How to make a newly renovated home feel like yours? Interior architect Marika Aro adds just the right dose of style
“I always like to infuse a classical style with something a bit crazy.” For Finnish interior architect Marika Aro, calm does not equal boring. That’s why Kirsi and Jussi’s Art Nouveau home in Helsinki now includes the long-awaited canopy bed and a raspberry-colored entryway.
Well-chosen “style breaks” give the home a fresh twist. In the dining room, dubbed the “piano room,” Marika designed a sideboard that combines classical shapes with neon-toned sliding glass doors. Along with modern lighting, it brings classic elements into the present day. The sideboard was built by cabinetmaker Markku Lyytinen from Juuripuu. The Guzzini 1970s wall lamps are from Bukowskis. Murano vintage chandelier from 1stdibs.
Kirsi and Jussi’s new apartment in Helsinki’s Katajanokka district had been recently remodeled and was in excellent condition. The couple still wanted to make it reflect their family’s style without changing the newly renovated features just for the sake of it. After moving in, the couple enlisted the help of interior architect Marika Aro.
Nearly 100 square meters (a little over 1,000 sq ft) larger than their previous home, the apartment’s layered and multifaceted style is important to Kirsi and Jussi. That’s why the interior uses as much of the existing furnishings as possible, enhanced with new purchases as well as secondhand design pieces and antiques from auctions. The family wasn’t aiming for a specific style, and there was no need to finish everything at once.
“I appreciate that Kirsi and Jussi trusted me when it came to mixing surprising, even seemingly bold elements,” says Aro. “As a designer, I always like to infuse a classical style with something a bit crazy.”
The end result is a home with a luxurious, serene atmosphere that isn’t predictable or conventional—starting right from the raspberry-colored entry. Displayed in every room, Finnish and international contemporary art further enhances the home’s unique character.
This interior is a blend of custom-made, secondhand, and new pieces. The Cassina sofa was found at Bukowskis, already reupholstered. The mirror-top table was custom-made by Lasilinkki. Wassily chairs by Knoll, Artek. Noguchi table by Vitra.
residents Kirsi and Jussi with their three elementary- and preschool-aged children.
home a 167-square-meter (1,800 sq ft) apartment in an Art Nouveau building in Helsinki’s Katajanokka.
Interior architect Marika Aro is known as an inventive designer with a gift for creating balanced, unique compositions out of furnishings from different styles and eras. The Eames Lounge Chair is a beloved family treasure for Kirsi and Jussi. The floor lamp is the Colombo by Oluce.
When selecting the colors and furniture for the street-side rooms, Aro paid close attention to the view from one room into the next. “Because you can see all three rooms at once, I approached them as though they formed a single space, even though each has its own character. In the shared living spaces—the dining room and living room—a cohesive color palette and consistent trim work tie them together. The freestanding furniture and its placement look balanced.”
Artwork in the home holds deep meaning for the family and conveys a range of feelings. Its placement was discussed with Marika. The hues in Eeva-Riitta Eerola’s oil painting echo details in the tiled fireplace, integrating it into the room’s overall look.
The yellowish oak parquet that made Kirsi and Jussi hesitant was made to look good by choosing the right wall color and a large rug.
They left the oak parquet from the previous owner’s renovation untouched, even though its yellowish hue initially concerned Kirsi and Jussi. Painting the walls with a lavender-tinged gray balanced the floor’s yellow tone and toned down the sun’s golden effect in the south-facing rooms. Large rugs bring the softness and comfort a family with children needs while reducing the floor’s visual impact. The Superellipse table is by Fritz Hansen.
The coordinated wall moldings Marika designed for the dining room, living room, and hall look right at home in an Art Nouveau building. The goal was to make the moldings appear original, so they were painted in a yellowish white found on the apartment’s original paneled doors. The asymmetric mirror is the Mimesis 70 Basque Red by Please Wait to be Seated. Dining chairs by Thonet, rug by Nanimarquina.
Both the residents and Marika value the layered look that brings intrigue to the interior. The personal meanings associated with these artworks add an inspiring dimension to Kirsi and Jussi’s home. Together with furniture and lighting of different ages and styles, they create an atmosphere with a hint of the unexpected. The photo is by Elina Brotherus. The chrome candelabra is by Stoff Copenhagen.
The bedroom’s color scheme is soothing. To minimize visual stimuli, the white walls were left unadorned by moldings. In Marika’s view, calm doesn’t equal boring. That’s why she fulfilled Kirsi’s longtime dream and designed a modern four-poster bed, which was crafted by cabinetmaker Markku Lyytinen. The Thonet writing desk serves double duty as a remote-work station and a nightstand. Its table lamp functions for both working and reading. The Astrid Torno bedspread is from In Red, and the rug is from Bukowskis.
“We considered changing the kitchen handles and countertop, but in the end, we invested that money elsewhere.”
Because their previous home was nearly 100 square meters (1,076 sq ft) smaller, they needed many additional furnishings and had to prioritize their spending. The kitchen, newly renovated by the former resident, remained unchanged, even though it didn’t quite feel like theirs. Keeping it was also the more ecological option. The time for a kitchen renovation will come later. The Artek dining table is from Kirsi’s childhood home. The Aalto Beehive pendant lamp and Vitra chairs were originally purchased from Artek.
The entryway sets the tone for this refined home, so they wanted it to be eye-catching. Marika noticed the raspberry-colored walls in a Beck film. The shade NCS S 1070-R10B was chosen after careful testing. The result is a modern, suitably bold raspberry hue that doesn’t make the space feel dark. To keep the look contemporary, the color extends only within the boundaries of the moldings. The same idea is applied to other rooms with moldings. On the console table is the Atollo lamp by Oluce.
In the daughter’s room, Marika designed “princess drapes” at her request, but with a modern interpretation that pleases both the mother and the elementary-school-aged daughter. Antti Nurmesniemi’s 1980 postmodern armchair 004 balances out the princess vibe. Its size is perfect for bedtime stories—one adult plus two children fit comfortably. Tobias Berneth’s Thinner desk adds a 2000s design layer.
The youngest child’s room, complete with a canopy bed, best captures the feel of a traditional children’s room. While the kids’ needs are considered throughout the home, the décor doesn’t shout “kid-friendly.” Every design choice was approved by the children. The Sebra bed, bought secondhand from a friend, grows along with the child.
In the oldest child’s room, the art deco bed pairs elegantly with a Gustavian chest of drawers and a 1970s Flos Parentesi lamp purchased at Bukowskis. The large painting by Tuukka Tammisaari unifies these elements into a cohesive whole. The bed is part of Merivaara’s early production, likely designed by Pauli Blomstedt.
Initially, Marika considered pulling the wall color for the dining room from the original tiled fireplace. However, a dark forest green would have made the color scheme too heavy, and combined with the yellowish parquet, it risked feeling stuffy. Instead, the fireplaces remain unique focal points that reflect the apartment’s history. Gym rings hanging in the son’s doorway are used daily.
This apartment in a multi-story building measures 167 square meters (1,800 sq ft).
