Akademia Lounge – a relaxed addition to the Akademia series

The Akademia Lounge, designed by Kaksikko, extends the Akademia series with a more relaxed character, reinterpreting the dining chair as a generously proportioned lounge chair in solid oak with upholstery.

The original Akademia chair was the result of Master’s Thesis work at Aalto University by a member of the Kaksikko team; Wesley Walters. It is a fascinating combination of different cultures – simplistic Shaker style, Japanese design traditions, and Finnish craftsmanship heritage.

“The Akademia Lounge translates the form language of the original Akademia dining chair into a generously proportioned lounge chair in solid oak and upholstery. Its oversized dimensions and bent back legs lend the chair a relaxed character suited to extended sitting, from domestic interiors to hotel lobbies. The solid oak backrest highlights Nikari’s long-standing expertise in solid wood construction.” — Designer Kaksikko; Wesley Walters & Salla Luhtasela

“Over 100-year-old wood is allowed to show it’s true character, color variations, cracks and marks. Some people might call these imperfections, but I think they are the essence of the piece and should be embraced.” — Joanna Laajisto

Centenniale Round – highlighting the essence of old wood

“Joanna Laajisto’s beloved Centenniale coffee table, originally introduced in 2023, was created with deep admiration for solid wood in its truest form, celebrating all of its natural qualities.

“Over 100-year-old wood is allowed to show it’s true character, color variations, cracks and marks. Some people might call these imperfections, but I think they are the essence of the piece and should be embraced.”

”The new round version is a nice complement to the Centenniale Family Due to its shape and proportions, it works well as a standalone piece, or together with the rectangular table, creating a larger whole.” — Designer Joanna Laajisto

The Centenniale table is made of solid ash or oak and is intentionally allowed to feature cracks, wormholes, unevenness, and knots – making each piece truly unique. Careful craftsmanship elevates every table into an individual work of art. Its name honours both the age of the material itself and the idea that the table is made to last for centuries to come.

New Limited Edition collaboration: Biennale Shimber

We are intrigued by Shimber, a 100% bio-based alternative to traditional coatings. Its structural colour is engineered directly into the material itself, giving objects and surfaces a refined, shifting depth that responds to movement, daylight, and proximity. The coating’s appearance – naturally luminous and comparable to butterfly wings and other optical phenomena found in nature – is both distinctive and unique.

Inspired by this effect, we explored a playful dialogue between material and form, resulting in a Limited Edition version of one of our best-selling products: the Biennale stool-table. In case you are visiting Milan, we warmly invite you to experience the effect in person at our stand, presented as the Biennale Shimber stool-table, available in oak or black stain, with two Shimber-coated sides.

Shimber is a Helsinki-based design company pioneering a new material direction for collectible design, premium interiors, couture, and architectural surfaces. The company develops a wood-based, pigment-free structural colour coating in which colour is not created through dyes, but through microscopic structures that shape how light moves across the surface.