After 15 years of business, Minneapolis Scandinavian shop FinnStyle was reinvented as AlwaysMod, and relocated its storefront to Golden Valley. Expanding on FinnStyle’s assortment of Finnish home goods to include a broader range of products from the world of modern design, AlwaysMod has a greater emphasis on furniture, lighting, bedding, and tabletop goods., including Italian brand Alessi, Danish designer Georg Jensen, Swedish textile maker Viskaform, and famed Danish furniture designer Fritz Hansen, best known for its Arne Jacobsen Swan and Egg chairs. AlwaysMod has also retained FinnStyle’s two most popular brands, Marimekko and Iittala.
Since its 2015 opening, the store has been keeping its merchandise selection fresh by continually introducing new offerings from top modern design brands. Here are five of the most exciting additions the store has made in recent months.
Vita Lighting
Founded in 2008, the family-owned company designs pendant lights inspired by classic, organic forms. Both sustainably made and affordably priced, most items range from $200 and $400. Best known for its distinctive Eos feather pendant lights, the Danish brand is AlwaysMod sells the style in three different sizes, as well as sleek, modern designs made from silicone and aluminum. Vita Eos white lamp, from $249 @ alwaysmod.com
Tina Frey Designs
Though AlwaysMod has been the exclusive stockist of Tina Frey Designs in Minnesota since the store’s opening, it recently expanded on its selection of sculptural serveware by the San Francisco designer. With their smooth yet imperfect finish, Frey’s hand-sculpted platters, bowls, and serving dishes that are cast in small batches with resin or solid brass are a chic alternative to traditional tableware. Tina Frey Designs Brass Hans Dish, $62 @ alwaysmod.com
Nachtmann glassware
Nachtmann is the “lifetyle division” of Riedel, offering affordably priced Bavarian crystal glassware spanning drinking glasses to platters. But this isn’t your grandma’s crystal–Nachtmann offers a modern take on glassware, with geometric and minimalist designs that echo modern art. AlwaysMod offers an even more broad selection of the German-made glassware in-store than what’s available on its website. Nachtmann Hikari Crystal Vase, $160 @ alwaysmod.com
Shun Cutlery
This elite American brand sells some of the finest Japanese-style knives on the market, and AlwaysMod offers a comprehensive selection. They’re durable, corrosion resistant, and of course, sharp as a scalpel. For the serious home cook, Shun knives are an investment that’s worth the expense. Shun Cutler Classic 3-piece Starter Set, $290 @ alwaysmod.com
Iittala Toikka Minneapolis Bird
Every year, iittala creates a limited-edition series of hand-blown glass birds capturing the spirits of different cities around the world. This year, famed iittala designer Oiva Toikka selected Minneapolis as one of its featured cities. The bird’s design echoes the Mississippi River with a stripe of green running through it, and Minneapolis’ wintry weather with windswept lines along a clear body. AlwaysMod also carries a broad selection of glass birds at its Golden Valley store. iittala Toikka Minneapolis Bird, $375 @ alwaysmod.com
905 Decatur Ave. N., Golden Valley, 763-746-5600, alwaysmod.com
