A zen Christmas

A new house is like a warm hug at Christmas—a peaceful surprise waits in a Finnish couple's yard

Aurora and Joel’s harmonious home has decor that reflects the tones of surrounding nature even at Christmas, featuring evergreen wreaths and yoga amid the fragrance of mulled wine. “In my opinion lighting is key in creating an atmosphere. Even the children know that we always light a candle at the breakfast table.”

Author Mirsa Kaartinen

Images Krista Keltanen

November 17, 2025Lue suomeksi

Aurora wanted a door with a glass panel for the home’s entry, as it brings in beautiful light and a sense of space to the entry hall. Behind the glass you can see Leona.

The Christmas ambiance in Aurora and Joel’s home feels so calm and tranquil, you would never guess you're in the midst of a lively family with children. Warmth radiates from the glowing candles all around and the gentle sound of Christmas music playing in the background. Everything looks so harmonious, as if it had fallen into place effortlessly. But behind the beauty, there has been an immense amount of work in designing and building the house on their own.

Although the overall look is carefully designed, there is also a twist: the space originally intended as storage in the garage building ended up becoming Aurora’s current workplace, a tranquil yoga studio.

The house has been positioned on the lot so that the forested landscape visible through the windows is as present as possible in the home’s atmosphere. Clad in larch, it blends into the surroundings. The stars hanging in the window are essential for the home's Christmas atmosphere.

Residents The entrepreneurial couple Aurora and Joel, both 34 years old, along with children Jimmy, 10, Lyydia, 8, and Leona, 4. Instagram: @joogakoti.

home A single-family house built in 2021 in Porvoo, Finland. In the yard area, there’s a garage, a yoga studio, and a yard sauna. The house has 180 m² (1,940 sq ft).

Joel built almost everything in the house himself and also founded his own company when the groundwork began. Aurora’s and Joel’s entrepreneurship makes it possible for the family to enjoy long holidays together with their children, Jimmy, Lyydia, and Leona, during the Christmas season.

When they embarked on the building project, Aurora and Joel dreamed of a home with doors always open for friends and acquaintances and space for a large dining table to gather everyone around. A place where anyone could freely be themselves.

The home turned out to be everything they had hoped for. This is especially evident around Christmas, when family and friends gather around the kitchen table. The moment you step inside feels like a warm hug.

From the entry hall, there’s a spacious view toward the living room and forest scenery. Joel installed and oiled the stunning herringbone-patterned solid oak flooring from Widgren. The curved mirror was ordered from Lasitehdas. The candle sconce is a flea market find. The sofa is by HT-Collection, while the AY Illuminate Z1 ceiling lamp is from Bypias.

A striking fireplace dominates the living room, built by a professional mason and cladded by the couple themselves. They conducted several tests before deciding on the final color and texture: a 2 : 1 mix of gypsum plaster and S30 cement plaster. The glass wall and doors of the study are from Lasitehdas. A real tree is an absolute must for the family’s Christmas. This three-meter (10 ft) tree is from a local spruce grower.

The living room’s peaceful atmosphere comes from the impressive 6.4 m (21 ft) ceiling height and the spruce ceiling panels installed by Joel himself. The ceiling was treated with a two-percent white lacquer to keep it light over time. The sofa is from HT-Collection and the Ay Illuminate Z1 ceiling lamp from Bypias.

What were your thoughts when planning your harmonious home?

Aurora: When we started envisioning our life here, the key words were warmth, nature, and coziness.

Joel: We got the last lot on a dead-end street, so we get to enjoy both the benefits of a residential area and the surrounding nature. Our house is designed so that the large windows face the forest, while the garage on the street and neighbor’s side blocks the view so no one can see inside. Our house blends beautifully into the environment thanks to the larch cladding.

We wanted durable, high-quality materials and a way to bring some nature indoors. Our interior features a lot of wood and natural tones. We don’t have any floor, window, or ceiling trim, and that’s why the overall look is understated and carefully finished. Small finishing choices ultimately have a big impact on the atmosphere.

The color of the kitchen and living room walls is F487 Feather from Tikkurila. The couple ordered the cabinets from Ilona-keittiöt, and the wall sconces were found at Ikea. The pendant lights are Mobil by Pholc.

In this home, the kitchen opens toward the living room. The view is calm because there are no upper cabinets in the kitchen.

The wooden tabletop for the dining table is self-made from oak and rests on trestle legs by Hay. The chairs were ordered from Rum21, and the rug is a gift from relatives.

Every Christmas, Aurora hangs a self-made wreath on the kitchen wall.

How did the garage end up with a yoga studio?

Joel: I’m into cars and wanted a garage. Because our lot is on a slope, the entrance is on the upper yard, leaving a space under the garage that we initially planned to use as a storage. During construction, Aurora was doing yoga teacher training, and afterwards, had the idea to turn that storage space into a beautiful yoga room.

Aurora: We’d lived in our home for a year when I invited friends over for a fall yoga evening. We moved the sofa out of the living room, lit the fireplace, and unrolled our mats around the fire. It was such a lovely evening! I remember thinking I’d never been in such a cozy yoga space before.

That evening was the starting point for my business Joogakoti: we converted the storage under the garage into a yoga studio, and I launched my business in January 2023. Nowadays, I guide yoga and pilates in my yoga studio as well as in our living room. During the Christmas season, I’ve hosted atmospheric yoga events which also include Christmas wreath crafting.

Aurora’s business, Joogakoti, operates in the yoga studio built next to the garage, but once a month she also hosts yoga events in the living room. Aurora’s classes are gentle yet dynamic, and simply stepping into the space helps calm down the nervous system.

The harmonious atmosphere of the yoga studio is created by natural light from the large window, indirect lighting, wooden surfaces, and soft, coordinating shades.

The couple designed the beautiful staircase themselves and ordered the open risers from Estonia, but the rest of the staircase was built by Joel himself.

The aerial yoga swing in the lobby is a wonderful spot for winding down. The concrete floors downstairs are leveled with Ardex A30 self-leveling floor compound tinted with titanium dioxide. The bookshelf is an older Ikea model that’s no longer available. The rug is a secondhand find.

Which solutions in your home do you consider the most successful?

Aurora: I love the energy in the kitchen and living room. It feels good to be here. Many people visiting us for the first time pause for a moment when they step inside: they’re drawn by the 6.4 m (21 ft) ceiling height, the massive concrete fireplace wall, and the surrounding nature. Light streams into the living room from many directions through large windows. This is my dream home come true, a place I love inviting friends to.

The home’s natural hues carry over into the Christmas decorations. The wooden nativity scene on top of the living room dresser is one of the family’s most treasured Christmas ornaments. It’s paired with a lamb, a gift from Aurora’s godmother.

How do you create a sense of Christmas peace in your home?

Aurora: Lighting is, in my opinion, the most important element in setting the mood. I rarely use ceiling lights. Indirect lighting and wall lamps add to the restful atmosphere, and at Christmastime, star lights in the windows are a must-have. I burn candles all year round, and during the Christmas season they stay lit from morning to night. Even the children know that we light a candle at the breakfast table, even if it’s only for a short moment on a busy weekday morning. There’s something magical about the flicker of a flame—it’s very calming.

Joel: A real Christmas tree is absolutely essential. Its forest-fresh evergreen scent in itself brings the spirit of Christmas into our home.

What makes Christmas feel like Christmas?

Joel: Family comes first, but also the traditions, like Christmas ham, potato casserole, and a Christmas tree.

Aurora: The important, lovely things mentioned earlier make Christmas, but I think it ultimately comes down to a state of mind. Peace, presence, and love—without those, Christmas could feel like just another Tuesday.

The parents’ bedroom is in a calm location upstairs, while the children’s spaces are located downstairs. The bedroom’s Christmas atmosphere comes from simple touches like candlelight and a festive bouquet of flowers. The linen duvet covers are Jesus by Finlayson. The wall color is F487 Feather by Tikkurila.

Lyydia’s room is painted with the shade V484 Driftwood by Tikkurila. The ceiling light that suits the style was purchased from Bypias. The large window gives the modest-sized room a sense of spaciousness.

Leona is enthusiastic about helping with the tree decorations.

What is your most memorable Christmas moment?

Joel: When we were spending our first Christmas in this home, on Christmas Eve morning, Aurora went into labor. Our youngest child, Leona, was finally born on the day after Christmas Day. We came home from the hospital that same day and picked up the older kids from a friend’s place. Returning home, the Christmas atmosphere felt magical. It was a wonderful and unforgettable Christmas.