A Finnish home in a converted factory

It's the weekend - woooop! But before we hit the Friday night bars and restaurants (or take-away and telly?!) - I wanted to squeeze in one more wonderful home tour. 'Projekti Verkaranta' - or for the non speaking Finnish out there - 'Project Verkaranta' documents the transformation of an old factory into a wonderful family home. Jutta K, an upcoming designer, and self-professed lover of details, simple design and passionate 'do-it-yourselfer' has created a family home packed with DIY ideas (the daybed! the rail!), fabulous monochrome spaces (that kitchen) and cosy quarters. Let's take a tour...

Images 1,2,4 and 6: Photography Suvi Kesäläinen Styling Riika Siuluoto for Avotakka. Other photography: Jutta K

What an incredible space! I do love old industrial buildings - they always have the most wonderful natural light. And that kitchen is perfection, don't you think? I also spy a Saana ja Olli cushion (one of my favourite Finnish designs!).

Is there anything that stands out to you about this home?

More fabulous factory conversions here (scroll passed this one). And twenty-seven Finnish home tours to be discovered here (as before...).

Are you up to anything fun this weekend? I'm tempted to go out mushroom picking in the forest again in order to make these oh so yummy slices of home comfort! Perfect autumn nosh. That and celebrating the news that My Scandinavian Home has been shortlisted for 'Best European Interiors Blog' in the Amara Interior Blog Awards!- Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me (and to homeware brand Amara) - you're wonderful!! I'm thrilled!

Have a great start to the weekend!

PS Back tomorrow with a few pictures of a new addition in my home...

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Ilkka's Charming Rural Retreat In Finland

Hei! How are you today? Feel like getting away from it all? Today, I'm whisking you off to rural Finland and the charming bolthole of interior architect Ilkka Mälkiäinen. Acquired 12 years ago as a weekend escape from Helsinki, Ilkka and Janne have carefully renovated the country home to bring it back to its former glory. Think high ceilings, beautiful wood floors and rooms painted in deep charcoal and steel grey. Today, the home is a goldmine of Finnish antiques and vintage finds and packed with charm. Welcome to Ilkka and Janne's age-old country retreat! 

How beautiful! I love the relaxed, eclectic feel of the home. 

Did you have a favourite room? I've always had a real weakness for romantic style bathrooms. Imagine locking up your city apartment, coming out here to the quiet of the countryside and running a candlelit bath. Heaven! 

This takes me back to the day I captured a home for The Scandinavian Home deep in the heart of the Finnish countryside. And there was a moose grazing in the meadows beside the house. 

I've been wanting to return ever since - something for next summer perhaps? Have you ever been to Finland?

If you're after a little more Finnish dreaming today, here are a few other homes to love: 

A warm, modern Finnish home with a touch if the Med

Suvi's modern home on Finland's West coast

A Finnish home in a converted factory

Have a cosy day! 

Credits: Krista Keltanen / Jonna Kivilahti - shared with kind permission

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Step Inside Maiju's Delightful Home in Vaasa, Finland

I once visited Helsinki in November and was greeted with a sign that said "Nobody in their right mind would come to Helsinki in November. Except you, you badass. Welcome". It's since been hailed as one of the greatest tourism posters ever made! With temperatures hovering around 3 - 4 degrees Celsius in Helsinki this week, they certainly have a point. But there's also a certain beauty to Finland in wintertime, especially if you travel a little further afield. Maiju Saha, husband Janne and three children Paavo (12), Aina (7) and Theo (3) moved to a house in Vaasa on the south west coast of Finland two years ago. Dating back to 1941, Maiju has transformed the house into a beautiful oasis with deep green, blue and grey accents, while ensuring the original features remain intact. The result is a calm, cosy home and a perfect base from which to explore the city, nearby Kvarken archipelago and forests as well as experience the Northern Lights! 

I love this window nook; it looks so cosy and is a great way to capitalise on extra space so that the dining area doesn't take up too much space. The beautiful lamp over the table is a le Klint. 

Maiju designed the kitchen herself and got it built by a local carpenter. The cabinets have been painted in NCS S7005-G20Y and the walls in Tikkurila 'Merino'. 

The dining area has been painted in Jotun 'Tidløs'. The table is from Finnish firm Peltola Oy and the chairs are a mix of Ton Banana chairs and the Nattavaara chair from Jotex (which only appear to be available in black now). 

But my eyes are on that daybed (which Maiju built herself) - what a perfect little spot to chill! 

Source a similar vintage rattan side table here* (I love this plant stand* but since it's vintage, there's only one. Hurry if you're keen!)

Maiju has painted the living room in Farrow & Ball 'Old White' and used neutral accents and a large rattan rug (this one is similar) which adds a load of depth and texture to the space. 

The pretty wallpaper in the stairwell is Arbutus Woad 7 Russet by William Morris. 

If you are as taken by Maiju's lovely home as much as I am,  you might want to follow her delightful instagram @maiju_saw and blog Maiju Saw. Her DIY and ikea hacks are great (can you spot the ikea hack in this tour? You'll find the answer and step by step here - it's translated into English at the bottom of the post). 

It'd be rude not to share a few other Finnish home tours with you today:

A Finnish home in a converted factory

An inspiring Finnish home with a surprise element!

A beautifully simple cabin on an island in Finland

This post has really got me in the mood for a trip to Finland, I hope an opportunity crops up soon! Have you ever been? 

Hauskaa päivan jatkoa! (I hope this means 'have a nice day' in Finnish!). 

Niki

Photography: Maiju Saha, shared with kind permission

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Old meets new in a beautiful Finnish home

Feeling super excited this morning as I'm off to Helsinki this afternoon for Finland's largest design fair - Habitare along with Decor8, Monsters Circus, Trend Stefan and Home for Soul among other bloggers. So fun! (Keep an eye on Instagram stories for updates!). This calls for a Finnish design post, don't you think? And beautiful Finnish homes are never hard to find (as you can see from this archive!). This lovely apartment belongs to Maija Rasila - interior architect and blogger for Avotakka magazine. Pihkala focuses on modern Scandinavian design and the renovation of her 100 year old house - where white and subtle shades of grey and blue provide a backdrop for design classics and vintage finds for a clean, calm aesthetic.  Let's take a peek....

Photography: Maija Rasila / Pihkala.

Such a lovely space, don't you think? So fresh! If you follow Maija's blog you'll see how the house is becoming more and more cosy as each layer is added (even though it's in Finnish she always adds a short summary in English at the bottom of each post).  I write a lot about taking your time to decorate a home in my book The Scandinavian Home - I think it's a vital part of transforming a house into a home. What are your thoughts on this?

Get the look from Maija's lovely home: Sitting room - Artek Beehive light, Menu afteroom lounge chair, Tisca rug.  Dining room - Eames chairs, art by Juhani Melender. Bedroom - William Morris wallpaper, Mantis sconce, white bed linen set. Hallway: Morris & co wallpaper.

If you'd like to see more Finnish homes today (hey, I'm in!), you might want to take a scroll through this archive (if this home comes up first simply got to the next) - Yup, those Finns really do know a thing or two about design! Can't wait to see more at the fair!

You can keep up to date with Maija's latest projects over on her blog and Instagram.

Right.... better finish packing, I've got a flight to catch! Weeeee!

Have a lovely day!

PS Happy to see my tips on 'how to get Scandi-style on a budget' in Ideal Home magazine this week!

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The fabulous Finnish home of a creative duo Part III

How many wonderful new angles can you shoot in one home? When it comes to Helsinki based interior architect and designer Joanna Laajisto and photographer Mikko Ryhänen's home the answer is never enough! This will be my third post (see previous posts here and here) and every time the home tour is equally as inspiring! Here are some snap shots of their kitchen, dining room and sitting room taken by Mikko. Pretty incredible don't you think?!

 Joanna Laajisto. Photography: Mikko Ryhänen via Nordic Design with thanks

A few items I see and love: White Thonet 209 chairs in the kitchen,  black and white Marimekko bowls, Bertoia sidechairs and sheepskin throw, Carl Hansen CH25 Lounge Chair, a vintage moroccan rug and last but not least a fabulous Knoll Platner coffee table.

I think my favourite thing from these shots (although it's extremely difficult to pin it down to one thing) is the Knoll Platner coffee table and vintage Moroccan rug combination - they work so well together, don't you think?

I could spend my day recovering with my leg raised here (see yesterday's post!), how about you?!

For more beautiful Finnish home tours don't miss this pared back cabin, Minna's family holiday home in the Finnish archipelagos, and a cosy and warm Finnish table setting.  The Finns really do have a great sense of style don't they?!

Have a lovely day! 

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