Tag: Scandinavian design

Designer Desire: Maria Holmer Dahlgren

Montage of Maria Holmer Dahlgren designs

Maria Holmer Dahlgren is a Swedish graphic designer with a distinctive, bold use of colour, shape and font in her creations.

About her city range she says:

The products are my answer to soulless souvenirs of poor quality that look the same wherever you are. Lots of tingles or moose made in China. My souvenirs are filled with personal strawberries and can easily be packed into the cabin bag, flat and durable.

They should be practical utility items at a reasonable price. Folksy and strong without being trendy. Made in Sweden by family businesses. In addition, they are tributes to these cities and my hope is that all the residents of those cities should feel pride, because we live in a fantastic country. The more you travel out into the world and gain perspective, the more you understand it.

She has collaborated with the likes of IKEA and the Tate. Her designs have been used on an array of homewares; serving trays, posters, postcards, notebooks and textiles.

It’s possible to find a few examples of her work available on Abe Books and eBay.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Maria Holmer Dahlgren (@mariaholmerdahlgren)

All image credits: © Maria Holmer Dahlgren

Designer Desire: Tias Eckhoff

Montage of Tias Eckhoff designs

Tias Eckhoff (1926-2016) was a Norwegian industrial designer. Probably chiefly known for his cutlery, he also created furniture, crockery, cookware, glassware and door furniture.

He attended the Norwegian State College of Applied Arts and Crafts where he graduated with a degree in ceramic arts in 1949. Early in his career, he designed for Porsgrund for whom he produced the successful Det riflede ceramic range in 1949.

His cutlery designs include Una, Norstaal, Tiki and Maya for Stelton (previously Norsk Stålpress), Opus for Lundtofte and Cypress for Georg Jensen.

His work is in the permanent collections of institutions such as the V&A in London and Denver Art Museum.

Find examples of his designs for sale on Etsy and Pamono.

Portrait of Tias Eckhoff
credit

Additional image credits:
Bukowskis |

Designer Desire: Tapio Wirkkala

Montage of Tapio Wirkkala designs

Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985) was a Finnish multidisciplinary designer; he created an abundance of objects in metal, glass, wood and ceramics. His output ranged from jewellery to furniture, barware to serveware and lighting to sculpture. His designs can even be found on the country’s money, having won the Bank of Finland’s banknote competition in 1947.

After serving in the Finnish Army during WWII, Tapio Wirkkala went to work for glassware firm, Iittala; a working relationship that would last the rest of his life. I especially like his organic, hand-blown Kantarelli (Finnish for ‘chanterelle mushroom’) vases. From the mid-1960s he designed glassware for Italian firm, Venini, based in Murano.

He created ceramics for companies including Rosenthal for whom he produced the Pollo vase and the Composition Secunda Grey, Variation and Eisblume series.

Because of his prolific output and lengthy career, his vintage designs are pretty easy to come by – albeit not always cheaply. Explore sites such as Etsy, Pamono and Vinterior.

Some of his ranges such as the Tapio drinking glasses for Iittala and Bolle bottle vases (shown at top) for Venini are still in production today.

Portrait of Tapio Wirkkalacredit

Additional image credits:
1stDibs | Bukowskis

Designer Desire: Nanny Still

Montage of Nanny Still glass designs

Nanny Still (1926-2009) was a mid-century Finnish glass designer. She’s also known by her married name, Nanny Still-McKinney.

She designed for Riihimäki for approaching 3 decades; from her graduation from the University of Art and Design, Helsinki in 1947 until the 1970s. Some of her ranges include Polaris, Neptuna, Harlekiini (Harlequin), Fantasma, Majakka (Lighthouse) and Pajazzo.

In 1972, she was presented with the Pro Finlandia Medal for Meritorious Artists of the Order of the Lion of Finland.

In 1959, she and her husband moved to Belgium; whilst living there, she created designs for Rosenthal from 1977. Some of the Studio Linie series that she produced for them include Arabesk, Taiga and my favourite – Blütenregen – which roughly translates as ‘blossom shower’.

You can readily acquire examples of her glassware on eBay and Etsy and Tradera.

There’s a 1995 catalogue available entitled, Nanny Still, 45 Years of Design from an exhibition held at both Riihimäki Lasimuseo and the Glass Museum of Charleroi in Belgium.

Portrait of Nanny Still holding one of her Polaris bottlescredit

Additional image credits:
Bukowskis