Move to 1960s row house in Helsinki made family life easier: “Living in this house, we’re in the center of everything”

How did your family end up moving from Lahti to Puotinharju in Helsinki?

Kira: I had moved from Helsinki to Lahti with my young son Klaus after my divorce, stepping outside my Finland-Swedish bubble. I wanted to experience something new, so I chose a city where I knew no one. I figured a one-hour commute would be a reasonable distance between home, daycare, and work. Klaus continued in a daycare near his other home and my job in Helsinki. Me and then four-year-old Klaus would eat our breakfast of overnight oats early in the morning on the train, cuddle on both morning and evening trains, draw, and play board games.

Vili: Kira and I met through mutual acquaintances. Work had brought me from Savonlinna to Lahti. When Klaus was starting school in Kulosaari, Helsinki, we felt moving to the capital region was the right decision for us. That led us to this 1960s row house, with easy public transport access and our own yard.

Kira has received the Artek table in the dining area and the Gubi Semi Pendant lamp as gifts from her mother. The chairs came from Kira’s friend from military service, and she had them restored by a carpenter. The poster was purchased on a trip to Denmark. Klaus picked the color of Viggo’s Tripp Trapp chair.

There are no cabinets in this kitchen; instead, everything is stored in 60 cm-deep solid-wood drawers, making it easy to see all contents at a glance. The kitchen was ordered from Denmark and built by Reform Cph. The material is linoleum in the shade Mushroom. The concrete countertop made by Ilkka Salo from 16Juin has proven durable and easy to maintain. Its color evokes Lake Saimaa’s water, and the pattern resembles the back of a Saimaa ringed seal.

In the living room, Kira wanted a mossy look and feel. The pure wool Linie Design rug is very practical for a family with children.

What was the renovation like?

Kira: We renewed the surfaces before moving in. Then we found out we were expecting a baby right around the start of the pandemic. A two-phase renovation, a baby, then a toddler, as well as distance learning with a young schoolchild and remote work all at once was quite the experience. But the renovation gave us a functional home that reflects who we are. We’re very happy with our current family life and our home.

Vili: A big renovation sounded daunting, but it clarified the space and gave us sufficient storage. When we bought the place, the kitchen was a wild relic of the 60s. The spacious drawers have been an excellent solution, and the whole kitchen works well.

Kira believes a functional entryway needs proper cubbies and plenty of hooks. Seasonal clothes move into storage with each season change, keeping things organized. The coat rack is from Iris Design, and the pouch baskets are from Norrgavel.

Kira fell in love with the floor at the Amos Rex museum shop and chose tiles in the same shade for her own entryway.

The staircase is from the 1960s.

The bright staircase is a great spot for houseplants. All the hanging plants are in Richard Lindh pots by Arabia. They love the abundant light coming in through the large windows and grow wild every spring.

What do you have in common when it comes to everyday values and your approach to belongings?

Kira: One of our core family values—and probably our biggest hobby—is the circular economy. We buy everything secondhand. We’re also happy to rent or borrow, and if we buy new, it’s always on sale or clearance. I’m very strict about this. My children appreciate the fact that someone else used their clothes and items before them. It’s something I’m very proud of. We treat our belongings with respect.

Vili: This might be something that has come from our professional lives for both of us, since we come from commercial backgrounds. The world is brimming with new items, and we prefer not to add to it. We don’t need to own everything ourselves.

This family loves playing games. They keep their board games in a glass cabinet, visible and easy to grab, so they don’t get forgotten. The sofa is by the Estonian brand Oot Oot, upholstered in a wool fabric by Kvadrat. The sofa has turned out to be an excellent purchase, as it has a down filling that can be reshaped to look fluffy and neat time after time. The sofa cushions are from Hemtex, Marimekko, and Svenskt Tenn.

Klaus looks for something to do after school in the Ikea Idåsen glass cabinet. On top of the cabinet is Kira’s beloved Louis Poulsen Panthella lamp, which she’s had for years.

Kira and Vili, with their children Tove, Klaus, and Viggo, enjoy their row house in Puotinharju, Helsinki, just a quick metro ride away from everything. Having their own yard is important for the whole family.

What do you find appealing about this house and neighborhood?

Vili: Many families here have lived in this same building for as long as 40 years, raising their children. Having our own yard is wonderful.

Kira: From the start, something about this apartment and its 60s character appealed to us. We both fell in love with the staircase in the living room. Living here, we’re in the center of everything, and it’s easy to go anywhere. We love public transport. I currently work in Espoo, and I can get there straight by metro.

Klaus: The living room is really nice. We spend a lot of time together as a whole family. My commute to school is short, and I can take the metro by myself.

Viggo: I like playing soccer in our yard with Klaus.

Kira: A few years ago, when my brother’s family was looking for a larger home, I asked our neighbors to let me know if they were planning to sell. In fall 2022, my brother’s family moved into the same building with us. Now the children’s four-year-old cousin lives next door. The kids play together outside all the time, and we help take care of each other’s children.

The parents’ bed is one of the few pieces of furniture they bought new for this home. It’s from Kiteen Huonekalutehdas. Artemide’s Tolomeo lamps are handy for reading.

The old linen cabinet in Viggo’s room is a treasured heirloom from Kira’s great-grandmother. Now it holds all the little ones’ clothes vertically folded.

Klaus likes drawing. The Marimekko containers and the squirrel tape dispenser are thrift store finds.

The bathroom tiles are from the basic selection of ABL-Laatat. The mirror is Pond by Ferm Living, and the glass cabinets are Haze by Ferm Living. The concrete sink was ordered from 16Juin and is called Ramp in the color Desert Beige. It was custom-made for this space by Ilkka Salo.

What a fun toilet paper holder! The narrow ledge on top of the tiling is perfect for small, playful items. The Ellie poster was bought for Tove as a birth gift from one of Kira’s favorite stores, Fine Little Day. The tiles are from ABL-Laatat, and the glass cabinet is Haze by Ferm Living.

The tiles in the small bathroom are from the standard range of ABL-Laatat. The sink was cast in concrete by Ilkka Salo from 16Juin. The model is WAWA in Sienna Blush.