Rustic oak from a 300-year-old wine press was used to craft the interior of Shii, a tiny Japanese restaurant in Helsinki designed by local designer Joanna Laajisto.
Shii is an omakase-style restaurant offe ring an 11-course seasonal tasting menu. Diners can choose to sit at the 16-seat chef’s counter or at a six-seat private dining table hidden away at the back.
Like the menu, Laajisto‘s interior combines both Nordic and Japanese influences, combining a minimalist aesthetic with crafted joinery details.
Local carpenters constructed all the built-in furniture using reclaimed oak from a centuries-old wine press that Laajisto sourced via Finnish second-hand online marketplace Tori.
It provided enough material to construct Shii’s eight-metre-long bar counter, kitchen shelves, a round table for the private dining room, a washroom counter and various other sculptural objects.
Laajisto also used Tori to find the terracotta-gradient tiles that line the bathroom floor and walls.
“This approach to material sourcing, while requiring extra effort, infused the project with layered meaning and narrative,” she said.
With the wood offering plenty of character, the designer was able to keep things simple elsewhere.
Few changes were made to the walls and the ceilings of the space, which was previously a bakery. Instead, the surfaces were simply coated with clay paint in a warm “charcoal” tone.
“An austere yet warm atmosphere is achieved through repeated use of wood against a dark, textured backdrop,” said Laajisto.
“The matt texture brings depth and softness to the rough surfaces,” she suggested.
Soft lighting enhances the effect, with spotlights directed towards the counter and candleholders on the walls. Shii’s private dining room, meanwhile, features a handmade washi-paper lantern from Kyoto.
“Lighting design plays a key role in the ambience,” said Laajisto. “Only what is essential is illuminated.”
“Narrow-beam spotlights highlight each dish along the counter, while the surrounding space remains in atmospheric shadow.”
A sense of craft extends to other elements, including linen noren curtains hand-painted with natural pigments and a custom-made partition combining matt glass and oak.
Chairs are the only off-the-shelf items in the design, sourced from Danish brand Fredericia. Laajisto chose mid-century chairs designed by Børge Mogensen and high stools from the Barber Osgerby-designed Plan collection.
Shii opened in summer 2025. It is one of several hospitality spaces that Laajisto has completed recently, following a pizzeria at Pyhä Ski Resort and the Finnair lounges at Helsinki Airport.
The photography is by Mikko Ryhänen.
