Mari Martiskainen

How long have you lived in Brighton? What made you move here?

I moved to Brighton in 2001. The move was for several reasons, at the time me and my now husband were living in London and wanted to get on the property ladder. We had always enjoyed coming down to Brighton as we had friends here and my husband had lived in Worthing in his teens, so the South Coast was familiar to us. Brighton just had a great feel about it, and still has after 11 years.

What does Finnish design mean to you?

Finnish design has several meanings to me. On one hand it means home, ie my upbringing and cultural background. It is probably impossible to find a Finnish household that does not have at least one Arabia, Iittala, Marimekko, Pentik or Fiskars item in. Finnish design is also about combining beauty with practicality. It is always pragmatic, pieces that you can use for a practical purpose. They are never over the top despite the use of strong colours and form. Finnish design also represents continuity. The fact that you can still find some Arabia or Iittala pieces for instance in production that existed in my grandparents’ time. I also love the fact that several pieces can often be matched together, ie Marimekko fabrics with Iittala crockery. It has also been great to see some exciting fashion designers come out of Finland, Paola Suhonen and Samuji for instance. In other words, Finnish design to me is more of a concept – combining beauty with purpose and making pieces that last the test of time in terms of materials and trends.

Does Finnish design play a part in your daily life in any way?

Yes it does. I have Finnish brands at home and use them daily. My favourite items are my sauna, Iittala/Arabia crockery and glassware. I think of them more as everyday items that look good and were designed well. For instance I have had my crockery set for over 20 years and it still feels fresh, I love the colour and physical feel of it and I never seem to get bored with it (the set is Arabia Teema in yellow, a colour that has been discontinued, but apparently they do that every now and then and then bring it back again!). It goes well with most items in my kitchen and seems to be a timeless piece. We also have quite a few Marimekko/Finlayson fabrics, towels and sheets, which represent design with comfort. My daughter loves sleeping in her Moomin sheets!

My English husband built a “Finnish” sauna in our house and I would consider that also a “design” piece in a sense that it uses Finnish technology, materials, ideas and cultural heritage. We also have a traditional Finnish handmade Puukko, which is used in the garage. That represents craftsmanship, the use of natural materials and uniqueness.

Which Finnish design object have you chosen to be photographed with and why?

I love all of them, but since I had to pick one it had to be my Fiskars cheese slicer. In Finland it is an everyday item that one would most likely take for granted. However, in the UK it is a kitchen item not that commonly used. I love its simplicity, practicality and the fact that it is still slicing away as new after all these years. My British friends never seem to quite know how to use it (they either press too hard or wonder what it is).

Photo by Sirpa Kutilainen.