A short interview with our new furniture designer Tiina Aavik, whose designed CRANE shelf we presented at the Tallinn interior design fair Interjöör 2023. Interviewed by Maris Vahter, Radis Furniture.
Maris: Always fascinating to get fresh feed from the youth. Currently, on the highest floor of Tallinn Art Hall, there is something – Estonian Art Academy exhibition TASE shows Your designed thesis, tell us all about it, like you would describe it to your friend.
Tiina: It’s a home office/shelf that blends into your interior or living room. If you are not using it at some point as home office space you can use the wider work areas for something else, like a record player or a bigger plant. I wanted to create a home office opportunity that is part of your interior design. Also to have a standing table option which we don’t usually have in our home.
Tiina Aavik and shelf CRANE (courtesy of the designer and Radis Furniture)
Maris: A couple of insights into your material selection, that you have used and why? Did you have talks with your supervisor Veiko Liis about materials also?
Tiina: Mostly we discussed material choices with Mauri and Raul from Radis. We wanted the CRANE home office/shelf to have a very classical look. That’s why we chose plywood with oak veneer combined with black metal. This is my personal favourite choice as well. My supervisor Veiko was on board with the choice. Classical and timeless looks can be combined with many different interiors. But clients can choose any other colour or material, Radis has many other choices.
Maris: Give our reader some inspiration of the designers who you have admired for their use of plywood in furniture design, maybe your favoured piece from history – if you have it and what is to be loved with plywood furniture for you and your generation?
Tiina: My inspiration has been design from Bauhaus. Their design is sleek, minimal and has no extra embellishments. They also used a lot of plywood and we still value the same contemporary style in our homes today. I think it’s the timeless combination of material (plywood) and style that still inspires us. Hard to say one favourite piece but I also admire bent plywood furniture.
Shelf CRANE with desks and boxes. © Radis Furniture
Maris: Congratulations once again for your diploma work in Arts Academy and share for our finale, who is your shelf’s target user and what functions come out best! Why not spare us some influential vision to interiors where it suits for best?
Tiina: When I created that furniture I thought about people who sometimes need to do some computer tasks at home and that’s the majority of people. The part-time home office is also very much in our lives today. This furniture gives that extra working space in your home if needed, but it doesn’t take away your living space feeling. It has a standing table option which is also very good when you have small children and you want your computer work to be out of reach for them.
Maris: And lastly! What is your favourite Radis Furniture piece aside from the Crane shelf? What makes it special and why does it has caught your eye?
Tiina: I like the NOBLE series because it has also many different modular choices (sizes and colours) to choose from. It gives so much more options for clients to make it suitable for their home space.
Sideboards from NOBLE collection. © Radis Furniture