Marimekko
Large scale bold patterns and colorful designs are the trend for all soft home furnishings this season. Marimekko, the Finnish design house, has been known for this style since 1951.
The popular design leader fell out of style in the 1980’s and literally disappeared from the retail market in the United States. In the past few years Marimekko retail stores have been popping up in the swankiest design shopping meccas.
I traveled to the original flagship store in Helsinki, Finland last Spring.
Bolts of Marimekko fabric
I was traveling for pleasure but was pretty pumped it was Helsinki Design Week.
What great timing!
One of the storefront windows of the flagship Marimekko store. It is on a corner so there are four of these display windows.
How cute are the extra large bean bag chairs? They were a comfy place for the husbands to relax and people watch while my bestie and I did some drooling, I mean shopping.
Stacks of pillows in the store window arranged in a bold display.
Bedding displays feature lots of fabric combinations. Proving lots of patterns work well together.
Fabrics roll flat on tubes to show off each designs bold pattern.
Black and white graphic prints with pops of bright colors filled this endless display.
Walls of floor to ceiling fabrics even made a fabric room. Now if that’s not a designer’s dream!
Marimekko fabric stacked floor to ceiling. The Finnish fabric designers sure know how to use color to make a statement.
Once I stopped squealing with pure “fabriholic” joy, I found my all time favorite pattern. Now THAT is a large scale pattern. What you can see is only about half of the repeat.
I’m saving the full pattern to show you in another post about the fabric details.
Tuukka Rask and Marimekko
All of this talk about fabric, are you wondering what this has to do with a hockey player?
A short time before I was visiting Finland, Tuukka Rask’s homeland, he attended the opening of Marimekko on Newbury Street in Boston.
With girlfriend Jasmiina Nikkila by his side he is a Finnish guest at the opening. You can see a photo here.
It is hard to recognize him behind that intimidating helmet he wears while protecting the net but he’s pretty cute all cleaned up.
Tuukka is one busy guy these days between the Bruins playoffs and his week old daughter. Hopefully he has time to get down to the Marimekko store to pick up a first Mother’s Day gift for Jasmiina!
Marimekko has clothing and accessories too. Anything from this creative display would satisfy a Marimekko fan.
Go Bruins!
xoxo
Marie
Would you like to use some of these fabulous prints in your own home?
Contact me and you will be on your way to creating the home of your dreams.
- May 10, 2014
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Marie Mouradian
