Tolvanen

Studio Tolvanen was founded by the couple Mika and Julie Tolvanen. Mika is a Finnish designer who started his own business after graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2001. Julie is an American designer from Oregon who graduated from Washington University and has since worked with wood for 10 years before moving to Finland in the year 2009. She moved to get a masters degree in furniture design. The two met for the first time at a birthday party in Helsinki when Julie were on exchange.

The studio has existed since 2015, and Mika and Julie design products for both residential and contract consumption directly from their studio, which is an old bakery, on the island of Lauttasaari in Helsinki.

They believe that good design comes from function, because the furniture is there to be used, but at the same time they believe that each product must have its own individual character. No matter how complex a product is in terms of features, it should not look complicated. They challenge themselves by making fresh and beautiful designs that will explain it selve, are understandable and calm.

At MAKE nordic, the design duo is behind our new, beautiful TAMMI coffee table.