Retro vision Classic design meets cool contemporary style
CLASSIC DESIGN IS CELEBRATED, SHOWCASED AND STYLED ALONGSIDE COOL CONTEMPORARY TOUCHES IN THIS ORIGINAL JEWEL OF A HOME
Annaleena and Tuomas were the most devoted of city dwellers, living an urban dream-come-true life in a trendy area of Helsinki, surrounded by restaurants and shops, and within walking distance of everything they might desire. But children have a way of turning priorities on their head, and the arrival of their eldest son Elmeri, who is now four, saw the couple yearning to have more space and proximity to nature. “We looked for a new apartment for years, the search reaching acute proportions after we had our first child,” says Annaleena. “We wanted more space and a garden after Elmeri was born. Tuomas and I are both from the countryside, where we were surrounded by animals and nature. We grew up stroking sheep and horses.” The house the couple finally settled on was 100 square metres bigger than what they wanted – with a higher price to match – but you can’t argue with true love, and the couple were smitten with the home’s authentic and perfectly preserved 1960s charm from day one. “Everything fell into place the moment we walked through the door,” says Annaleena. “I immediately knew this would be the home for us. I moved my office home and put the extra space into use.” The home sprawls around a double-level staircase atrium between the kitchen and living room, an open-plan space lined with quintessentially mid-century textures of brick and wood. The home’s entrance is in the atrium area on the lower level, which encompasses a living room with a fireplace, guestroom, utility room and bathroom, as well as sauna facilities, a storage room and access to the lush garden. An original spiral staircase connects the two floors, leading up to the kitchen, dining area, a second living room, office, main bedroom, children’s room and a large terrace, perfect for entertaining. Determined to preserve the home’s integrity and character, the couple needed to do little more than repaint the white walls, give the bathroom, sauna and toilets a facelift with microcement, and fill the interiors with beautiful furnishings. “There is a lot of red brick in the house, which I wanted to balance out with complementary colours of blue and green,” says the homeowner. “As for materials, I go for leather, wool, brass, terracotta and sheepskin.” Embracing the distinctive style of the era, the couple accessorised the space with vintage Bumling lamps and retro design classics, from Bertoia chairs to String shelves. “We love the original ambience that still prevails in this home – it was easy to furnish it with classics from the same era,” explains Annaleena, who describes her style as being “Scandinavian, playful and sort of minimal”. Alongside the many vintage finds are new pieces from Hakola, the furniture brand for which Annaleena is creative director. Stunning sofas and chairs, and various accent pieces from the collection, are all represented here, pairing so perfectly with the retro classics it feels as though they were designed especially for the space. The result of the property’s thoughtful makeover process is a beautiful balance of old and new, reverentially respecting the period of the building’s inception, while also embracing contemporary design elements. It is warm, quirky and cool, and above all, a thoroughly wonderful place for Annaleena and Tuomas’s young children to grow up.