Finnish Furniture

I’m moving into a new residence sometime in the coming months and because of that I’ve become increasingly interested in furniture. I can’t seem to pass a furniture store without having a prolonged window shop, and must ogle at all the fascinating shapes, colours, and textures on display. 

Of course, some advertising guru picked up on my current weakness for furniture and I received a flyer in the mail notifying me of the grand opening of The King East, a new condo development going up in Toronto’s furniture district with a marketing scheme notably directed at designers (slogan: “Where Design Lives”). I had visions of grandeur. 

After perusing the King East website and looking at some of the designers featured in the 30@330 section, I came across a name I hadn't heard before but certainly enjoyed - Eero Aarnio. 

Aarnio is a Finnish born designer whose breakthrough design came in 1963 with the introduction of the Ball Chair. Aarnio was a pioneer in the use of plastic for furniture design, and his use of fiberglass is especially significant in that it enabled furniture design to encompass every shape possible, making furniture design a freer form of sculpture. You'll recognize many of Aarnio’s designs as standards of 60’s and 70’s pop culture.