our story

funkis is a scandinavian design store with a unique collection of Swedish & scandinavian lifestyle products, perfectly blended with locally made designs. We have a strong emphasis on sustainability and have sourced products from australian handmade ceramics, Kowtow sustainable fashion and funkis' own collection, proudly produced in Sweden and Australia. We try to make sure we select products that have been made with care, not just for the quality but also to protect our planet. With more than 25 years supporting and promoting original authentic Scandinavian Design, we feel proud to be one of the leading Scandinavian design stores in Australia today. At our Paddington store you can get the complete scandinavian experience, browsing through our large selection of Scandinavian and Swedish life style products and finish off with an organic cinnamon bun & skagen toast at our cafe köket. 

funkis meaning 

The word Funkis is an abbreviation of the Swedish word “functionalism” and refers to a modernist design concept that emerged after the first World War. It was a pivotal moment in Scandinavian history that saw the perception on everything from architecture and town planning, to fashion and diet begin to shift. The functional aesthetic was extended to a general view of life and centred around the idea that everything should be designed and created based on its function and purpose. The concept was then applied to sociology and developed into the notion that every aspect of society has a purpose and contributes interdependently on the success of that community. 

In the 90’s our first store Möbler, imported Swedish antiques to Australia (hopefully you are one of the lucky one’s that ended up with a piece of Swedish history!). This was getting increasingly difficult as competition grew with London and New York dealers. The world had discovered the functionalist furniture treasures of Scandinavia and we felt it was now time to move on. We realised that some of the pieces we had bought at auctions were designs still in production, and established that ordering from the producer would be ideal and so, funkis was born.

funkis opened its first store in 1996 in Bondi Beach and quickly became a favourite for Sydney stylists and savvy shoppers. Thanks to all the support from editorial magazines over the years, funkis grew into one of the leading design boutiques in Australia. The collection was mainly Swedish Design such as Bruno Mathsson, Bla Station and Kinnasand but quickly incorporated a lot of Scandinavian designs such as Iris Hantverk, Marimekko, Le Klint and Arabia. Many of the brands we still sell today are part of this original range.

Our Sydney Strand Arcade store opened its doors in 2001 and became an excuse to release our own funkis collection. By this time, we had already started designing some funkis lighting and fabrics, and the Strands location inspired us to further expand, into fashion.

In 1998 we launched our online store to spread our love for Scandinavian design further around Australia.

We have now consolidated all our stores into one, our paddington store, and to complete the experience, we opened the beautiful Köket café in the courtyard. To be a full lifestyle brand, we knew we needed good coffee and scandinavian treats with a full breakfast and lunch menu. Our café has continued to grow and be a favourite for all of our locals & visitors.