In her first home of her own, Floora discovered what she wants from an apartment: “I like having the kitchen as a separate space”

Floora Kukorelli’s first home of her own is located in Harju, in the eastern part of central Helsinki, a neighborhood that was already somewhat familiar to her from her school years.

“When I finished my law degree, it was time to buy a home of my own. I wanted an apartment in an older building near the city center. I wanted a place that would be affordable enough for a recent graduate yet still roomy enough for both me and my boyfriend Anssi,” Floora says.

Floora fell in love with the metal-framed glass partition that separates the bedroom into its own space. The glass wall was installed by the previous resident and sized so a 160-centimeter-wide bed fits perfectly. At the foot of the bed, Floora placed an Ikea shoe cabinet, where the couple keep sheets and other home textiles.

The view into the sleeping area echoes the living room’s soft tones. Floora painted the bedroom walls in Tikkurila’s shade Y467 Shaali, while the living room walls were kept white.

A friend, artist Linda Cederberg, painted the artwork in the dining area based on Floora and Anssi’s wishes. The couple loves the round table, which Floora found secondhand online. They bought the matching chairs from Ellos.

Floora wanted an apartment in an older building near the city center. Located on an upper floor of a stone building in Harju, this apartment checked all her boxes.

She also wanted a home in decent condition but open to smaller updates so she could make it her own. This apartment had it all. The previous resident had remodeled the kitchen, and Floora loved the colors and materials.

“Some friends warned me that a big renovation would take a huge amount of work, with endless decisions to make. That’s why I decided to buy a place that was mostly renovated. I got to add the finishing touches and gained some hands-on experience with surface renovation. My dream is to one day buy a place in total disrepair and redo all the surfaces and spaces. I think it’s wise to gain experience gradually by starting with smaller projects,” Floora says.

The green-hued kitchen was chosen by the previous resident, but Floora fell in love with it. The barstools are from Jotex, and the rug is from H&M Home.

The marble-patterned countertops climb up the wall, giving the kitchen an Italian feel.

Floora painted the kitchen walls with Tikkurila’s Mulperi shade, which pairs beautifully with the green cabinets. She replaced the old hardware with brass handles from Helakauppa.

"My favorite is the Mulperi shade from Tikkurila’s chart—I used it on all the interior doors and frames. My mom and I repaired and painted the doors together," Floora says.

Floora says that she and Anssi make their décor decisions together. She gathers a few options, and they narrow it down to one they both like.

The couple commissioned artist Linda Cederberg to paint the piece on their living room wall. Floora originally wanted beige tones, but Anssi proposed something bolder—and now they’re both happy with it.

The living room has a soft color scheme. The couch was ordered from Veke, the wool rug is from Sotka, and the armchair from Jysk. Floora sanded and oiled the chair legs to create a darker wood tone.

One advantage of living in an old building are the wide windowsills, perfect for displays. Floora bought linen curtains from H&M Home, and the floor lamp is from Ellos.

Floora likes arranging displays on the coffee table. The globe-footed lamp is from Zara Home, the candlestick belonged to her grandmother, and she ordered the candle from Meri Art & Design in Pori.

Floora painted the Ikea bookshelf with Cover Story’s Franz. The shade is not typically available as furniture paint.

The colorful painting in the living room reflects Anssi’s preferences, as Floora would have chosen a beige palette for the custom piece. Still, they’re both pleased with the final look.

“I believe that décor insights come over time as you live in a space. For example, I realized here that I don’t want push-to-open doors or drawers in my next kitchen—I’d prefer traditional hinges and handles. The doors are constantly smudged with fingerprints.”

“I also realized that it’s nice to have the kitchen as a separate space, so smells coming from cooking don’t take over the living room. It’s also easy to sacrifice a few square feet in the bedroom to gain something else, since the bedroom is really just for sleeping,” Floora says.

The headboard is from Ellos, the bedding from H&M Home, and the bedspread from Zara Home. The pillows are from H&M Home and Tori. Floora found the nightstand secondhand on Tori, and the lamp is from H&M Home.

The cabinet is painted in Tikkurila’s M495 Tunturipaju shade, with handles from Helakauppa. The torso is from H&M Home, and the painting is one of Floora’s own creations.

Floora renovated and painted the door frames and interior doors with Tikkurila’s H484 Mulperi shade, which is one of her favorites.

Floora painted the upper part of the bathroom walls in Tikkurila’s warm X485 Kashmir shade.

During her very first viewing, Floora was already charmed by the color of the building across the street.