Jalokaluste, ESTABLISHED IN 1997
Jalokaluste is the brand name of Puupalvelu Jari Rajala Oy, which is dedicated to the production of fully customized, special kitchens for customers. With two decades of strong expertise, our focus culminates in the creation of traditional, domestic kitchens that offer something for everyone, both in terms of design and materials.
The manufacturing of Jalokaluste kitchens takes place in a carpentry workshop located in Malmi, Helsinki. The production facilities are modern and equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and tools. The skillful craftsmanship of our carpenters imparts a unique handcrafted touch to our products.
Jalokaluste boasts Finland’s widest range of traditional kitchen models, and we also produce kitchens based on vintage designs. The Jalokaluste team is ready to serve you!
History of VINTAGE Kitchens 1800-1920
In Finland, even at the end of the 19th century, furnishing in both cottages and manors was quite modest. In kitchens, the most important and significant area was the hearth with its cooking plates. Water was carried in and out of the kitchen using separate containers.
In Swedish-style aristocratic manor kitchens, they managed with a few base cabinets and open wall shelves. Pots and whisks were hung on wall hooks, and food ingredients were stored in separate wall cabinets.
The image shows the kitchen of a dining room in Vaasa, Finland, at the turn of the 20th century.
Image: Pohjanmaan museo (Museum of Ostrobothnia) archive.
In the early 20th century, the number of built-in furniture pieces increased. Open shelves transformed into hinged cabinets. There were more countertop areas. Water was piped into the house, and waste water was carried away through drainage.
Kitchen functions were simplified with the introduction of gas stoves. Gradually, with the growth in the availability of plywood and batten board, modular kitchen cabinets began to be manufactured, which could be purchased in custom dimensions.
The image shows a Swedish-style kitchen in the 1920’s-40’s.
wooden furniture 1920-1960
Before the golden age of German-made chip board, furniture was crafted from solid wood, plywood, or pine laths veneered together (known as “batten board” or “block board”). Veneer structures enabled more efficient and cost-effective furniture production in Finland during the 1920’s to 1960’s.
This introduced an element of modular thinking into furniture design. As urbanization took hold, furniture adapted to the new needs of apartment living.
In the image, you can see Elja Kiljander’s model kitchen from Kotiliesi magazine in 1924.
In 1924, the Swedish Standardization Committee defined the basic model for a Finnish kitchen at their test kitchen, aiming for all functions to be ‘modern.’
This marked the beginning of the kitchen module era, which we still live in today. In 1950’s kitchens, you find wooden frames, paneled doors, a stainless steel sink, wooden-edged laminate countertops, and a floor stove. Handles were either wooden rod handles or wire handles.
The image shows a kitchen designed by architect Lasse Saarinen in 1957. Source: Asko Furniture Magazine 1957
retro furniture
Jalokaluste’s kitchens from the 1950’s are a new retro trend. Retro kitchen cabinets with wood-patterned or colorful doors, visible white frames, and wire handles evoke the history of the 1950’s.
The architectural landscape of our cities, which includes numerous stone buildings from the early decades of the 20th century, calls for furniture that respects tradition in their interiors. Jalokaluste responds to this need by delivering authentic custom-made wooden furniture and wonderfully nostalgic retro furniture.
The new retro trend is on the rise in apartment kitchens from the 1940’s to the 1960’s.
