Asta turned her white home all-black—she even replaced her dishes: “Looking at my home fills me with happiness”

“I’ve always been quick to make decisions, and my decorating style has changed a lot over the years. In my twenties, I loved spicy colors: my home had red and orange, elephant statues, and cinnamon incense. After that, I got really into silver, and in my next apartment, everything was white, right down to the sauna stove.”

Four years ago it came to an end. I didn’t want anything white in my home anymore, and decided to paint all walls the same color. I picked the darkest shades from Tikkurila’s Deco Grey color chart and chose one at random. Three weeks later, painters were already working on the walls of our common areas and bedroom.

The kitchen features a “matriarch painting” by Asta’s younger sister, depicting Asta. The striking gold frames are an important part of the decor. The black renovation is complete except for the ceiling.

To complement the dark color, I’ve chosen moss green and gold to add warmth. You’ll find them in my home textiles and even my towels.

I replaced my dishes too. I found the Arabia Kaarna dinnerware on online marketplace Tori, and I also found lovely vintage furniture there. I frequent flea markets and antique auctions, as well.

Finding and exploring old items brings me joy, and I get inspired by museums, old churches, and ornamental architecture, to name a few. I also love fall, when there’s hardly any light coming through the windows and I can light candles.

The large gold mirror in the living room is one of Asta’s greatest treasures. She found it at a store called Kasvihuoneilmiö (Finnish for “greenhouse effect”).

You can admire Asta’s home on Instagram at @villaartasta. The beautiful notebook is one of Asta’s favorite objects. She bought it at Turku Castle.

I’m an artist by profession, and the combination of black and gold also appears in my paintings. However, the only white room in my home is the fireplace room that serves as my studio, as I need to see the color shades correctly. Once my studio is finished, the fireplace room will go back to its original purpose. I already have a vision in mind for how I’ll decorate it.

Otherwise, the renovation is finished except for the ceiling and exterior walls. They’re still white, but I’m thinking of painting the ceiling gold or creating a decorative ceiling mural.

The lamp above the dining table is a memento from when Asta was into the boho style. Playing the saxophone is Asta’s newest hobby.

The bathroom’s light surfaces were painted with black lime paint, including the toilet. “Before replacing the tiles, we decided to try painting them. The color has actually held up surprisingly well,” Asta says.

My friends and family were initially horrified by the change and warned me that the house would feel gloomy and dark. But those fears proved unwarranted. When clients visit my home, they say, wow, I wish I had the courage to do that too.

Looking at my home fills me with happiness. But if a couple of years from now I want something else, then I’ll proceed accordingly. I still have full Marimekko and Iittala dinnerware sets packed and safe in storage.