Forging a happy home

The old factory home at Kellokoski Ironworks is a dream come true: “It feels like living in Italy”

Hanna-Kaisa and Sami wanted to leave everything behind, but ended up making their home in an old factory at Kellokoski Ironworks instead. Their rental stands out with its towering ceilings and a strong sense of community—the real heart of ironworks living.

Author Kaisa Hatakka

Images Johanna Myllymäki

October 16, 2025Lue suomeksi

Home:A rental apartment at Kellokoski Ironworks in Tuusula, Finland, in a building designed by Eliel Heikel and completed in 1898

Living here: Hanna-Kaisa, 49, and Sami Risku, 53, and their 12-year-old Havanese dog Lily. Their grown children Nooa, 25, Julia, 30 and Noel, 20, along with Julia’s children Olivia, 8, and Elias, 4, also spend plenty of time visiting their grandparents.

Follow on Instagram: @hannakaisarisku @kellokoskenruukki

Hanna-Kaisa, how did you end up renting an apartment in an old factory after living in your own semi-detached home?

After experiencing burnout, I set out to pursue a dream. I made deliberate choices that would help me build the life I truly wanted. For a long time, I couldn’t find a spark, but I finally discovered it when I walked the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage. After I returned home, my husband and I decided to put our house up for sale and drove our camper van to Northern Norway to fish and reflect on the changes we wanted. Unexpectedly, the house sold almost right away, and we had to come back earlier than planned to move out. We were only looking for a temporary place, but then we found this home at Kellokoski Ironworks.

Kellokoski Ironworks bridge — The footbridge where Hanna-Kaisa and Sami enjoy coffee used to be the route for factory foremen heading from the office to the plant. It was once covered, but now it’s open to both morning and evening sun. A communal workspace sits to the right of the bridge.

“Nearly every Saturday, there’s a wedding in the front yard, and behind the house there might be film shoots.”

Kellokoski Ironworks lane — The unnamed lane that winds through the old factory is open to everyone.

an open door leading to the terrace — The bedroom door opens onto the bridge terrace. The rattan chair is from Jysk, and the small glass table is on loan from the couple’s son. The velvet curtains came from the previous resident.

What has it been like turning such an unconventional place into a home?

Loving a home like this requires the right mindset, and we have it. The proportions are unsusual, the massive old windows can be drafty in winter, every noise from the lane reverberates inside, and the long, narrow layout means you have to walk through one room to reach another, with just two interior doors. Yet despite all that—or precisely because of it—it’s perfect for us! When we moved in, we just brought our old furniture, and everything fell into place. We didn’t buy anything large, new, or expensive. We simply rearranged what we already had.

brown sofas in a large living room space — The sofas in the lofty living room are from Asko, the table is from Joken Osto ja Myynti seconhand store, and the rug is on loan from a friend’s mother. The artwork on the back wall is Lammella by Anu Pensola.

brown sofa and a blue artwork in the living room

“On Sundays, we wake up to the bells of the old church built for Kellokoski Ironworks workers. When we open the door, we hear the roar of the rapids. It really feels like living in Italy.”

brick wall on the terrace — Next to the entrance is a terrace that gets the morning sun, perfect for people-watching along the lane. The chairs and concrete tables are from Jysk.

If this place were yours, what would you renovate?

We’d love to see what’s beneath the laminate flooring, add wood paneling over the chipboard ceiling in the hallway, and update the bathroom. But we also love how everything here at the ironworks is a bit rough around the edges. Our previous home was brand-new and felt clinical. The moment a magazine landed on the coffee table, it felt messy. That just wasn’t for us.

Sami Risku cooking in the kitchen — Sami enjoys cooking. The extra counter and glass display cabinet are from Ikea, and the rug is from Somia Living. The recycling bags are from Every Day Design. The ceiling light is made with wooden beads attached to an Ikea lamp cord.

wooden table and old school chairs in the dining area — The lamp was repurposed from an old Stockholm metro lampshade, and the dining table came from Joken Osto ja Myynti in Järvenpää. Hanna discovered the chairs on a trip to Ostrobothnia; they originally came from Kauhava Elementary School.

the piece by laura gröndahl on top of the cabinet — Atop the glass cabinet sits Growing by Laura Gröndahl, whose studio is in the Ironworks’ Glass Palace. The torso vase is Hanna-Kaisa’s own creation, crafted in the Ruukin Saviset pottery workshop downstairs. “It reminds me that I can be happy with my body, accept how it ages, and want to take care of it.”

What’s the story of Kellokoski Ironworks?

Kellokoski Ironworks, originally called Mariefors bruk, was founded in 1795. For more than 200 years, it produced iron and iron goods—everything from horseshoes to the famous Kello boats. Most of its buildings were erected after a fire in 1898. Today, the area has three residential properties, a museum, a flea market, a fitness center, a café, a pub, and numerous artists and craftspeople. Events run year-round, with the Christmas market and Night of the Arts being especially popular.

“People are part of the Ironworks community for different reasons, but we all share a love for the rugged, rough-around-the-edges history and authenticity of this place.”

hanna-kaisa risku sitting in a hanging chair — Hanna-Kaisa’s favorite spot is the hanging chair, where phones and laptops aren’t allowed and negative talk is off-limits. “It’s my calm-down space. I feel safe there, and I practice just being and slowing down.” The basket is from Somia Living, and the footstools are from Ikea.

a niche in the wall with yoga accessories — This niche in the long hallway wall was probably once a passage through the factory. Now, it’s turned into a daybed nook that can also serve as a guest bed or comfy seat during one of Hanna-Kaisa’s sound baths. The bedcover is by Isla in Bloom, and the artwork is Ruukin taikaa by Irina Nyyssönen, an ironworks artist and a friend of Hanna-Kaisa. “I call it the bake oven. It’s a cozy spot where we keep bolsters, singing bowls, and yoga mats.”

Ikea Stockholm cabinet — This cabinet is from Ikea’s Stockholm line, found at a flea market. The candle holder is a souvenir from France. I painted the artwork during an intuitive painting class. The apothecary bottles came from my grandmother’s house.

“When I walk from the parking lot along the lane to our home, my heart rate slows, and I feel good. I belong here, and there’s something I’m meant to do in this place.”

What’s it like to live in this community?

The community is the heart and soul of living at the ironworks. There are always people—locals, visitors, customers, tourists, ironworks residents, and folks from the nearby village. I’ve had wonderful encounters here on our lane, listening to people’s stories. Sometimes I practically become a tour guide, and I often open my door to visitors. If someone arrives who used to work here or played around the factory as a child, I always make sure to invite them in to see how it looks now. There’s always something happening, and it doesn’t restrict our lives—it enriches them. Nearly every Saturday, there’s a wedding in our front yard, and behind us there might be film shoots. One weekend, I may be selling waffles under our terrace; the next, I’m rolling candles or playing singing bowls in our living room. I once dreamed of a quiet life in the countryside, but after coming to Kellokoski, I realized I truly thrive in a community.

a green bedspread in the bedroom — The bed’s headboard is Sami's , and the old bench is from Hanna-Kaisa's grandparents home, built by her grandfather. The throw is from Jysk, and the Goosie down comforter is from Jotex. The fox artwork is by Anna Hiilinen, who used to paint at the ironworks. The rug is from Veke.

a bookshelf at the head of the bed — Behind the bed is a built-in enclosure topped with an Ikea shelving unit. The lamps are from the previous tenant. The poster is a tribute to the mountains of Norway. The green rugs are from Ikea.

hanna-kaisa risku creating art — The family also has a hobby space. Hanna-Kaisa works on upcycling, crafts, and handwork there, while Sami and the boys build and tune motorcycles. “After moving to the ironworks, I got to know the local businesses and services: I joined an intuitive painting class, bought art, got a tattoo, and purchased handmade earrings and clothes made from locally dyed recycled linen. I started working out next door and joined a Pilates class. There’s so much extraordinary stuff here!”

bathroom with a laundry area — The home’s bathroom also doubles as a compact laundry area. Sami made the drying rack, the rug is from Veke, the hammam towels are from Lina, and the basket is from Somia Living.

a walk-in closet separated by barn doors in the bedroom — The previous resident partitioned the walk-in closet from the hallway between the bedroom and the office with barn doors. This spacious area could be an extra bedroom, but it functions best as a dressing room and closet for them. The closet rug is from Ikea, and the hallway rug was found at a flea market.

a workspace with wooden chairs — The chairs at the desk belonged to Hanna-Kaisa’s grandparents. The 2.5-meter (8′2″) dining table by Hay, repurposed as a desk, was bought online. The floor lamp on top of the desk is from Ikea.

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