Old bank’s swinging doors stole Emma’s heart: “We renovated for four years”
This large 1950s building in the heart of a Finnish village once served as a bank and a post office—and now it’s Emma and Rasmus’s dream home. The extensive renovation was worth every effort.
About six years ago Emma and Rasmus were juggling work and studies in their townhouse, with no real plans to buy a house. Suddenly, a familiar real estate agent tipped them off about a project that might be interesting. “We should at least take a look—the place is practically next door,” Emma thought.
Home: A house built in 1957 on Kimito island, Southwest Finland. Downstairs: 4 rooms + kitchen–dining room + scullery + bathroom + guest WC. Upstairs: 2 bedrooms + landing + bathroom. 260 m² (about 2,800 square feet).
Who lives here: Rasmus Nyback and Emma Pohjavirta plus Ivar, 5 months.
“A few minutes later we were standing, amazed, in the backyard of the house in the heart of the village. Since the 1950s, it has seen bank customers, people picking up parcels at the post office, shoppers at the tinsmith’s shop, and in recent years the residents of three apartments carved into the building.
Inside, the previous resident’s moving chaos reigned, the layout was a maze, and the whole place needed work. But my eyes landed on the old bank doors, and I was smitten. A reasonable price, the location, recently added drainage, geothermal heating, and that famous potential to make the house feel like home—before we’d even made it back to our place, the decision was made. This house would be ours.”
Living room before the renovation
The renovation was extensive, and we replaced just about everything. Rasmus did the lion’s share of the rebuild alongside his construction business, and I helped wherever I could. As a professional, Rasmus is so meticulous that the extra pair of hands wasn’t invited to every single stage.
We renovated without rushing for four years, alongside the rest of life and as our motivation allowed. I’ll admit there were moments we wondered what we’d gotten ourselves into. Like the time the attic insulation collapsed onto me when the brittle roofing felt tore, and I ended up covered from head to toe in peat.
“My father felled trees from our cabin woods, and a local sawmill turned the logs into ready material.”
Because the house has plenty of space, we had to choose what to invest in. Herringbone parquet had been on both of our wish lists, and we put it throughout the downstairs. We haven’t regretted it for a moment.
We decided to make beadboard ceilings and traditional-style moldings from scratch. My father felled trees from our cabin woods, and a local sawmill turned the logs into ready material. We were involved in every single phase.
I was adamant that the house’s original doors be saved and restored. Rasmus resisted at first, but he’s since admitted they truly bring a special warmth and character.
A valuable help in the redesign was interior designer Tuuli Merla. With Tuuli’s guidance, we created a sensible floor plan for a building that once had three kitchens and two staircases, so social life now centers downstairs and we don’t have to stress about everyday messes.
We wanted to keep the home’s 1950s vibe, with a modern, fresh touch. We both love old wooden furniture, and I happily hunt for it at flea markets and on the Tori online marketplace.
I like that you have to put in a little effort to find just the right piece—and at a good price. Decorating with second-hand takes patience, but the great finds are a delightful reward. We’ve received many old pieces from Rasmus’s parents and friends, and my father is truly skilled at restoration.
“Second-hand decorating takes patience, but the great finds are a delightful reward.”
The best thing about our home is that we’ve renovated everything with our own hands and know every detail by heart. We’ve created something cozy, practical, and uniquely ours.
There still seems to be plenty left to do, especially outside, but right now we want to take it slower and simply enjoy everything that’s finished.”
