Trying before buying

Fredrik Karell test-drove his Helsinki home as a rental first: “It was a rare chance to try the apartment before buying”

Finnish graphic designer and contemporary artist Fredrik Karell lives in one of the oldest buildings of Helsinki’s bohemian Kallio district. His home is decorated with art, warm wood tones, vintage finds, and clever hacks—like a coat rack made from a paper towel holder.

Author Anna Varakas

Images Antti Vettenranta

January 19, 2026Lue suomeksi

Fredrik Karell works on design and art projects and freelances as a graphic designer for Red Bull. He fell for the apartment’s sense of space—and its balcony.

The kitchen cabinets are from Ikea, but he swapped the pulls and legs. Fredrik did the tiling himself and painted the doors light blue. “Blue goes really well with the birch countertops. It’s a gentle combo.”

Home: A one-bedroom apartment in Ihantola, one of the oldest apartment buildings in Helsinki’s Kallio district, built in 1907. 41 m² (441 square feet).

Who lives here: Graphic designer, artist Fredrik Karell

Follow on social: @fredrik.karell

Fredrik is considering sanding the floor, but it would be a big job. “As long as I’m not getting splinters in my feet, this is fine.” The dining table is a find from the Tori online marketplace, and the Tapiovaara spindle-back chairs came from a friend’s office. The painting above the table is by Petrus Marttila. The wooden mushroom on the kitchen shelf is a piece by Joonas Koponen.

Fredrik has a beautiful collection of ceramics. The small jar on the kitchen table is Kira Catani’s Wobbly Jar.

”Since I live in an old building, I like seeing wear in the interior rather than having everything new and perfect.”

Fredrik, what are the cornerstones of your home’s interior?

The mood has a touch of the countryside with wood surfaces and painted doors, but it isn’t ornate. Artworks, textiles, books, and plants bring color into the space. The furnishings are mostly traditional Scandinavian classics from the 1950s–60s, and they already had patina when I bought them.

Because I live in an old building, I like that the home shows wear instead of everything being new and perfect. I think aged surfaces look more alive and atmospheric and make it feel a bit like being in the countryside or at the studio rather than in a city apartment. I also don’t have to worry about dings or leaving marks.

You first rented this apartment and then bought it. How did that happen?

I moved here with my ex-girlfriend in 2018. I fell for the apartment’s spaciousness and the balcony. I remember the first summer was very warm, and I often sat on the balcony in swim trunks with my laptop on my lap. Then the landlord decided to sell. It was a pretty unique opportunity to have been able to test living here before buying.

What do you usually do at home?

My girlfriend and I cook dinner every night. We challenge ourselves to make something from what’s already in the fridge. We watch movies and read books in bed. Even though I’m a slow reader, it’s a good way to avoid scrolling on my phone. We also play the New York Times’ Wordle every night.

What role does art play in your interior?

It makes a huge difference whether there’s anything on the walls or not. I’ve always had art. I value both art and craftsmanship. I paint and draw a lot, so it would be strange if my walls were bare. I rearranged the works last fall, and finding a good balance took time. I don’t hang paintings just wherever there happens to be space; I want harmony among them. Thinking it through is also a kind of pastime and tinkering at home that I enjoy.

The 1960s sofa is by Danish designer Børge Mogensen. Fredrik admires its simple, folk-inspired design. The armrests double as handy ledges. The cushions are from an Ikea armchair, and reupholstering them is on the to-do list. The painting is by Alvi Hatakka.

The teak armchair, by Swedish designer Karl-Erik Ekselius, is from the 1960s. The Ateljé Lyktan lamp designed by Anne Ehner was bought from a store called Kasino Vintage. The piece above it is by Tuukka Tammisaari, and the work above the armchair is by Niklas Hallman. The brown blanket at the foot of the bed was given by Fredrik's mother, who received it from her own mother when she moved into her first home.

A forked branch used as a coat rack is a Finnish cottage classic, and it works in a city apartment too.

For Fredrik, a big bonus of the apartment is the balcony and the view opening onto Kallio Church across the street, designed by Lars Sonck.

The small wasp piece on the Artek table is by Santeri Mortti, and it’s one of Fredrik’s favorite pieces. The painting on the right by Bruno Ekström was won at a Bukowskis auction.

As a child, Fredrik was a Donald Duck fan and drew lots of comics and Disney characters. His girlfriend is also a fan of Donald, so Fredrik gave her a collection of Swedish Kalle Anka magazines as a gift. Apparently, it was the best gift ever.

”Old apartments are also individual, so it’s hard to order things ready-made for them, and sometimes solutions need to be tailored.”

You repair and tweak furniture yourself. Why?

It’s cheaper, and I have more freedom and control over the outcome. I’m not dogmatic about it—I only make things myself when I get a good idea. Old apartments are also individual, so it’s hard to order things ready-made for them, and sometimes solutions need to be tailored.

Many of the furnishings were won at auction. Has it all gone smoothly?

When I took part in Auctionet’s online auction for the first time, I accidentally ended up buying Karl-Erik Ekselius’s armchair. My friend Axel Åkerlund, one of the owners of Kasino Vintage, remarked afterward that I’d paid quite a lot for the chair. But I’m still really happy with the purchase. The armchair will last my whole life.