural heritage and that people will also learn to cherish and preserve objects better, especially interiors.”
      Artefacts on display vary from furniture to pylon scale modelsOther shows at Helsinki Design Museum include a recent exhibition by design studio Formafantasma and furniture brand Artek and a temporary “insect hotel” installation that is currently on display outside the museum.
      Previous retrospectives at the museum include one centred on the plastic furniture and chairs of Finnish designer Eero Aarino.
      The exhibition is held at Helsinki Design MuseumAntti + Vuokko Nurmesniemi is on display at Helsinki Design Museum from 28 October 2022 to 9 March 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
      The photography is by Paavo Lehtonen unless otherwise stated. 

      Read more: More

    • 138 Shares159 Views

      in Rooms

      Fyra celebrates bohemian history of Helsinki's Hotel Torni in contemporary revamp

      by

      Finnish interiors studio Fyra has fostered a “bohemian ambience” in this hotel in Helsinki by layering different styles, colours and historical references within its public spaces.

      Hotel Torni was originally built in 1931 based on designs by architects Jung & Jung, with its 14 storeys making it the tallest building in Finland at the time.
      Fyra has overhauled Hotel Torni’s public spaces including its restaurant OROver the years, it became a base for spies during world war two and a favourite meeting place for artists, journalists and other cultural figures including Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and writers Mika Waltari and Frans Eemil Sillanpää.
      Now, Finnish architecture firm Arco has undertaken a complete renovation of the building for hotel chain Sokotel. Fyra was tasked with overhauling Hotel Torni’s public spaces including its lobby, restaurant and two bars, while local Studio Joanna Laajisto tackled the guest rooms.
      Playful wallpaper and B&B Italia’s Up 50 armchair feature in the lobby”The aim was to create surprising but elegant elements that respect the building’s original architecture and historic values,” said Fyra.

      “Although most of the building’s original art deco features had been removed over the years, the marble walls and floor in the entrance, a grand fireplace in the Cupola Room and a pair of doors in the restaurant were still intact.”
      The Ateljee bar stretches across floors 12 and 13″In our design, we did a modern interpretation of that era,” Fyra told Dezeen. “But we did use some typical features of art deco.”
      This includes coloured ceilings, tubular chrome furniture and graphic floor tiles, as well as bespoke light fixtures with glass orbs in the lobby.
      Reflective surfaces dominate the bar’s interior schemeThe historic Ateljee bar on the 13th floor offers views over Helsinki’s rooftops in four different directions and was originally only accessible via a narrow spiral staircase.
      But as part of the renovation, the bar was extended onto the 12th floor with its two levels connected by an elevator to improve accessibility and expand capacity.
      Fyra’s design team, led by Emma Keränen, Silja Kantokorpi and Eva-Marie Eriksson, furnished the space using reflective surfaces such as stainless steel counters so that the interior would maximise the panoramic views instead of competing with them.

      Box in Helsinki is designed to be the “perfect” place to pick up online orders

      Hotel Torni’s restaurant OR is located at street level. Here, the design team layered different styles of furniture, bold colours and artworks to create a “bohemian ambience” that would reflect the building’s history.
      Meanwhile, tubular steel chairs and sofas with upholstered leather seats nod to the building’s 1930s roots.
      The American bar is located under the hotel’s central domeThe American Bar was restored to its original location under the hotel’s central dome. At its heart sits a circular bar counter, atmospherically lit from above, that echoes the shape of the dome.
      For this space, the designers chose a palette of dark green and marble, complemented by lamps from Finnish industrial designer Paavo Tynell.
      Original details such as marble fireplace mantels were retainedFounded in 2010, Fyra specialises in designing work environments, hotels, restaurants and retail spaces such as this stylised bright-pink parcel collection point in Helsinki.
      Last year, the studio was named interior design studio of the year at the Dezeen Awards.
      The photography is by Riikka Kantinkoski.

      Read more: More

    • 138 Shares189 Views

      in Rooms

      Formafantasma and Artek's Cambio exhibition explores Finnish design's link to forestry

      by

      Design duo Formafantasma has collaborated with furniture brand Artek to explore the relationship between the timber and design industries in Finland through an exhibition at Helsinki Design Museum.

      Called Cambio: On Finnish Forestry, the exhibition is part of Formafantasma’s wider Cambio project – an ongoing investigation into the global impact of the extraction, production and distribution of wood.
      The exhibition takes place at Helsinki Design MuseumThe duo teamed up with Finnish company Artek to create the show, which features a mixture of work shown in previous Cambio exhibitions in the UK, Italy and Switzerland, as well as new works specific to Finland.
      Featuring original films and installations as well as supporting archival material, On Finnish Forestry examines how the country’s timber industry has evolved over time, with a focus on design.
      Formafantasma created an installation of interlocked Stool 60s”This exhibition clearly links furniture design to a specific biome: forests,” Formafantasma founders Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin told Dezeen.

      “At the end of the day, it isn’t about products but about ideas.”
      An installation made up of stacked 1933 Stool 60 models by the late Artek co-founder Alvar Aalto intends to communicate the iconic product’s lasting legacy by mixing both vintage and recently produced pieces.
      One installation features aerial images capturing tree canopy density over OrivesiThe stools are crafted from silver birch, a tree species commonly found in Finland. Trimarchi and Farresin explained that Artek’s local production habits influenced their desire to collaborate with the furniture brand.
      “The majority of trees used in the production of Artek furniture are from Finnish forests, specifically from an area within a 200-kilometre radius from a sawmill close to Jyväskylä,” explained the designers.
      “We don’t see Artek just as a design company producing beautiful furniture, but as a case study on how to relate production to a specific ecosystem.”
      Under the Yoke includes a postcard of artwork by Eero JärnefeltAnother installation presents wooden boards featuring infrared aerial images of Finland’s Orivesi municipality, which document recent tree canopy cover in its peatlands area.
      Formafantasma overlaid the large-scale images with smaller, historical black-and-white snapshots comparing the habitat in previous years.
      A contemporary model of Aalto’s Screen 100 is also on showUnder the Yoke is an installation comprising a postcard of an 1893 artwork of the same name by Finnish painter Eero Järnefelt that depicts a traditional scene of slash-and-burn agriculture, which is framed by chunky pinewood sourced from contemporary clearcutting.
      Among the work presented in the exhibition, other pieces by Aalto include a 2022 version of his 1936 flexible room divider Screen 100 and deconstructed chair legs featured in an investigation into the designer’s renowned L-leg design for furniture.
      The specific qualities of birch wood was a significant influence on Aalto’s desire to create an alternative to the then-popular metal tubular legs, according to Helsinki Design Museum.

      “It’s not enough to ask designers to be sustainable” says Formafantasma

      Trimarchi and Farresin explained that the exhibition attempts to use different media to unite audiences over the same ideas about the impact of the timber industry.
      “It might sound banal, but what we want is to shift the focus from ‘things’ to ‘context’,” concluded the designers.
      “We would like people to see chairs like pieces of forests and design as the outcome of political decision-making and not exclusively as the fruit of the creativity of a designer.”
      The exhibition also explores Aalto’s renowned L-leg designKnown for an interest in climate change, Formafantasma has completed a number of other projects that explore the environmental impact of design.
      These include the first Cambio show in London, which was commissioned by the Serpentine Gallery. Last year, the duo also redesigned its website to try and reduce “pollution connected to the internet”.
      The photography is by Paavo Lehtonen Photography.

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares189 Views

      in Rooms

      Unusual colour combinations make up Durat showroom in Helsinki

      by

      Finnish interior designer Linda Bergroth has brought together unexpected colour combinations for the Durat showroom in Helsinki, which is filled with the manufacturer’s terrazzo-like surface material made from plastic waste.

      The showroom occupies around 100 square metres of space in central Helsinki on the site of a former coffee shop.
      Durat’s showroom shows off the brand’s surfacing material across multiple displaysDurat’s speckled surface material can be used in sheets or moulded into basically any shape, so the company wanted a showroom that would convey a sense of endless possibilities.
      To this end, Bergroth made almost everything in the store out of Durat surfacing, including three display areas, a wall of colourful samples and a central kitchen-style island.
      Interior designer Linda Bergroth combined unusual coloursThe display areas were designed to show off the material’s different thicknesses, joints and mounts while using a broad selection from the brand’s range of more than 1,000 colours.

      One display features different washbasins, either integrated into a countertop or mounted on top. This area combines tones of turquoise, salmon pink and mustard with a white worktop that looks as if it was topped with a scattering of rainbow sprinkles.
      The displays showcase some of Durat’s different shapes, joints and thicknessesAnother display features a freestanding orange soaking tub set against an apple-green wall. Two shelves line the walls, holding more colourful material samples cut into contrasting shapes to invite play.
      “The showroom is mostly serving architects and designers,” Bergroth told Dezeen. “So it was easy for me to relate to the needs of the customer, who wants to understand the anatomy and possibilities of the material.”
      Material samples are displayed on floating shelves”Many of the decisions were made to communicate these possibilities and not define how someone’s compositions should look,” she continued. “Untypical colour combinations and mismatched patterns are also a way of freeing the user to find new ways of thinking.”
      Bergroth finished the showroom with minimal furnishings and fittings, including matt white Vola faucets she describes as resembling “immaterial cut-outs in the heavily patterned surfaces”.

      Cover Story plastic-free paint shop encourages visitors to play with colour

      There is also a storage room and a private office area, both concealed behind doors that blend into the display areas.
      The shopfront features big windows in two directions, which Bergroth and Durat used to their advantage by creating a design that could be experienced from the street as much as from the inside.
      An office and storage area are hidden behind doors in the displays”The layout is designed in a way so it can be well explored from the street, also outside office hours,” said Bergroth. “This brings a nice brand visibility and brightens up the neighbourhood during the dark months.”
      Durat surfacing is made from 30 per cent post-industrial plastics and is fully recyclable. The company aims to create a closed-loop material cycle where all Durat surfaces are repurchased at the end of their life and turned into new products.
      Durat surfacing can also be used to form furniture piecesBergroth also worked with the material in some of her previous projects, including the pop-up Zero Waste Bistro she designed for the WantedDesign Manhattan fair.
      Other projects by the interior designer include another Helsinki shop interior for the brand Cover Story, which makes plastic-free paint.

      Read more: More