Before Fjordly
If someone had told me a few years ago that I'd one day start Fjordly, I probably wouldn't have believed them.
For years I worked in the timber industry. Our production was fairly large scale, with a couple of lorry-loads of timber passing through the factory every day. At that volume, you quickly learn that quality doesn't happen by chance. It comes from well thought-out construction, processes that actually work, and attention to every detail.
For years, our business logic rested on Estonia's role between east and west. Raw material came from the east, we added value to it, and sent the finished product on to western markets. That worked well, until geopolitical shifts upended the whole business model. That was the moment I had to ask myself what I wanted to build next.
The start of Fjordly
Together with my wife Liina-Mai, we started thinking about how to make the best use of what we're good at. My strength is engineering and building structures. Liina-Mai's strength is design, proportions, and knowing how a new element fits with existing architecture.
We weren't just looking for a new product. We thought about how to make homes cosier, and how to create solutions that complement a home rather than compete with it. For me, that starts with a strong, well thought-out structure. For Liina-Mai, it starts with the right proportions, materials and colours. Fjordly began to take shape from bringing those two viewpoints together.
How our products come to be
Our first products didn't start as finished drawings. They took shape through long discussions, sketches and prototypes. We worked through the construction, materials, colours and proportions together. Some ideas stayed on paper, others changed several times before they felt right.
We don't consider a product finished the moment it goes on sale. If we find a better solution, we make the change. I believe that's how you end up with solutions that last, and that make a home cosier and better over time.
Why Fjordly
From the start, we knew exactly what design language we wanted to follow. We didn't compromise on Scandinavian simplicity, clean straight lines or proportions. We pictured our products by the Norwegian fjords, as part of that landscape and way of life.
We arrived at the name Fjordly almost at the same moment. To us, it stands for a fjord-inspired way of life: simple, calm and in harmony with nature. One where every detail has a reason, and nothing is excessive.
Anti Selge
Founder of Fjordly