Back to her roots: Karin revived the idyllic 1920s charm of her childhood home

Karin’s childhood home, Gula huset (Swedish for “the yellow house”) underwent extensive renovations. For instance, the windows were replaced with modern versions resembling the original ones.

Karin, Ingvar, their sons, and the baby born after the photoshoot have settled into Gula huset. The children can now frolic in the garden with their cousins who live next door.

Surrounded by a lush garden, the yellow mansard-roofed house was originally called Villa Granbo when it was built in the 1920s in Kauniainen. Later, the family affectionately renamed it Gula huset.

Karin Stenius-Söderlund was born in Gula huset, which her parents purchased in the late 1970s and where they lived for over 40 years until it was time to move to a more manageable living arrangement. A few years ago, while Karin and Ingvar Söderlund were living in Porvoo with their children, Karin’s parents suggested: what if their daughter and her family bought the house?

The ceiling of the dining room is wallpapered with Boråstapeter’s ‘Dahlia Garden’ pattern. The idea, picked from Instagram, adds some desired personality to the space. The dining set has accompanied the family through many homes.

How did you end up living in Karin’s childhood home?

Karin: When my parents suggested that we buy my childhood home, I was initially hesitant. I had never even considered such an option. My sister lives next door with her family, which played a significant role in our decision. The idea that cousins of the same age could grow up together in the same garden felt wonderful. And now that the renovation is complete, I couldn’t be happier with our decision.

The kitchen, which exudes the old house’s atmosphere, is the couple’s favorite room.

The couple dreamed of a solid wood kitchen and ended up custom-ordering it from the Swedish company Kulladal, as they couldn’t find a similar or affordable option in Finland. The Cosentino ‘Dekton’ stone countertop is in the color Helena. The ‘Lofra’ range hood and gas stove are from Kaasuvalo. The sink is ‘Butler’ by Shaws, and the faucet is by Damixa.

What made you hesitant about buying the house?

Ingvar: Over the decades, the house had been modernized, and we wondered whether we could restore its old charm. We knew, of course, that the house was well maintained and that modern solutions could be replaced. We realized that with a renovation, we could make the home reflect our own style.

The kitchen cabinets were made by Kulladal, who painted them with linseed oil paint in shade no. 116. The wall paneling is in Farrow & Ball’s color ‘School House White’.

What kind of style and atmosphere did you want to create in the house?

Karin: We longed for an ambiance where the look of the hundred-year-old house would extend from the exterior to the interior—more country romantic, serene, and colorful. We enlisted professionals because we didn’t have design or renovation expertise, nor the time to learn new skills while working and raising small children. The interior designers supported us throughout the project.

The custom-made kitchen cabinets are from Kulladal. A golden pothos frames the paned window cozily.

How did you restore the house’s original atmosphere?

Karin: It was clear that the kitchen would be solid wood and reflect the old atmosphere, and that we’d use a lot of wallpapers whose patterns suited the character of the house. We wanted to use wood so that the old house and its structures would remain healthy. We renovated all the wet areas in the old-fashioned style and replaced the windows and interior doors with new ones that resemble the original ones. Interior designers Johanna Jämsä from Dekotila and Marika Frestadius from Fres Design helped us choose the surface materials. Together with the designers, we began to consider colors, materials, and patterns that would fit the era the house was built in.

Ingvar: We also chose old-looking black outlets and light switches, supplied and installed by Laaksolahti Electricity. They look like they’re a hundred years old, but the lighting can be controlled with a phone.

The white, glossy, brick-laid tiles and floral wallpaper exude British style.

How did you implement your ideas and wishes in practice?

Karin:We assembled a Pinterest folder where we pinned inspirational images, color samples, and our thoughts on wallpapers. We also browsed Instagram extensively. We decided to try wallpapering the dining room ceiling after I saw a picture on my favorite account, @hannasanglar. We then showed these visual wishes to the interior designers. We also found images of beautiful floor and ceiling moldings when we looked at our renovation mentor and architect Eeva Valla’s and the contractor’s previous projects. Based on these ideas, we had the moldings milled at the specialty milling shop Helsingin erikoishöyläys.

The interior designers suggested a built-in bench between the cabinets under the window in the entryway. It became a family favorite that makes getting dressed easier. The entryway’s cabinetry was custom-made by Timo Harrivaara according to designs by Johanna Jämsä and Marika Frestadius. The wall paneling is in Farrow & Ball’s color ‘Stony Ground’. The tiles are from Pukkila, and the wallpaper is ‘Pure Fruit’ by William Morris.

How did you plan for the needs of a family with children?

Ingvar: We placed all the bedrooms upstairs, which is a functional solution for a family with children and respects the house’s original layout. The downstairs remains tidy in the midst of daily life because clothes and toys stay upstairs. The laundry room was placed next to the staircase to keep laundry care effortless. The carefully planned cabinetry solution in the entry hall makes our family life easier. Near the entrance, there is both cabinet space and wall hooks for the children’s coats, overalls, and shoes, and they’re within the boys’ reach, so they can hang up their backpacks and jackets themselves. We are particularly pleased with the custom-made cabinets under the sloped ceilings, designed by the interior designers.

The living room features a painting by Rabee Kiwan, a ‘Bola’ lamp from Ellos, and a ‘Moa’ armchair by Sits. The coffee table is by Wikholm Form, and the Aliste Wool ‘Shaggy’ rug is from Trendcarpet.

Did you have to make any compromises?

Ingvar: We considered demolishing the living room fireplace and replacing it with a tiled stove but decided to keep the old one. Otherwise, we didn’t make compromises, only choices.

The sofa-like window seat is adorned with cushions from Chhatwal & Jonsson and Ellos, as well as a checkered cushion by Les Tissus Colbert.

What were the best solutions and ideas you got from the professionals?

Karin: We knew we wanted color in our home but needed support in making choices to keep the overall look coherent. The interior designers were a great help when designing the built-in furniture—that is, all the cabinets except for the ones in the kitchen—pondering colors, and planning storage spaces.

Interior designer Johanna Jämsä created the living room interior plan. The couple’s first purchases based on it were the Moa sofa by Sits and a coffee table by Wikholm Form.

What is your favorite place in your home?

Karin: Our favorite is the kitchen. The overall result is successful, and the atmosphere of old house is present.

The parents’ bedroom is wallpapered with Sandberg’s blue-toned ‘Sandra Misty Blue’ wallpaper, which the couple fell in love with after dreaming of a floral wallpaper that suits the house’s style. The bed is from IKEA, the bench and ceiling light from Ellos, and the waffle bedspread by Veke.

The residents are particularly pleased with the colors and atmosphere of the wet areas. The custom-made cabinets, designed by the interior designers, were made by Timo Harrivaara. The wall color is Tikkurila’s X487 ‘Laasti’. The floor features LPC ‘Vintage Amelie’ tiles, and the walls have brick-laid Equipe’s ‘Cottage White Brillo’ tiles with Torello Blanco Brillo as a border. The ‘Scarlett’ mirror is from Jotex. The light fixtures have been in the house for a long time.

In the bathroom, the upper part of the wall, which is tinted green, is a beautiful match for the glossy brick-laid tiles.

The couple had to replace the floors and chose Timberwise’s ‘Luosto’ oak parquet, brushed and oiled. The ceiling lights in the boys’ rooms are from Ellos. The blue-toned wallpaper is Boråstapeter’s ‘Koralläng’, and the ‘Lionel’ panther wallpaper is by Scion.

Thanks to the renovation, the couple achieved the atmosphere they aimed for, and the house exudes the same original charm inside as it does outside.

The house in Kauniainen, with 189 square meters of space.