Who doesn't love to relax? Sympathetic themes and infectious joy have become trademarks of rug artist Joonas Salo's works. The Vapaapäivä special collection, sold in Meillä kotona stores, is inspired by the moments and things that make days off so wonderful.
Hi Joonas! How are you?
I'm good! We've just finished moving and renovating. Now it's wonderfully peaceful, and everyday life is starting to get a little easier. Spring is also on its way, what could be nicer!
Tell us a bit about this collection. What inspired you to create these specific works?
The main theme of the collection is homeliness and leisure. Even though I like to be on the go and with people, I need time to recharge. All the rugs in the collection reflect these kinds of moments. For example, my family's cottage in Rauma is an important place for me, and I drew inspiration from there for the rug called "Kevään lämmin tuuli" (The Warm Wind of Spring). The "Herkkuhetki" (Treat Moment) rug, on the other hand, reminds me of quicker but equally valuable moments of recharging in the middle of the day.
Kevään lämmin tuuli -ryijy (The Warm Wind of Spring rug).
Your works are a celebration of colours, humour and softness, and just looking at them makes you feel good. Has this been a conscious choice for you?
That's exactly right! I want my works to make both me and others feel good. The craft technique has guided the appearance of my tufted rugs, as the cartoon-like quality and a certain humour in the illustrations felt like a natural style from the beginning. These features have remained with me, but my style has become more detailed. Rich colours are also characteristic of my tufted works – perhaps that's where a glimpse of my own personality is visible.
Do you have favourite colours or themes in your works?
Figurative works, but with a simplicity that borders on abstraction, in bright contrasting colours and shades, inspire me! Although my clients can give me themes to tuft, I always implement them in my own style.
Joonas and Pehmeät piikit (Soft Spikes) rug.
If you had to summarise yourself in a rug, what would it be like?
The Joonas rug would be rich, colourful, and abstract. It would be a bit angular and spread outwards. Or it would be a chip rug – that reflects my cravings and my best weekends!
What would your perfect day off be like?
A perfect day off would start with an unhurried morning. I would drink coffee on the balcony of my new home in the spring sun, as can be seen in the 'Aamun paras hetki' (Best Moment of the Morning) rug, and go for a run on a nice trail. I would eat good food and in the evening, I would go out with friends somewhere – at home, I would eat macaroni casserole or at Harju 8, a vegetarian dish. The morning would be my own time and the evening would involve some activity again.
Summer in the allotment garden rug.
Explore Joonas Salo's Vapaapäivä collection here!
