28
April
2008
April
2008
Oiva Toikka featured in Time Magazine
There is a great article about Oiva Toikka in the upcoming Time Magazine (May 5th issue). Take a look here. Photo from Time Magazine.
Chad 
iittala 
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17
April
2008
April
2008
Glass Blowing
I came across this glass blowing course at the San Francisco Center for Glass Art website. Very interesting courses. Many Iittala pieces are hand-blown glass objects, inlcuding all Birds by Toikka and many of the Aalto Vases.
Chad iittala No Comments »
4
April
2008
April
2008
Black is Back! New Black Aalto Vase
Black is back for 2008! This striking midnight black Aalto Vase is a beautiful display piece. The Aalto Black Vase is in Alvar Aalto’s famed wavy design - Introduced in 1937 - and still modern today.
Chad iittala No Comments »
2
April
2008
April
2008
Oiva Toikka Interview - Iittala Glass Birds (Part 1)
Oiva Toikka, one of the greatest names in Finnish design, sits down to discuss design, art, his philosopy and more - including Iittala Birds by Toikka. Part 1 of a 5 part series.
Chad iittala No Comments »
6
March
2008
March
2008
2008 Toikka Birds from Iittala
The 2008 collection of iittala Birds by Toikka are jewels, hatched in the glassblower’s furnace. This collection features a variety of colors, sizes and species – unique pieces that connect in their own special way.
For over 40 years Toikka and master glassblowers at Iittala’s factory have created these jewels that are special combination of personality, color, form and craftsmanship. The 2008 collection of Toikka Birds is no exception. Each piece showcases the unique bond between the craftsman, Toikka and the materials.
Let us know which bird is your favorite.
iittala Toikka Cucunor - 2008 Annual Bird
iittala Toikka Cucunor Egg - 2008 Annual Egg
iittala Toikka Ursula and Valdemar
Chad iittala No Comments »
27
February
2008
February
2008
Alvar Aalto Furniture
An interesting video found at the Artek Culture Lab featuring Alvar Aalto Furniture.
25
February
2008
February
2008
Design District Finland
Below is a great video of the Design District in Helsinki, Finland from Sony Stark of PilotGirl.
Chad Marimekko, SECCO, Showroom Finland, iittala No Comments »
15
February
2008
February
2008
2008 Colors from Iittala
The Iittala range is like a hamper packed full of good things, with something for everyone. We update the contents of the hamper a little every year, and even a little every season these days, but the fundamental ingredients stay the same: functional, beautiful pieces designed to stand the test of time, for decades to come.
Colors that always work well together are one of the key aspects of Iittala’s ‘mix and match’. A fresh breath of turquoise blue, together with black – a complete and, at the same time, inspiring contrast – have been chosen as the colors of the year for 2008 that are launched to the Iittala range.
Classic black
Black is one those colors that always come around, although it never goes out of fashion either. It is particularly popular at the moment and can be found in a lot of retail and restaurants interiors, something that points to it soon making waves in the home as well. Four of the most popular products in Iittala’s Teema range have been singled out for the black treatment: the mug, the bowl, the dish, and the plate. These also feature our inspirational colors as well. A sharp black espresso cup will also be added to the Aika range, as well as black bowls will be launched to the Origo range. The Aalto vase will also look that little bit different when it is hand blown from black glass. Achieving a true black glass has been a challenge for Iittala’s glass craftsmen, but the result glows with a rich darkness that is completely beguiling.
Black is one those colors that always come around, although it never goes out of fashion either. It is particularly popular at the moment and can be found in a lot of retail and restaurants interiors, something that points to it soon making waves in the home as well. Four of the most popular products in range have been singled out for the black treatment: the mug, the bowl, the dish, and the plate. These also feature our inspirational colors as well. A sharp black espresso cup will also be added to the , as well as black bowls will be launched to the range. The will also look that little bit different when it is hand blown from black glass. Achieving a true black glass has been a challenge for Iittala’s glass craftsmen, but the result glows with a rich darkness that is completely beguiling.
Fresh turquoise blue
Blue has always been a popular color for glassware, as it sets off the vivacity and transparency of glass so well. For Finns, blue conjures up visions of the seasons and the interplay between water and ice, Finland’s thousands of lakes, and the deep blue of the northern sky. And turquoise blue works wonderfully well with the no-compromise quality of black. Iittala likes to introduce its colors of the year across a wide spectrum of the range, and turquoise blue pieces will be featured in Aino Aalto, Kartio, and Ote glassware, and Kivi candleholders and Aalto vases. The color will also be included in the range of textiles on sale at Iittala stores, opening up new ideas for turquoise blue-featured table settings and new opportunities for mixing and matching with black.
Choose your style
New products are added to the Iittala range every year, featuring forms, colors, and styles that extend and develop Iittala’s strong Scandinavian design heritage. Some of these new features, such as our colors of the year and our inspirational colors, reflect trends and ideas that are very much of the moment. Together, all of Iittala’s colors, forms, and patterns offer something for everyone to come up with their very own setting, their very own mix that says: this is me!
These new colors are coming soon to FinnishGifts.com!
Chad iittala No Comments »
22
January
2008
January
2008
Iittala Glass Factory Finland
Wallpaper.com has a great behind the scenes look at the Iittala glass factory. The article also includes a photo slideshow, click here to take a look.
Chad iittala No Comments »
4
January
2008
January
2008
Marimekko Rain Umbrella White w/ Red Apples - Spring 2008
This is a fun new rain umbrella from Marimekko for 2008! A delightful pattern of red apples decorates the solid white background – you’ll actually want it to rain with this Marimekko rain umbrella on hand.
Chad Marimekko No Comments »
