Finland is a country of contrasts where the snowy white mixes with greenish forests, where typically urban-based technologies are based in the middle of the countryside… Vaarnii, a new furniture brand, takes its DNA from wood, that material that has shaped Finland’s economy, lifestyle and culture.

Vaarnii is a new furniture company with a uniquely Finnish perspective. It starts with its name: ‘Vaarna’ means dowel and ‘saarni’ is Ash tree. Vaarnii is the strength of making and material combined.

The founders are Antti Hirvonen (left) and Miklu Silvanto (right). Antti worked at Artek and Tom Dixon while Miklu was at Sir Jonathan Iven at Apple and is currently the Creative Director at Bang & Olufsen.

The brand uses solid natural materials and is inspired by the efficiency of vernacular design, where objects are made to service the basic needs of many people.

Vaarnii therefore creates a contemporary vernacular; combining the local with the global, craft in concert with technology.

It also has a strong value base, and integrity rules including transparent manufacture, packaging, transportation as well as sales.

For its first collection, the most populous tree in Finland was used: Scots Pine (Pinus Sylvestris). The tree was often looked own and had an image problem: cheap, soft wood, used for paper pulp. Pine traditionally involves three problems: a lot of knots and knotholes, it is yellow and shiny. Regardless of this, Vaarnii decided it was time to restore its glory and celebrate it again.

Each furniture and accessory piece is striking yet simple and will endure for generations, and in doing so begin a new era of furniture-making. The collection has been made entirely of FSC-certified, naturally forest-grown Finnish pine with 12 products. Only few details that are not made of pine; a couple of screws and some mirrors.

Designers & Collection

001 Dining Chair & 002 Dining Table Round by Fredrik Paulsen

003 Ast Stool by Dimitri Bähler

004 Stilts Side Table by Philippe Malouin

005 Coffee Table by Soft Baroque

006 Lounge Chair by Max Lamb

007 AA Bench by Kwangho Lee

008 Alter Mirror by Industrial Facility

009 Bowl by Mac Collins

010 Trays by Livia Lauber

011 Circle Wall Hooks by Sarah Kaye Rodden

012 Doorstop by Vaarnii

To produce these objects, local Finnish makers were involved. Keeping the material and the fabrication process in Finland was a prerequisite for Vaarnii.

In its final introduction text the company reminded us that in Finland, there is very little small talk, it’s just not how the people communicate. In its place there is directness. That same frankness isn’t reserved to how they speak – honesty, clarity, simplicity, and toughness, run through everything.

Photographs by Jussi Puikkonen.

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