At home with... Klaus Haapaniemi

Klaus Haapaniemi
Klaus Haapaniemi: Finland's most versatile young designer
© Klaus Haapaniemi

Finnish designer Klaus Haapaniemi (b.1970) is trailblazing the fashion illustration market. Christmas windows for Selfridges, Cacharel's signature collection, signature T-shirts for Levis and fabrics for Marimekko - you name it, he's designed it. Most recently, his ceramic collection for glass specialists, Iittala, is causing quite a stir.

I live... near Victoria Park [London] in a three-bedroom Victorian House built in the 1860s. I moved there recently with my girlfriend from Shoreditch where we were renting, because we wanted our own place. But it's still unfinished.

I'm a fan of... unique pieces, like Alvar Aalto's stuff. In my own home we’ve got these really old sofas from the 1960s. Whenever I’ve moved, those old sofas have come with me. They come from Piazzola in northern Italy where there’s a really nice furniture market, and we've had them refurbished by Bute Fabrics who make amazing fabrics.

I visit... Finland often and I love the natural environment. In the summertime it’s quite green but in the winter it’s white. I grew up near the city, on the outskirts.

Taika cappuccino cup and saucer (£8.50 each, Skandium)
© Iittala

I despise... carpet. I’m so used to living in Scandinavia with wooden floors. We have a couple of carpets in our house now which are OK as they’re quite small but I always prefer wooden floors.

I admire... Giorgio Vigna’s work. He's an incredible guy who knows so much about design and interiors. While I do prints, he works with soft materials. I do more surface work while he’s creating the whole process.

I would love to own... new doorknobs. The ones at home don’t fit into the period of the house, so I’m looking for Victorian ones.

Working on plates and teacups is... totally opposite to fabric. You have to think how colours will react to the material. At first I found it really difficult because you have to use so many separated colours. It’s a technical thing. You have to separate all the colours and I’m using lots of sage and taupe and it took over a year to do the study for the whole thing. At one point it was looking almost impossible to do. It was challenging, but I hope I got there in the end.

Trends I'm currently watching are... powder blue and peach. There is a lot of yellow around right now but it’s a difficult colour. It’s a bit like green was a couple of years ago.

Be careful with... wallpaper. You have to watch the prints. There are so many cheesy ones around. Go to Liberty and see their collections.

My most valued possession is... my cat called Putte. I’ve had it for 5 years. It’s actually my girlfriend’s cat that I’ve inherited.

My favourite children’s story is... The Brothers Grimm. I get inspiration from things like that — a bit gothic and dark. But I also like old Scandanavian stories like Moomin. I like that it’s an abstract world, it’s not trying to teach you anything.

I believe in... magic and hope that people who look at my designs are pulled away from everyday life a little bit.

Discover Klaus' wild and imaginative designs. Best-sellers include his fantasy castle stickers (£45.98 at Made in Design) and blue and white taika patterned crockery (from £6.50 at Skandium). Check out Haapaniemi's website for more details on the Finnish fantasist.

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