DECORATOR INDEX
JOANNA LAAJISTO
We talk to our favourite interior designers about their work and ask them to share their styling tips
Who is she? A Finnish former professional snowboarder who switched to design when she felt it was time to get a ‘real job’. Joanna Laajisto was living in California at the time and chose interiors rather than fashion design, having always been interested in both. ‘I felt I could create something more lasting in this field,’ she says. After graduating with a BA in interior architecture from the Interiors Design Institute in California, she worked for Gensler Architects in Los Angeles for five years. In 2008, she moved back to Finland and set up her own studio two years later. What’s her style? The first thing that stands out is her muted, timeless palette, seen, for example, in the hint of blue that she used to decorate the Finlandia Caviar restaurant in Helsinki. ‘ I pick colour palettes that one doesn’t get bored with too easily, and natural materials that get even better with time,’ she says. Functionality is as important as aesthetics. ‘A lot of analytical thought goes into the design concept before we start picking any colours or materials. When everything works together you don’t pay attention; if it doesn’t, you notice.’ What are her most recent projects? OX restaurant in Helsinki (2016), where Laajisto has paired red marble with mint-coloured corrugated metal walls and exposed air ventilation pipes. ‘I wanted to play with contrasts in the design, just as the chefs play with the menu,’ she says. Elsewhere, she has used green wood-panelled walls inspired by 1940s outdoor kiosks, which can still be seen around Helsinki today, at Michel restaurant ( left; 2015). It also features cognachued upholstery, white marble tables and brass detailing. Other recent projects include a 1900s apartment in Lahti (main image and detail). ‘ With residential projects, you’re creating a personal space, so you need to get to know clients to understand what works for them,’ she says.
What is she currently working on?
A new design concept for the European stores of an international women’s fashion brand. ‘It is very interesting to be involved in the retail industry. Our approach is to view things through the eyes of the customer.’ She says ‘After living in LA for such a long time, the mid-century modern style speaks to me, but at the same time I like the simple Scandinavian aesthetic’ ( joannalaajisto.com).
Turn over for Joanna Laajisto’s guide to working with wood
‘I pick colour palettes that one doesn’t get bored with too easily, and natural materials that get even better with time’