Patricia prefers upcycling to watching TV—and it shows in her family’s delightfully vibrant rental home!

Patricia, 41, who works in the event industry, lives in Puu-Myllypuro, Helsinki, with marketing planner Heikki Laaksomies, 37, and their four-year-old son, Verneri. Their home has three rooms and a kitchen, totaling 68.5 square meters. The furry chair started out as a worn faux-leather chair they got for free on the Tori marketplace. Patricia reupholstered it with pink fur hides. An old Lundia bookshelf hides Heikki’s record collection. The painting is from Katoko.

The shelf was originally secondhand and brown before Patricia painted it blue. Each item is a flea market find. You can follow Patricia on Instagram at @patricia.petchenenko.

When Patricia became pregnant, she and her partner Heikki started looking for a bigger home. They immediately fell in love with this row house. “We really love living in Eastern Helsinki—it's the perfect place for Verneri to grow up, and we have everything close by,” Patricia says. The large painting in the bedroom is by Petra Kinnunen.

Patricia, how would you describe your decorating style?

I only found my own style and the confidence to express my personality in the last few years. I love change. I’m always coming up with new ideas and might just rearrange something in our home on a whim. Then our old pieces either go to someone else or into storage until I find a new use for them. That’s why I’ve never wanted to spend a lot on decor. For example, I once dreamed of owning Hakola’s Cocktail lamp. It’s absolutely beautiful, but it costs a fortune. Instead, I found a Finnish Valos brand ceiling lamp on the Tori online marketplace, and it’s perfect for us.

Where does your love of color come from?

My childhood home was full of color. I remember a green Oriental rug and bright curtains. We also had plenty of art, because my father—who was born in Russia—collected it. As a young adult, I went through a phase where nearly everything was white. I guess I was still figuring out who I was and who I wanted to be. When I met Heikki, color sneaked back into my life. When we were living in a wooden house in the Toukola neighborhood, we had pink baroque sofas and a fluffy pink bedspread.

I also love wearing colorful clothes. I don’t think someone who dresses only in beige could live in this home.

The tiled coffee tables in the living room are Patricia’s own creations. She applied blue mosaic tiles to a table she bought for five euros at a recycling center. Hanging on the pillar is a new DIY project made with modeling clay on canvas. “It still needs some color, but I want to see how it looks for a bit first,” Patricia says. The dining table sits behind the staircase.

Read also: How to make a fun tiled table yourself

The bottom portion of the purple gallery wall was painted by Patricia. “The paintings on the top row are from my father; he collected art in his native Russia,” Patricia says. The posters are from Desenio and Postera, and the Valos lamp is from Tori. The sofa is from Jysk but was found in like-new condition on Tori. The family has two cats, so Patricia prefers not to buy a brand-new sofa.

How do you upcycle furniture?

I tackled my first DIY project about three years ago. The table had aqua slatted wooden legs, but unfortunately, it didn’t hold up. Still, it got me excited about transforming furniture to suit my style. I don’t watch much TV, so I spend my free time making things. I trained as a dressmaker, so I understand materials and how to use different tools. I also don’t give up if something doesn’t work out on the first try.

Patricia replaced the kitchen handles and covered the countertops with D-C-Fix plastic. Because it's a rental apartment, a major renovation isn’t possible or practical.

Patricia got the dining table for free on Tori. She painted it pink first, then light blue. The chairs are from a thrift store. The tapestry is by the Finnish brand SIK Design, and the artwork is by Netta Varma. The pink wallpaper on the staircase railing is from Tapettitalo.

Patricia doesn’t bother with a bedspread because it would hide her colorful bedding. She found the nightstands on Marketplace, and the lilac lamp is from H&M Home. The mirror is from Rusta, and the paintings are from Katoko.

Your home is full of secondhand furniture. What’s the best part about secondhand finds?

I’ve loved flea markets ever since I was a child, when I used to go with my parents. In middle school, I began visiting Helsinki’s flea markets with my best friend. As soon as our monthly allowance came in, we’d ride the bus to Kamppi—our first stop was always the Freda UFF store. When I got my own home, I became even more interested in secondhand decor. We don’t have many pieces of brand-new furniture. The best thing about buying secondhand is that you won’t see the same piece anywhere else. I’ve created a home that truly reflects us, and it inspires me every day.

Patricia painted the green cabinet in Verneri’s room. She found both the bed and the small table set on the Tori marketplace, and the rug is from Rusta. She’s still hoping to add more colorful storage boxes to Verneri’s room.

The Star Wars collection is the main attraction in Verneri’s room. The striking Star Wars–themed skateboard was painted for him as a special gift by his godmother, Petra Kinnunen.