Located on the banks of the Aura River in Turku, the stylish government office building was originally built in 1967. Designed by architects Risto-Veikko Luukkonen and Helmer Stenroos, the building underwent a major renovation in 2009. Architect Pia Sabelström from Lukkaroinen Arkkitehdit was responsible for the renovation design, and based on her plans, Senate Properties ordered a large number of Seminar series furniture from Nikari for the building’s restaurant space: oak tables and chairs treated with natural oil wax.

The furniture has been in heavy use in the restaurant over the years, but the surfaces have aged beautifully and gracefully. To ensure the furniture continues to age well, Senate Properties ordered maintenance treatments from Nikari — first in 2019 and again in 2023. The treatment process was quick and carried out on-site.

“It’s easy to maintain oil-waxed furniture at the customer’s premises,” explains Marjaana Thuneberg, who is responsible for Nikari’s domestic sales.
“There’s no need to transport the furniture anywhere. The oil-wax surface can be lightly sanded and re-treated on-site, as the materials release no harmful substances, and no special technical equipment is required.”

“It’s good to evaluate the need for maintenance about every four years,” Thuneberg says. “At least in spaces where the furniture is in heavy use.”

Oil-waxed Nikari furniture lasts for decades

Nikari’s Seminar series works especially well in large projects, thanks to its timeless design that suits a wide variety of spaces. Interestingly, the chair originally became part of Nikari’s collection through architect Steven Holl. When designing the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Holl saw the chair at Nikari’s founder Kari Virtanen’s workshop and declared, “I want that chair in Kiasma.” Eventually, Seminar series chairs, tables, and benches were made for Kiasma – and since then, the series has been in continuous production, particularly popular for project sites.

“The furniture joints in this series are beautifully crafted,” Thuneberg says, describing the unique construction of the Seminar table: the tabletop is set into a surrounding frame structure. The design is also practical, with the legs placed at the very corners of the table, ensuring comfortable seating at all positions.

The clean-lined Seminar series could easily be from the 1960s – the same era as the Turku government office building – but it could just as well have been designed today. The design language of the Seminar series is timelessly simple. And the furniture truly is timeless when properly maintained.

The optimal maintenance interval depends on the user and the environment. For solid wood furniture with an oil-wax finish, the most important thing is to clean the surfaces only with a damp cloth. Detergents that remove grease also strip away the oil wax, leaving the surface sticky and robbing the wood of its warm, natural feel.

“The advantage of oil waxing is that you don’t necessarily have to maintain the entire piece – you can also do spot repairs. In contrast, if a lacquered surface gets damaged, the entire piece must be transported to a suitable facility where the old lacquer is first sanded off and then reapplied,” Thuneberg explains.

Maintenance service – a fast and easy solution from Nikari

Nikari’s maintenance service is available for both project and private customers. For lacquered furniture, we transport the pieces to a protected facility for maintenance. For oil-waxed furniture, we carry out maintenance directly on-site – whether at a public space or in a private home.

For the Turku government office building, the maintenance treatment took about four days on both occasions and was easily scheduled for the summer, when the restaurant was closed. Beforehand, a Nikari expert visited the site to assess the condition of the furniture.

“It’s good to evaluate the need for maintenance about every four years,” Thuneberg says. “At least in spaces where the furniture is in heavy use.”

Regular maintenance treatments extend the lifespan of the furniture and refresh its appearance. Natural materials are living, adapting to changes in weather and temperature. The Seminar series tables feature a central expansion gap, allowing the wood to expand in humid conditions and contract when dry.

Thuneberg, who originally trained as a furniture carpenter, understands the materials and structures of the furniture she sells and deeply appreciates their craftsmanship. “Wood is an amazing, beautiful material – alive and full of character. When wooden furniture is made using traditional joinery techniques, many factors must be taken into account. I have the utmost respect for our skilled carpenters.”

Wooden furniture can always be repaired or even supplemented over time. “Wood ages gracefully – as long as you take care of it. It brings a calming atmosphere to its surroundings.”

Photos: Riku Toivonen