In 2005, I decided to test my wings as a freelancer after years of working as an in-house designer for a large furniture manufacturer. I’ll admit, the financial uncertainty scared me at first. Finland likes to think of itself as a design country, but in reality, there’s only ever been a small handful of us making a full living solely from design. Staying part of this shrinking minority has taken a lot of work - successes, failures, and perseverance.

So how have I managed to stick around? Two things come to mind. First: understanding that I don’t design for myself. When I create something, the person I have in mind is always the customer - their needs come first. Without customers, my design wouldn’t exist. I listen to their everyday challenges in living and interior design, and I test ideas based on that dialogue. This interaction is essential.

"Misses are part of this jobt."

Second: learning from failure. “Misses” are part of this job. They may not be visible to consumers, but for a designer - especially on payday - they’re very real. You simply have to push through and take the lessons with you.

 

ON Sofa Bed – setting the direction for modern sofa bed design

Turning Points in My Career (and One Miss).

1. Founding the Tapio Anttila Collection (2016)

The most significant milestone in my journey. Here, I’ve been able to offer real solutions to customers' problems - and engage with them directly.

2. ON Sofa Bed (2007)

This product showed me the path I wanted to take. It was named Furniture of the Year and changed how people saw sofa beds - from dull and mechanical to sleek and media-sexy. It set the tone for everything that followed.

3. Design Awards

I’ve received quite a few. Possibly the unofficial Finnish record for the Good Design Award - the world’s oldest design award - with over 20 wins. Among Finnish recognitions, the Kaj Franck Design Prize has been the most meaningful. But let’s be clear: while awards are nice, they aren’t enough. What really matters is the appreciation of customers.

4. Viiva Chair

And here’s the unavoidable miss. The Viiva chair won a Good Design Award and showed promise, but for some reason, it just didn’t resonate with customers. After a few years of trying, we removed it from the collection. Sometimes bravery means trying - and knowing when to let go.

5. China Adventures and the Oloilu Collection (2016–2019)

Before and during my own collection, I’ve designed for other brands as well. One highlight was a collaboration in China with colleague Jonas Hakaniemi. It was a booming time, and manufacturers were looking for Scandinavian designers to help build brands instead of just doing subcontracting. We created the Oloilu brand, which is still part of a Chinese company’s portfolio. As always, the travels came with many (fun and not-so-fun) mishaps - travel does broaden the mind!

6. Day&Night Sofa Bed

Three international design awards, Finnish Design Shop’s best-selling item abroad in 2023, and hailed as the most beautiful storage furniture in the world (bedding hidden in the cushions) - you can’t ignore this one. It's like the little cousin of the ON sofa bed - same function, different structure and design. Still one of my personal favorites.

7. Filtti- ja Piena Lounge Chairs

Chair design is often called the toughest category in this field - and it’s true. With these newer pieces, I’ve managed to create larger seating solutions that suit different spaces and needs. The Good Design Award and the Prize Designs for Modern Furniture jury seem to agree.

8. My Own Online Store (2022- )

The newest and one of the biggest shifts. After much trial and error, we’ve learned how to build a better customer experience online. You’ll find not only our products and information there - but also entertainment. You're reading one example right now (if you made it this far). Some of the best moments? Great customer feedback (and I don’t just mean compliments). Also, hearing that a new order is headed to another country always brings a smile.

"The world has changed in 20 years - hopefully I have too."

If someone had told me back in 2005 that I’d be writing a design blog for my own online store, I would’ve raised a very skeptical eyebrow. But the world has changed in 20 years - hopefully I have too. If this “spear journey” continues for another 20, well, let’s see what I’m doing then…

- Tapio

P.s. See what the Tapio Anttila Collection looks like right now!