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Brutally Finnish Design Brand Vaarnii Celebrates Its Debut Collection

07.27.21 | By
Brutally Finnish Design Brand Vaarnii Celebrates Its Debut Collection

A superstar of the 1990s, pine wood is now often overlooked in favor of hardwoods. Finnish design brand Vaarnii is trying to bring back this now unexpected material choice to take advantage of its abundance and ease of replenishment. What’s more, pine has a distinctive grain that earns more character with time and doesn’t crack like many other types of wood. All-natural and un-lacquered, it’s the starting point for a series of furniture and home decor from Vaarnii that will celebrate individual materials for years to come.

Our furniture will endure for generations, and in doing so begin a new era of furniture-making. I want to see people dancing on our tables in ski boots. The patina will provide great memories in decades to come.

– Antti Hirvonen, co-founder of Vaarnii

bowl being made

Bowl by Mac Collins

Vaarnii’s work with a group of designers has resulted in a robust, functional group of pine wood furniture and home decor that represents the brand in its debut collection. Officially launching during the London Design Festival this September at twentytwentyone’s Back and Forth exhibition in the design store’s Clerkenwell showroom, these brutal forms suit both log cabins and loft apartments alike. From Sarah Kaye Rodden’s sculptural Circle Wall Hooks to Soft Baroque’s jointed coffee table, the pieces are direct and unapologetic of their blocky forms as they welcome fastidious use.

The brand is committed to using raw materials that are plentiful in Finland, finding inspiration from what their country offers rather than global design trends. Vaarnii’s makers, which run the gamut from small independent workshops or long-standing manufacturers able to work at scale, are all based in the country as well.

wooden trays

Trays by Livia Lauber

wall hooks

Circle Wall Hooks by Sarah Kaye Rodden

door stops and 10kg weight

Door Stop by Vaarnii

door stop and buckets

Door Stop by Vaarnii

two wall mirrors

Alter Mirrors by Industrial Facility

wood lounge chair

Lounge Chair by Max Lamb

lounge chair sitting on lift

Lounge Chair by Max Lamb

wood bench

AA Bench by Kwangho Lee

coffee table and light fixture

Coffee Table by Soft Baroque

coffee table in a warehouse

Coffee Table by Soft Baroque

side table

Stilts Side Table by Philippe Malouin

side table in factory

Stilts Side Table by Philippe Malouin

two dining chairs

Dining Chair by Fredrik Paulsen

wood dining chair in workshop

Dining Chair by Fredrik Paulsen

dining table and dining chair

Dining Table Round and Dining Chair by Fredrik Paulsen

wood dining table

Dining Table Round by Fredrik Paulsen

Antti Hirvonen and Miklu Silvanto

Antti Hirvonen + Miklu Silvanto

To learn more about Vaarnii’s debut collection, visit vaarnii.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.