Musings about life, simple joys, all things beautiful and a few of my favourite things đź’—
How times and styles change. My mummi’s tiny wine glasses of decades gone by vs. my big ones of today. Essence by iittala from William Ashley. They are meant for red wine but practical me only wanted to buy one style of glasses. Mine are used for red, white and rose. I have champagne flutes for bubbles. I love the simplicity of the Essence line. Timeless Finnish design for everyday living.
I have always been a fan of glass enclosures for balconies since discovering them in Finland. All of the flats I have visited have had them and you find them both on new and old buildings. Smart and practical Finnish design for climates with four seasons. Thankfully Lumon has brought this design element to Canada. If you are looking to expand your living space in your condo, sunroom or patio at your residence and/or business, definitely visit at Lumon Canada to learn more. Beautiful, stylish and practical design to create a better home.
The Joy of Being Bold.
The new UNIQLO x Marimekko Collection launches worldwide today. Cute and colourful prints and styles for the warmer months ahead.
88 days into 2018, I made my first clothing purchase from the collection – a navy and white pokka dot dress which is perfect for hot and humid summer weekend days.
Looking for something fun and fresh for your spring and summer wardrobe, drop by your local UNIQLO store to bring home your own piece of Japanese meets Finnish design.
Finnish design meets beauty.
If you are looking for a new spring look, the Marimekko for Clinique gift with purchase arriving to Hudson’s Bay Stores on Wednesday March 14th. Visit your local Clinique counter at Hudson’s Bay to get yours.
Looking for find your perfect Marimekko for Clinique lipgloss or lipstick shade? Drop by the pop up event at Hudson’s Bay Queen Street February 12 and 13th to find your perfect hue. Don’t forget to take a photo in the photo booth and post it to Instagram, tag Clinique Canada (@CliniqueCanada) with the #MARIMEKKOforClinique #CliniqueCanada hashtags for an opportunity to win $95 of Clinique products. If you can’t make it, a special Marimekko for Clinique gift with purchase is arriving at Hudson’s Bay on March 14th. Perfect for updating your look for spring.
Excited to finally find the Marimekko for Clinique limited edition lip gloss and lipstick collection this evening at Hudson’s Bay. The collection is available in stores and on-line across the world and I hear a gift with purchase event may be coming soon to a Hudson’s Bay store near you. Love this collaboration of one of my favourite Finnish brands and my very first makeup and beauty brand. Lots of beautiful shades to pick from. I decided to be pretty in pink with Watermelon Pop. If you love Finnish design and makeup, definitely check out this special MarimekkoForClinique collection.
I have always loved Finnish design and have been surrounded by its beauty my entire life since my family originates from the lovely country of Finland. I love how much of the inspiration ties back to the lakes, nature, Finnish folklore, the Kalevala and nordic simplicity. Finnish design is truly timeless design.
Since I was a child, The Finnish Place has been my resource in Toronto for all things Finnish. First located on Yonge Street in the heart of downtown North York and now a bit farther north at Yonge and John Street in the lovely community of Thornhill. They have a great selection of items made by Aarikka, Arabia, iittala, Kalevala Koru and Marimekko as well as other Finnish brands.
I have always loved the vase designed by the famous Finnish Architect Alvar Altao. It reminds me of the Finnish lakes and the Finns love their time spent by the lake at their mökki – the Finnish term for summer house and definitely not to be confused with a Muskoka summer house. I own two smaller versions of this vase but definitely hope to add a larger one to my collection in the near future.
Happy to discover on my recent visit that one of my favourite pieces – Kastehelmi tealight candle holders – have returned to Canada and are available again at The Finnish Place. I love lighting these on dark winter evenings as my own form of hygge.
The beautiful Marimekko prints always bring happiness. I own a few of the prints as pillow covers and also have used fabric stapled to a board to create a colourful kitchen print. The Finnish Place has an extensive selection of fabric as well as clothing and accessories in these fun and colourful prints.
You don’t need to be Finnish to add some beautiful Finnish design elements to your home and luckily you don’t need a voyage to the land of the midnight sun either. Always visit The Finnish Place website to make sure they aren’t travelling back home to Finland for new items for the store. If you are not in the Toronto area or may prefer to shop online, these are two websites that specialize in Finnish brands – Finnish Design Shop and FinnStyle. However to really experience Finnish design, definitely plan a holiday to Finland and immerse yourself from the moment you step off the plane.
This year Finland celebrates 100 years of independence and design has been in the forefront of its identity since 1917. May this be the year you are inspired to explore, discover and hopefully fall in love with Finnish design.
There is a hint of autumn in the air today which has me reaching for one of my favourite pieces. The Helsinki Scarf by Balmuir is quite simply the best scarf and shawl ever. I found this brand completely by chance strolling through the accessories section at Stockmann Department Store when in Helsinki a few years ago. As soon as I discovered it, I had to have one to bring back home to Canada. While a bit of a splurge, when you live in a climate with four seasons a cashmere item is a must have. I use mine all the time in winter and a bit in the other seasons too. Worth absolutely every euro I paid for it. I bought mine in a blue shade called midnight as blue always reminds me of Finland. I look forward to investing in a black one when I return to Finland again and hopefully one day they will have my perfect shade of pink too. If you find yourself in Helsinki, definitely drop by Balmuir’s brand new store in Downtown Helsinki at Pohjoisesplanadi 25-27 or visit Stockmann’s to discover this beautiful Finnish brand yourself. A beautiful present for you or someone special to you.
FinnSpirit 