Aino is happy with the house’s design and proportions. The only thing she would change is add glazing to the upper terrace to keep it usable longer. The furniture on the lower terrace is from Grythyttan, and the upper terrace features Calligaris furniture.
Aino Rajasuo has always loved old houses and usually lived in one. Building and living in a new house had never been part of her plans. However, after the family spent 12 years in their renovated old house in Kauniainen, they began to wonder: what now?
They had previously thought about dividing up the large lot, but they didn't like the idea that someone might build a house in the middle of the lot, blocking their view. So it became an appealing option for Aino and her family to build a new house for themselves at the edge of the lot, respecting both homes.
In Aino’s view, the end terrace is the best spot in the house. For her, it’s a place to unwind, and she can’t resist going there whenever the weather permits. The lot borders a forest on that side, and it almost feels like you're embraced by the trees. Hjalmar the cat enjoys the terrace with Aino, watching the wildlife in the woods. The chairs are by Grythyttan, the sheepskins are from Bloomingville, and the serving cart is from Jysk.
As a professional interior designer, Aino felt it would be good for her to gain first-hand experience of building her own house. And for once, she could put everything precisely where it belonged—something you can never fully achieve in an old house.
“I must have drafted nearly a hundred different floor plans, or at least versions of them. I wanted a perfect layout where every square meter is used wisely for our needs,” Aino says. Being a professional brings its challenges—you’re aware of all possible alternatives.
Now the family has lived in the house for a year, and Aino is pleased with its proportions.
“It took me a year to settle in. Only now does it truly feel like home when I step inside.”
Aino wanted the living room and kitchen upstairs because that’s where the best views are and where the family spends most of their time. The veitchia palm was a must-have for her. The ceiling is birch veneer, and the salmon-colored Kide rug is from VM-Carpet.
Who lives here Interior designer and teacher Aino Rajasuo, her husband, and their 19-year-old twin sons, plus Devon Rex cats Dominic and Hjalmar, and Tito the Standard Poodle.
home A detached house built in 2023 in Kauniainen, measuring 202 square meters.
The dining table is Aino’s own design. The requirement for the dining area light fixture was that it provide direct light onto the table without glare. The Wick chairs by Design House Stockholm met the criteria for chairs: an open design, good back support, and armrests.
Behind the kitchen breakfast bar, windowed doors lead out to the terrace.
The windowed doors open onto the terrace, where you can chat with whoever’s cooking inside while sitting on the bar stools. The stools are from Ellos; wooden legs were a requirement, so adjustable feet could be installed. They also had to be slim enough to fit inside when the doors are closed.
In Aino’s view, a real flame brings the right feeling to cooking. She chose the Nikola Tesla Flame gas stove with a powerful Elica extractor built into its center. When electricity costs have been high, Aino has been very glad she opted for gas.
This home was designed with every resident in mind. An open shelf at the end of the kitchen cabinetry lets the cats eat on the upper shelf while the dog gets their food on the lower one, keeping bowls off the floor. A second water source is conveniently located in the adjacent island. The cats enjoy drinking straight from the touch-activated faucet, which they’ve learned to use. The painting is Kuutti Lavonen’s Amata.
“I wanted the purposes of the rooms to be easily adaptable once the children move out on their own.”
Aino likes to maintain a consistent color scheme indoors and out. She calls herself a "forest dweller" and loves nature, so green is a major part of the home’s palette. The Heaven sofa by Sits is relaxed and comfy, perfect for family movie nights. Aino shortened the legs of the Nordal coffee table so it would go with the Ellos ottoman. The Egg chair, bought for their old home at an auction, is among the first of its kind according to its label. The paintings are by Samuli Heimonen and Elina Länsman. The picture lights are from Etsy.
The location for the fireplace, which Aino designed, was chosen so it could be seen from three directions: the kitchen, the terrace, and the living room. She positioned the firebox so the flames are at eye level when you're seated. You can also cook in the fireplace. Aino believes a fireplace can be any color, not just white or dark gray.
A wool, wall-to-wall carpet was a must for the sleeping area because it creates a calm soundscape.
For Aino, a wool wall-to-wall carpet was an absolute must in the sleeping area to create a calm soundscape. The graphic wall panel by Jukola Industries is made of heat-treated pine. Aino placed the walk-in closet in a separate room connected to the bedroom, as she and her husband often have different schedules. The closet cabinets are from Mirror Line; she chose the handles partly based on their looks, partly because clothes couldn’t be hung on them. Aino prefers regularly opening doors and only selects sliding doors if she has to. She made the ceiling light from a brass-colored tray. The small lights are from Etsy.
In Aino’s view, her job is to find the right products for each home and each client’s personality, instead of following certain trends. The ambience of your living environment has an impact on well-being. Aino wallpapered the en suite bathroom herself with a colonial-style wallpaper. The calming Staycation wallpaper is from Ellos.
For the bathroom adjoining the sauna, Aino wanted a lush rainforest vibe and chose a brighter shade of green than elsewhere. In her design philosophy, a small room can handle a bolder color because there aren’t as many elements to coordinate—it's not difficult to find shampoo bottles that match.
Aino Rajasuo’s detached home in Kauniainen has 202 square meters of space.
