AN ARTFUL CONVERSION

Running out of room, Tomi Parkkonen and Anna Piiroinen created this new space for art – and family and friends

This studio in a Finnish warehouse is part guest house, part gallery

With two grown-up daughters, and grandparents and friends constantly coming to stay, Tomi Parkkonen and Anna Piiroinen were crowded out of their home in the pretty town of Hanko on Finland’s south coast. But at the far end of their courtyard was a dilapidated old warehouse used for storage. ‘We bought it in 2011 to convert it into a guesthouse,’ says Tomi, a photographer with Studio Tomi Parkkonen. ‘It had been empty for decades, and we had to renovate it from scratch, putting in water pipes, electricity and heating.’

Outside, they added black-framed windows and doors, to contrast with the brick walls and retain the 100-year-old building’s industrial look. Inside, they created a ground-floor space for work by local artists.

In 2018, when they had more funds in place, the conversion of the first floor got underway. ‘With help from a builder it took three months,’ says Anna. ‘Without him there still wouldn’t be a guesthouse!’

The newly renovated first-floor apartment is open plan, with a separate bathroom, and the kitchen, dining, living and sleeping areas delineated by furniture.

Anna, who’s a writer, based the decoration of the studio on her love of French decor. ‘The guesthouse is elegant, bohemian and minimalistic,’ she says. ‘I left space around the furniture so it would feel airy, and

included art and art books. It has the same kind of vibe as our own home, but it’s a bit lighter and very serene. Tomi sometimes tiptoes in there to read in secret!’

Almost all of the furniture is inherited. ‘The old wooden bench is from my great-aunt, and the footstool, with a cross-stitch capercaillie grouse, was made for my aunt, a keen hunter,’ says Anna. ‘I’ve included local paintings, as well as souvenirs from around the world.’

White walls with black accents make this small space feel airy, with warmth introduced via the golden hues of mid-century wooden furniture and tactile fabrics in glowing shades, such as the mustard velvet sofa, which picks up a tone in a photo by Tomi. ‘The couch was one of my wishes from the start, but it wasn’t easy to find the exact shade,’ says Anna. Continuity of colour links different zones, so the green handmade Spanish kitchen tiles echo the artwork on the wall.

In fact, Anna got so carried away creating her colour-coordinated interior that she forgot to include a cupboard for hiding away the cleaning products. ‘However, the result is, I think, so beautiful that small imperfections in functionality can be forgiven,’ she says. ‘After all, it’s not a permanent home – it was a labour of love to restore an old building and create two gorgeous, peaceful spaces where family and friends can stay, and enjoy our passion for art and photography.’

KITCHEN Pillars with industrial-style supports define the area and separate it from the dining space. Anna designed the cooking zone, choosing statement black lights for the walls rather than cupboards. Find Eames-style Geneva dining chairs, from £63 each, Privatefloor. The asparagus plate is by artist Heikki Kukkonen; Emma Bridgewater sells an oblong asparagus plate, £39.95. Bazar wall lights, £139 each, By Rydéns at Nordic Nest. Try Cevica Provenza Verde Victorian wall tiles, £49.70sq m, Tiles Direct

LIVING AREA The antique wooden bench was inherited and has useful storage beneath the seat. Copy the idea with the Cooper Oak hall bench, £350, Perch & Parrow. The painting is by Heikki Kukkonen

BATHROOM The wall-hung vanity unit creates a feeling of space above the tiled floor design. The Chatsworth vanity in Traditional White, £219.95, Victorian Plumbing, has a similar look