Gold and recycled treasures

Mannequins and a gumball machine adorn Justiina and Heikki’s home: “If something is so tacky it’s fabulous, it belongs here”

The wackier, the better—that’s been Justiina Parkkari’s guiding principle when decorating her family’s apartment. And everything can be spray-painted with gold!

Author Laura Sychold

Images Mikko Kaaresmaa

December 20, 2024Lue suomeksi

Justiina and Heikki Parkkari were charmed by their apartment’s open layout and abundant space for decorating. The home’s convenient location near amenities was also a big plus.

Home: An apartment built in 2018 in Helsinki; 4 rooms and a kitchen, 90 m².

Living here: Justiina and Heikki Parkkari, their daughters Peppi (11) and Kerttu (5), and cats Rekku and Musti.

Follow them on social media: @willahuvikumpu

Dining area with golden chairs — This painting is a self-made print. The room divider is covered with the wallpaper ‘Anna-Lisa’ from Ellos. The golden chairs once graced the Kuopio Theater; Justiina reupholstered them with velvet. The table was a display model from Kodin1. The monkey lamp was purchased from Etsy.

Harebell lamp in the living room corner — The ’90s lamp known as the Harebell lamp, which the family had long wanted to get, was a lucky find at a recycling center. The statue was a gift from Justiina’s mother; the shelf is from Jysk. Being a self-proclaimed shell addict, there are several shell-themed items in the home. The panther pot was spray-painted, which saved it from ending up in the landfill.

“I don’t want anything in my decor that I don’t love. If an item doesn’t please me, it will bw either customized to do so, or it will move on to bring joy to someone else’s home.”

How did it feel to move into a brand-new apartment building?

Lucky—we were chosen as residents from among thousands of applicants. All the surfaces in the apartment were painted white, so we made changes as soon as we moved in. We’ve added character and color to the surfaces with paint and wallpaper.

Gumball machine in the living room — The most unusual family member, Natasha, is dressed in an oversized lampshade and a hanging plant holder. “I randomly came up with the name because the mannequin just looked like a Natasha to me,” says Justiina.

A lamp made from a telephone — Justiina’s talented father converted a thrifted telephone into a lamp. The velvet ottoman is from Jysk, and the shell cushion is from Sokos.

How do you decorate, Justiina?

If something is so tacky it’s fabulous, it belongs in our home. Somehow, we’ve ended up with many monkey-themed lamps and decorations. Since childhood, I’ve dreamed of living in Pippi Longstocking’s house, so of course Mr. Nilsson the monkey has to be here too.

Our home has become a haven for all sorts of torsos and mannequins. The first to arrive was Natasha. I found her on a local Facebook marketplace when a neighbor was clearing out their basement storage. She’s been quite comfortable here, with a lampshade on her head and a hanging planter around her neck.

I don’t want anything in my decor that I don’t love. If an item doesn’t please me, it’s either customized to do so or passed on to bring joy to another home. One of our wackiest finds is a gumball machine we spotted on an online flea market. We bought it from a restaurant that was closing down. In the evening twilight, the lights we’ve placed in the upper compartments glow cozily, and you can grab gum to snack on from the lower compartments.

Living room with colorful art — The colorful artwork is by Juhani Perälä. Torsos are always welcome in this home. The tiger head pot was found secondhand. The fish-shaped jugs that Justiina has collected are displayed on a shelf that she was overjoyed to find.

Justiina and Heikki Parkkari — The ever-growing number of books is conveniently out of the way on shelves made from planks taken from Heikki’s mother’s barn—planks that were once used to dry bread. The LP records are organized on a shelf built by Justiina’s brother. The ‘Infinity’ sofa from Masku is the whole family’s favorite. The rug is from Rugvista.

Hexagonal tile mirrors on the wall — The arrangement of Ikea’s hexagonal mirrors brings to mind honeycombs.

I am the interior design specialist in our family. However, Heikki has had a say in a rather prominent detail—the three works of art in the living room. Eastwood, Attenborough, and The Dude from The Big Lebowski are the unique and bold creations of Juhani Perälä.

Chevron-striped Ellos wallpaper in the bedroom — The bedroom wall is brightened by the ‘Betty’ wallpaper from Ellos. The headboard is from Parolan Rottinki. The coat rack is a secondhand find. Hanging on it are, among other things, antique glass floats from Justiina’s mother’s basement. Ikea’s ‘Sinnerlig’ lamp got a new look with artificial flowers.

Golden butt torso on the windowsill — This decorative butt was transformed with gold spray paint; Justiina added a cord around the hips. The lion head pot from Tokmanni was customized with chalk spray paint.

Colorful feathered lamp and black cabinet — The feathered lamp was ordered from Etsy. The black cabinet was destined for the trash during her stepsister’s move, but Justiina rescued it. The decorative items are from Vaasa’s Combo flea market.

What are your best interior design insights?

One of the most noticeable things is probably customizing furniture and items with spray paint. Quite a few things in our home have been saved thanks to a new coat of paint. The strangest thing I’ve painted might be a plastic faux euphorbia. Gold paint is my trusty helper. Many old items make excellent pots or vases if you use enough imagination. My creepiest idea was turning a doll’s head into a hanging planter.

Abundantly decorated glazed balcony — The ten-square-meter balcony is actively used as a summer living room. The decor cost nothing, as so many usable treasures were found hidden in storage.

Black monkey lamp on the vanity table — Her great-great-grandmother’s old vanity table is one of Justiina’s dearest pieces of furniture. The playful monkey lamps and animal heads are finds from flea markets and the internet. The pink items add a soft touch.

Do you collect anything?

Recently, I’ve become enamored with Gluggle Jugs, or fish-shaped pitchers. The item’s amusing original name comes from the ‘glug’ sound it makes when pouring. In Finland, apparently only My o My Home sells these jugs. Prices range from 69 to 120 euros, so the collection is growing at a moderate pace. I also collect all kinds of shell-themed items.

Justiina’s daughter in her room — This lovely candelabra purchased from Rusta for Christmas continues to cast its magic in Kerttu’s room year-round. The whimsical toy TV was bought at a flea market.

New apartment building in Herttoniemi, Helsinki — The Parkkari family’s home represents modern residential architecture.

What do you still dream of when it comes to home living?

My long-time dream is our own house with our own garden, where we could carry out renovations and projects entirely as our imagination desires. Maybe this dream will one day come true.

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