Finnish Design Blog

Rio Brown and Light Blue are the latest additions to iittala’s color palette in 2011. Check out these cool new hues now available in the classic iittala Aalto Vase, but also offered in iittala Aalto Trays, Votives, Kivis, Kartio Glassware and more.

Iittala released these beautiful dual-colored Aalto vases to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the remarkable Aalto vase. These Finnish vases are from one of the most prominent designers of the 20th century and select vases are currently on sale at FinnishGifts.com for 50% Off! Don’t delay as these special prices are only available through 1/31 or while supplies last.

Iittala has brought some fresh colors to Alvar Aalto’s classic Aalto vase collection. New colors include: apple green, turquoise and mauve/purple. The black vase (although not a new color) is now available in new sizes! If you’re looking for a truly iconic piece of home decor, the Aalto vase is definitely it.

Spring ahead with a fresh look from Aalto’s newest color line – apple green! This vibrant apple green is now available in the classic Aalto vase, Aalto Mini Bowl, Aalto Dual Colored Tray and Aalto Savoy Votive Candle Holder.

The photo above was found on Flickr and shows an Aalto mini-bowl with an assortment of Lindor and Geisha candies in it. These small Iittala glass Aalto mini-bowls are great for putting candy, nuts and dips in and adds a touch of modernism to any decor setting. The mini-bowls are available in several colors and two sizes. These make great gifts for anyone and you can fill them right away with some decadent Finnish Karl Fazer chocolate candy! I like chocolate and I love these little glass mini-bowls, a perfect combination!

The classic Aalto vase has become one of the most famous pieces of glass in history. Since first winning an award for design at the 1937 Paris World’s Fair, the Aalto vase has received numerous awards and influenced many others as it has become a truly iconic piece of art. Today, Iittala’s talented glass-blowers continue to reproduce Aalto’s timeless creation. The bonus is that they now are available in a wide variety of colors and sizes so you’ll be able to find one that fits your style or the personality of the lucky recipient you’re giving it to this holiday season.

Be sure to check out some of Aalto’s other great glass works like the Finlandia vase or glass trays and mini-bowls!

A quick note to let you know that we are currently auctioning off the remainder of our Artek furniture on eBay. We only have several of the world renowned stools designed by legendary designer & architect, Alvar Aalto, in stock and posted on eBay at 50% below the manufactured suggested retail price!

• 1 – Artek Model 64 Black Alvar Aalto 4-Leg Tall Bar Stool
• 2 – Artek Model K65 Natural Aalto Tall Kitchen Bar Stools
• 2 – Artek Model 60E Natural Alvar Aalto 4-Legged Stools

All stools are 50% off MSRP! Hurry and take advantage of these steep discounts before they’re all gone! (…and don’t forget that FinnishGifts.com is offering FREE shipping on orders of $100 or more for the next two days.)

Alvar Aalto actually made his international breakthrough as a furniture designer. Aalto wished to learn ‘the language of wood fibres’ and he believed that there is a positive effect when our skin comes into contact with natural materials.

In 1935, Aino and Alvar Aalto founded the Finnish company Artek to manufacture their designs. Today, Artek remains faithful to the Aaltos’ basic values as their master craftspeople continue to produce Aalto designs in Finland with high quality natural materials.

Finnish design brands Artek and Marimekko are featured in a special exhibition in the Spiral Garden in Tokoyo, Japan, in several days. This exhibition, entitled “Be Honest! – Timeless Design for the Next Generation by Artek and Marimekko”, features past, present and future products by these two brands.

“Stool 60″, designed by Alvar Aalto, one of the founders of Artek, has been around for 75 years and loved by people from all over the world even today. Using revolutionary techniques for the time were employed in order to create the stool, a perfect example of timeless design. At this exhibition, the dynamic installation of Aalto’s stools which was highly acclaimed at the Milano International Furniture Fair (see pictures from a previous post) and also at an exposition in New York to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the stool, is recreated above using a new approach.

The Marimekko designs exhibited include a mix of classic and new prints.

For more information about the exhibition that starts on September 9th and runs through September 23rd, read here.

I came across this spectacular image of a wall created out of Aalto stools. I was trying to figure out if it was some kind of artistic display but found that it was actually Artek’s booth at the Milan International Furniture Fair back in April.

Architect Stefano Tagliacarne designed Artek’s booth using 750 of the company’s stools stacked and formed into two large “C” shaped walls. Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto (also notably known for his famous glass vases), designed the Stool 60 used to create the booth.

For over 70 years, the Alvar Aalto Savoy vase has withstood the test of time and continues to be a shinning icon in the world of modern design. Alvar Aalto’s famous vase has recently inspired Czech designer, Jan Ctvrtnik. Ctvrtnik recently won the Climate Competition put on by Dutch design company, Droog.

The competition was open to anyone with interesting and challenging design ideas. The design could take on any form but had to incorporate some type of climate theme.

The original influence behind Aalto’s classic Savoy shape has always been under speculation but many people believe that he modeled it after an outline of a lake in Finland. The word ‘droog’ is a Dutch word that means ‘dry’ and Ctvrtnik’s Aalto inspired vase literally incorporated ‘dry’ into the climate theme. Ctvrtnik’s simple modification suggests how the lake’s shape could change due to global warming. For more pictures of the Aalto inspired vase, visit Droog’s website.