Why people still shop at Ikea when there is an abundance of Hemtex shops is beyond me. My favorite…read morehome store chain after Pentek, this location is always having great specials on everything from pillow cases to bath towels. Speaking of bath towels, theirs' are my favorite- even more than my beloved Frette. They dry soft even on the god-awful racks I'm stuck using in Finland (vs my best friend, the clothes-dryer in the US). Impossible to walk in without buying something- and at their very, very reasonable (for Helsinki and beyond) prices mean a very light impact on your pocketbook. Unless you're me. Then you'll just buy everything and figure out where it all goes later. Nice, helpful staff, who are always patient with my less than stellar command of the Finnish language, and cute uniform tops to boot. This is a great place for a hostess gift or housewarming present!

From the owner: Urbaanin perinnerakentamisen ja sisustamisen erikoistarvikeliikeread more

Design products are a great souvenir when you come to Finland for a visit. A perfect place for that…read moreis Brands Scandinavia. It is located in the main station. The small shop has a surprisingly good collection of products from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. Browse through the shelves and you will definitely find a good gift for your family or friends. Brands Scandinavia is open daily. For more information check their website.

When in Helsinki this is the perfect place to get your Moomin bed linen fix. I wish more of the…read morelinen was available in grown up sizes too (because clearly you never are to old for Moomin), but at least there's always a great selection of pillow covers. Plus towels, tea towels, vanity bags etc. The Tom of Finland-bed linen series is pretty cool for the adventerous mind. But of course they have loads of other less flamboyant but no less adorable bed linens and towels in great quality with different prints too. Reasonable prices.

I'm old and married and have kids and an apartment. So this place is more or less heaven to me…read more Duvet covers are the new "come (bleep) me" heels of my life. A big day out = shopping for hand towels and accent cushions. I enjoy the classics, and this is the place for that. My son is all about the "Elefantti" and I dig the selection of understated, quality duvets and linens. I'm not a "mixer and matcher" - it's all white or all wrong with me. It's easy to get a theme going and stick with it here. The selection isn't vast but it's pretty consistent and aligned, so I can buy a boatload of linens, throw them on their respective surfaces, and my house looks pulled together. With minimal work on my part. I can buy pillows, comforters, towels, duvets, pillow cases, cushions, cushion covers, kitchen accessories, and everything else I need here. I don't have to go anywhere else. I like that. The sales staff are oh so nice. Ordering through their website has resulted in some hiccups in service but the associates at the shop are helpful in sorting things out, special ordering products that are out of stock, and contacting me in a timely manner when said items arrive in shop. They have great sales, too. I think Finlayson is a great alternative to Marimekko, which I love but which feels a bit generic to me in terms of home decor. Plus, this is a one-stop shop for Scandinavian classics in a big, airy space with an old-school vibe. If it was a bar, I'd go there all the time.

From the owner: Taidekäsityö, design, käsityömuotoilu, lasitaide, kierrätysdesign, taidekeramiikka, tekstiilitaide.read more