Modern meets country

From a cramped rental to a luminous CLT house with five kids: “Space, openness, and brightness felt quite luxurious”

“Our place is always pretty tidy.” Interior designer and mother of a large family, Liisa Takkunen, designed a timeless interior with meticulously organized storage and a smart laundry system. Everyone also has their own space to unwind.

Author Anna Varakas

Images Elina Siira

October 29, 2025Lue suomeksi

A CLT house designed by architect Tapani Takkunen — In the CLT house designed by architect Tapani Takkunen, a rust-colored corten steel frame welded by Joni dramatically highlights the entrance.

In 2022, Liisa and Joni Takkunen’s family breathed a sigh of relief when their new single-family home was finally ready to move into. They had sold their previous house a couple of years earlier and lived with their five children in a rented two-room apartment. They had only about 10 square meters (108 sq ft) of living space per family member, so moving into a new home more than twice that size made a real difference in everyday life.

“At first, it felt like nobody was even home, because everyone was so spread out. The space, openness, and brightness felt almost luxurious,” Liisa Takkunen recalls.

From the large windows, Liisa can watch as nature changes with the time of day and the seasons.

Residents Interior designer Liisa Takkunen, 38, and heavy machine operator Joni Takkunen, 37, plus children Linne, 15, Luka, 13, Neela, 11, Jooa, 9, and Jare, 5. Instagram: @liisatak.

Home A CLT single-family home in Alavieska, Finland, designed by Architect Office Tapani Takkunen. The total area is 150 square meters (1,615 sq ft).

Built from CLT solid wood elements, this modern, two-story single-family home was designed by Joni’s brother, architect Tapani Takkunen. Its heart is the living room–kitchen area downstairs, where the whole family can spend time together.

On the other hand, both children and adults appreciate calm, unhurried mornings, when everyone can have a moment of solitude at home. Liisa especially loves the broad view of the fields through the large windows, which change with nature’s cycle.

“The view is amazing when the morning sun rises through the mist or fog,” she says.

Joni and Liisa bought a new corduroy-upholstered Ikea sofa for this home, which offers convenient storage inside. The black-and-white Annala pillow cover is from Lohan Design. The floor lamp is the Parentesi by Flos.

Was Joni’s brother, architect Tapani Takkunen, the obvious choice to design the house?

Joni: He definitely was. We’ve liked Tapani’s clean-lined style from the very beginning. He’s also knowledgeable about CLT, which we were interested in. It was easy to move forward with the project with him.

Liisa: Tapani has a gift for thinking about spatial proportions. He created openness, spaciousness, and brightness in the areas we use most. Sustainability became increasingly important to us as we went along. CLT construction uses as few toxins and as little plastic as possible.

Joni: We essentially have no wasted space; every square meter is put to use. When the design is compact, the costs don’t needlessly rise. You don’t always need a big house to fit everything comfortably.

Joni made the legs for the glass table using leftover grout from the fireplace installation. There’s a perfect nook for houseplants in the fireplace recess. The wooden stool from Ehea Living was made from leftover timber logs. The wide ceramic bowl on the coffee table was made by a friend.

You live in Alavieska, in Northern Ostrobothnia. How does modern architecture fit into a rural setting?

Liisa: Joni and I like many of the same things, and our style has evolved over the years. We’ve carried on without worrying about what others might think. Home is a place for us to unwind and be ourselves freely.

Joni: People have wondered why we didn’t build a house like the ones typically found around here. They ask why we didn’t add eaves or paint it. Those questions don’t bother us. The house is exactly how we wanted it.

Liisa: The short eaves are primarily an aesthetic choice. The exterior siding will weather to a beautiful gray. A storm flashing behind the fascia board keeps rain from entering the structure. We’ve also received plenty of positive feedback. We took part in the TV show Suomen kaunein koti (“Finland’s Most Beautiful Home”) and got excellent comments and scores from the judges. I was really proud of that.

The dining table was modified from an old set, and its two long benches were turned into new legs in place of the corner legs. The chairs are secondhand finds, and we’re still searching for a couple more. The metal shelving unit is assembled from Susan Elo’s 1990s Beavers shelves. The Astep Model 2065 pendant lamp was something Liisa had long dreamed of.

“Everyone has their own room with space to relax and breathe.”

This CLT single-family home is straightforward in its architecture. The kitchen always looks tidy, thanks to full-height cabinets that conceal the breakfast station, fridge, freezer, and mixer.

How do you split the work when it comes to interior design?

Liisa: Usually, I do the planning, and Joni does the making. He can work with metal and wood, as well as pretty much anything else. I always have some idea that he brings to life.

Joni: It’s fun to make them. I prefer welding metal; I find it easier than working with wood. I still need to install a loft bed for the boys, but since we do everything ourselves, we have to take it step by step.

The kitchen cabinets come from Omega-keittiöt in Ylivieska, finished in a warm greige tone. The quartz countertops were made by the Estonian company Liidukivi. The bar stools are Joni’s handiwork. The light fixture is the Annular by the Danish brand Woud.

Joni welded the staircase himself. The steps are made from leftover CLT pieces from the interior door openings. The walls are treated with Colorian’s oil wax. A concrete floor ties the downstairs spaces together.

You have five children. Does your home always stay as neat as it is on photo shoot day?

Liisa: People ask that a lot. Yes, our home is usually pretty tidy. I like to keep things in their place, and we’ve planned our storage solutions carefully. Neatness affects our well-being, and if practical storage can reduce chaos and extra stress, it’s worth it.

I’m also not much of a collector. For instance, I try to clear out clothes that have become too small every six months. I want to avoid a throwaway culture. We’ve built a lot of furniture ourselves and snagged longtime wish-list items at flea markets.

Joni made the bedside tables for Liisa as a Mother’s Day gift. The futon bed is from Karup Design, and the frame is called Kanso. The walk-in closet is positioned behind a narrow partition wall.

There’s a workspace in the parents’ bedroom. Liisa collected parts of the wall-mounted Ikea bookshelf and desk from flea markets. The office chair was purchased second-hand. The black-and-white piece on the side wall is by Studio Sari Viljama. The hanging lamp is by Tine K Home.

How did you plan the laundry and storage areas?

Liisa: The kitchen and living room share a single open area, but it still looks neat because the appliances are hidden in tall cabinets. The family entrance, children’s clothing storage, and laundry are all within a couple of meters of each other. That way, extra clothing dust stays out of the bedrooms.

Joni: If we had to carry clothes to each child’s own room, it would be a huge job that wouldn’t get done. This way, we make sure their clothes get put away where they belong.

“When storage is close at hand, it actually gets used.”

The family entrance area stays tidy when everyone has their own coat hook. The season’s shoes stay out, while the rest are stored in boxes. The storage system is from Ikea.

The fireplace separates the entry from the living room. Joni made the long wooden bench as well as the simple, light-colored clothing rod that functions as a minimal coat rack.

How do you find time to yourself in such a large family?

Liisa: Everyone has their own room, so we all have space to unwind. My favorite place is the backyard sauna. Another important place for me is the surrounding nature. I go on long walks in the nearby woods and fields.

The children’s rooms have light-toned rugs with various textures. The son’s 1970s nomadic rug is vintage, while the daughter’s white, plush rug is by VM-Carpet. All the upstairs children’s rooms have their own French balconies.

Joni made the wooden cabinets for his daughter’s room. The wooden stool was bought secondhand and restored.

Is the house now finished?

Liisa: We’ll probably never be completely finished. We always have projects, and a single-family home keeps us busy. I’d like to set up our vegetable garden better. In fact, the small garden shed was actually the first structure we put up, and everything else was built around it.

There’s only a light curtain instead of a door in front of the children’s closet, making it easy to walk through. Each child has their own baskets for clothing storage.

The laundry room is next to the children’s closet. Joni made the concrete countertop. A sliding-door cabinet hides the washing machine and the parents’ outdoor clothes.

For the backyard sauna, the CLT exterior was left exposed so it will weather to a lovely gray over time. The broad field view gives a seafront feeling. The narrow wooden walkway has a hint of island atmosphere.

The sauna’s interior is simple. The benches are made from leftover CLT pieces from the house’s interior door openings. The light-colored water bucket is by Orthex. The stove is from Stoveman.

The same light gray terrazzo tile is used on the shower room’s walls and floor, just in different sizes. The shower is an Optima rain shower by Oras. A narrow window in the recess gives the space a striking, airy feel.

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