“Someone might wonder how a family with children can be this tidy”—the Lauritzon family transformed their new home into a peaceful haven

The spacious living room serves as the focal point of the apartment, with furniture strategically placed at the center to structure the space. The Vertigo pendant lamp is by Petite Friture. The blue cabinet is a find from Moko. Adea’s Mr. Jones armchair is upholstered in Lauritzon’s Jardim fabric. The Tisca rug has been in use for 15 years. The coffee table is from Gubi.

The Lauritzon family spends much of their time together at home. “The renovation took a long time but rewards us every day,” says Corinne. The painting is by Esa Antero Savola.

The children are busy with their own things around the apartment while their father, Johannes, is working from home. The atmosphere in their Töölö home is international, as the Lauritzon family fluently converses in Swedish, English, and Flemish. Johannes moved from Belgium to Finland in 2010 and now works at the family textile company, Lauritzon, where Corinne serves as creative director. Corinne works alongside her father Roland “Rolle” Lauritzon in textile design.

The story of the over hundred-year-old family business began in Sweden when Corinne’s great-grandfather founded an upholstery and furniture workshop. Later, the business moved to Helsinki in the early 1900s and has continued through four generations.

“Lauritzon is family to me, and our office feels like an extension of our home. I grew up surrounded by fabrics. Fortunately, I found a partner who shares a passion for our company,” says Corinne.

The walls of the home are painted with ecological Plantodecor paints by Auro, with the living room in color NCS 0701-Y06R. The pillows on the couch are from a collection designed by Corinne. The original sliding doors to the remote workspace ensure a quiet environment for work. The Adea armchair is upholstered in Lauritzon’s Jardim fabric. The painting is by Esa Antero Savola.

Corinne and her family found their dream home in Töölö, Helsinki, a few years ago.

“While we were living in Espoo for a while, our family and friends were too far away. I wanted to return to the city center. When I was expecting our daughter, I got a strong feeling that we needed to move to a new home in an area that was familiar to me from my childhood.”

Through a significant renovation, the apartment transformed into a bright and thoughtfully decorated space where the entire family feels at home.

“It’s wonderful to use the same items that have been part of my grandparents’ lives.” Corinne appreciates the items and memories inherited from her grandparents, which are displayed around the home. Her grandmother’s bowl is one of her favorites, as is Friedl Holzer-Kjellberg’s rice porcelain dinnerware. The horse is a souvenir from Greece. The coffee table is the Epic by Gubi.

Corinne, how did you know that this home would be the one for you?

This was the only apartment we went to view. The building was familiar from the outside; it is located near my grandparents’ former home, which was an important place for me as a child. My heart is in Töölö, although I grew up in Marjaniemi, Helsinki. During the viewing, Johannes was hesitant when we were in the stairwell, but once we stepped inside, we were both immediately captivated by the apartment’s openness and sense of spaciousness. The view through three rooms and access to rooms from two directions sealed our decision to buy. The greenery of the courtyard, visible from the kitchen’s large windows, also made an impression. The apartment is high up and is a peaceful haven for our family.

Instead of a second children’s room, the family wanted a shared space for everyone to work on their own projects and remote work. The craft table was found at Calligaris. The Zebra rug is a collaboration between Tikau and Lauritzon. The Murano lamp is from Studio Laurin, and the daybed is from Adea.

“It’s wonderful to rest for a moment on the daybed, from which you have a view of the sky.” The Adea daybed was given character by upholstering it with three different Lauritzon fabrics. Corinne created the beautiful draping of the curtains using magnets. The lamp was found at Studio Laurin.

What wishes did you have for the renovation?

We lived in the house for a couple of years before the planned plumbing renovation started, so our ideas and wishes had time to mature in our minds. After living in the apartment, we understood better what worked and what didn’t. We both wanted to be involved in the design and interior decisions. Our idea was to design a home where we could spend time together with friends and family. The social aspect of a home is important to us, as well as ensuring that our Belgian family and friends always have a place to come to. We wished for natural materials and tones, as we wanted to respect the time period during which the house was built. We removed anything impractical, such as the original cabinets that were too cramped.

The kitchen, along with the TV room, is the family’s favorite place in the home. As many as 14 diners can fit around the extendable Skovby dining table. The wavy bowl is by Elina Le Ceramics. “We have fallen in love with Elina’s ceramics and want to support Finnish craftsmanship and entrepreneurship.” The lamp is Zettel'z by Ingo Maurer.

Who designed the renovation?

We had a strong vision of the result and designed almost everything ourselves. We consulted professionals on some issues, such as the design of wet areas. We planned thoughtfully and took our time, and it was, for example, important for us to find safe, ecological paints suitable for a family with children.

The couple wanted the kitchen to be spacious and natural in tone. Their number one wish was a wall without upper cabinets and an airy look. They were able to get sufficient storage space, as the old flue turned out to be unnecessary. The second entrance is covered with a curtain to create a softening effect. Wall color NCS 0602-G83Y. Rug by Koolmat. The painting is from a great aunt.

The stone countertops and shelf by Noblessa were custom-made from Taj Mahal quartzite.

How did the renovation go? Were there any surprises?

During the renovation, we lived elsewhere and emptied the apartment completely except for heavy cabinets that had to be moved from room to room as the renovation progressed. In the first kitchen plan, the old flue was included, but it was a happy surprise that we didn’t have to keep it. The kitchen plan was redone, and in the end, we got the spacious kitchen and the wall without upper cabinets we wanted.

In the children’s room, there is a special version of Paavo Tynell’s 9602 floor lamp, featuring a hand-pleated fabric shade decorated with the Le Jardin de Palais pattern from the Parisian textile manufacturer Pierre Frey. The Lollipop lounge chair from Interface is upholstered in Lauritzon’s Labyrinth fabric. It is paired with a zebra-patterned Gigi cushion. The doll’s bed was made by Corinne’s grandmother, and now Liv gets to play with it. Corinne received the bambi as a gift from her father.

The children got to participate in the renovation planning. For their own bathroom, they chose the Satara wallpaper by Cole & Son. The delicate lamp is by Ebb & Flow.

Did the children get to participate in the renovation ideas?

The children got to influence some choices, such as wallpapers. They love big cats, so the fun leopard-themed wallpaper in the small bathroom was their choice. It’s natural that they already have their own interior design preferences since they’ve grown up in a visually rich environment. The whole family wanted a shared craft room, so we made the joint decision not to have two separate children’s rooms. The children approved of this solution as well.

The TV room is the family’s favorite place to relax and read. The end wall is wallpapered with a lively wallpaper made of seashells by the French company Élitis. The Thonet rocking chair is inherited. The embroidered ballerina painting was made by Corinne’s grandmother.

The couch in the TV room is upholstered with Lauritzon’s Maison Check fabric. The Aurora throw provides warmth during cooler times. The structure of Lauritzon’s organic linen Cloud curtain is like a soft, cloudy sky. The marble table is a find from Mjuk. Pendant lamp by &Tradition. Table lamp by Hay.

What does your home say about you?

Naturalness and ecological values are important to us. We want products to last over time and be passed down through generations. We get to enjoy old items from our family and want to offer the same to our children. Fabrics and patterns are important to us. We value how materials feel. We also cherish traditions and family history and keep beautiful inherited items on display. Someone might wonder if our home is always this tidy, even though we are a family with children. The answer is yes. We both like having things in their places: thoughts flow more clearly, and the atmosphere is peaceful. I’d rather clean a little every day than spend all Saturday cleaning. This way, the children also learn to take care of their belongings and keep their space tidy.

Corinne’s love for old items is also visible in the bedroom: the space is adorned with her grandmother’s silk robe. The plant-themed wallpaper is from Cole & Son’s collection. The bed was purchased from Matri. The soft pink throw is Lauritzon’s Swanlake. The small jars on the bedside table are by Elina Le Ceramics. Throw pillows by Élitis.

The children wished for a bathtub. It’s by Duravit, as is the vanity unit. The faucets are by Gessi, and the tiles are Italian. The delicate pendant lamp is by Ebb & Flow.

The hallway door has been replaced with a thick curtain. Lauritzon’s Bogani fabric softens the space. The hall was reduced in size to make room for a new, spacious wardrobe. The storage unit doors are from Doorie.

The boxes are souvenirs from India, and the turquoise horses are from Corinne’s grandmother.

The Helsinki apartment has 160 square meters.