A wooden home built in 1891

KAJ’s Axel’s wooden home in Vaasa: “I’m nostalgic, and it’s nice to decorate with furniture that has sentimental value”

In their 1891 semi-detached home, KAJ's Axel Åhman, Sweden's Eurovision candidate, and his spouse, Louise Mannil, have created perfect harmony between old and new, as well as between vibrant and neutral tones. “This just felt right, even though we had to do a reasonable amount of renovation,” Axel says.

Author Vanessa Forstén

Images Vanessa Forstén

March 11, 2025Lue suomeksi

A living room with a bookcase, a crystal chandelier, and a work of art. — In the afternoon, the living room is bathed in cozy light. The bookcase and crystal chandelier belonged to the previous resident, and the artwork is by Oscar Hagen.

Eight years in Helsinki were enough for Louise Mannil and Axel Åhman. They returned to their home region in Ostrobothnia and settled in Vaasa, in a temporary rental apartment. While looking for a permanent place to call home, they unexpectedly found the yellow semi-detached house right next door.

The open floor plan, tile stoves, and the large bookcase in the living room caught their eye during the private showing.

“The charm of this wooden house won us over. It just felt right, even though we had to do a moderate amount of renovation. Interestingly, we’re both originally from Vörå, Vöyri in Finnish, and ended up in a neighborhood called Vöyrinkaupunki,” Axel says.

A wall-to-wall bookcase encircling the windows in the living room. — The bookcase already belonged to the previous owner, and Axel and Louise simply painted it in the same shade as the walls, Jotun 1303 Observe.

Residents project manager Louise Mannil, 29, writer and journalist Axel Åhman, 30, and Nisse the cat.

Home A 135-square-meter unit in a semi-detached house built in 1891 in Vaasa. The architect is unknown.

Louise and Axel decorate with a variety of different finds, which together form a striking overall look.

What was the renovation process like?

Axel: We wanted to create a home that truly reflects our own style. The bathroom required a complete overhaul, but in the other rooms we painted, wallpapered, and sanded the plank floors. The only change to the floor plan is the partition wall added to the bedroom.

Louise: We also wanted to freshen up the kitchen, and we were lucky in that we didn’t have to replace everything. We kept the cabinet doors, and a local carpenter extended the countertops and modified the cabinets to make them more practical. We removed the space-consuming glass display cabinet and replaced it with shelving that gives a lightweight, modern look. Everything went smoothly; to manage it all, we took breaks and maintained our normal social life.

A rustic-style kitchen featuring open shelving and beadboard paneling. — The kitchen was in good condition and its rustic style suited Louise and Axel’s taste. Only the glass display cabinets were replaced with open shelving to lighten the atmosphere. The lively beadboard paneling in shade TVT X124 was taken from Tikkurila’s discontinued Monicolor Nova color chart.

Plants and decorative items on shelves attached to the kitchen windows. — The kitchen table is the couple’s favorite spot in the home. “We eat breakfast and enjoy our afternoon coffee here.” Shelves are affixed to the kitchen windows, holding plants and decorative items.

What are you especially pleased with?

Louise: The partition wall with a window in the bedroom, which allowed us to add a walk-in closet. It can be challenging to create enough storage space, but I think we did really well.

Axel: The grid-patterned bottle-bottom glass window in the partition is visible from the sleeping area and looks truly beautiful. We also made some great material and wallpaper choices. We picked out the dining room wallpaper even before we had the keys to the house. We were able to test some options from a wallpaper book while the previous owners still lived here.

A view from the kitchen into the bedroom. — The view from the kitchen into the bedroom. The kitchen wall is papered with the Sage Green wallpaper by Boråstapeter.

A dark gray interior window with bottle-bottom glass in the bedroom. — A walk-in closet was added to the bedroom to ensure enough storage space. The wall color is S 6005-G80Y from the NCS color chart. The bed is from IKEA, and the ceiling lamp is from Ellos. “We love color and patterns, but we want the bedroom to remain neutral and calm,” Louise says.

What challenges did you face?

Louise: You can’t avoid surprises. We ended up spending more on the bathroom than anticipated, because the ceiling height is 3.3 meters and we wanted the wall tiling to reach all the way up.

Axel: The bathroom’s water pipe burst once everything was finished. Fortunately, we didn’t have to tear anything out, as the issue was caused by an old wooden beam that had given way and could be replaced via the cellar.

The view from the kitchen into the dining room. — The view from the kitchen into the dining room is captivating. The sideboard found at a flea market is actually a two-part cabinet. The top piece is kept in storage because they needed more workspace in the kitchen.

Piano in the dining area — Axel wanted a piano in the dining room, where he enjoys playing and occasionally performs a few pieces during dinners. “It feels more social to have the piano here than in a room that doesn’t see as much conversation,” he says.

The focal point in the dining room is the Anemone wallpaper by Midbec, designed by Hanna Wendelbo. The dining table was found at a flea market in Pietarsaari, and the café chairs came from Axel’s uncle. The 1970s pendant lamp is from Roomage.

Do you have any advice for others renovating their own homes?

Axel: You learn as you go. We did a lot ourselves and hired professionals when needed. And we weren’t afraid to ask family and friends for help.

Louise: Make the most of what you already have. It’s both economical and eco-friendly not to replace or remove everything.

A tapestry and a trunk next to the tiled stove — Louise and Axel spent a long time searching for something to decorate the wall next to the tiled stove. Finally, they found a tapestry at a flea market that matched the stove’s colors. They received the travel trunk from the previous owners.

An Asko Harlekiini chair and a vintage floor lamp from a flea market — Louise purchased an Asko Harlekiini armchair for 50 euros at the Finnish Red Cross thrift store in Vaasa. The floor lamp is also a thrift find. The painted wooden paneling is done in Tikkurila’s TVT X124.

How would you describe your interior style?

Louise: Our style is eclectic. We’re decorating this late-19th-century house in an intuitive, modern way. We combine vintage and flea market pieces with new items, all tied together by a somewhat dark, earthy color palette. The result is cohesive.

Axel: We pay a lot of attention to the house itself and respect its architecture. The furniture must feel like it belongs here. Flea markets are great, but it’s even better to find a forgotten piece in an attic or cellar. Our kitchen table comes from a relative’s run-down house. I’m nostalgic, and I love decorating with furniture that carries sentimental value.

A piece of storage furniture the couple built for storing firewood and records — Louise and Axel have built a handy storage solution for firewood and their collection of vinyl records.

An old map and a 1930s writing desk. — This old map of Helsinki, gifted by friends, reminds the couple of their time in the city. The wallpaper is Anastacia by Ellos, and the desk is from the 1930s.

Where do you draw your interior design inspiration?

Louise: Swedish culture is strongly present in the Vaasa region and in Ostrobothnia, and I mainly follow Swedish home decorators on social media. I get both conscious and unconscious inspiration every day.

Axel: I’m inspired by everything Louise says she’s inspired by. All joking aside, we share a lot of ideas with each other. One of our mutual favorites is the Instagram account Historiska hem. We also visit flea markets to spark creativity. We’re fortunate that our tastes are so similar and that interior decorating is a passion for both of us.

WC refreshed affordably with leftover tiles and a dramatic wallpaper — The powder room was refreshed at a low cost. There were enough leftover tiles from the bathroom to protect the wall, which was then wallpapered with an eye-catching design from Rusta.

What does your home mean to you?

Louise: Our work life is hectic, and it’s essential that our home provides peace and a chance to recover.

Axel: Our home is our safe haven.

Dark green wall tiles and a bathtub — Louise and Axel are especially pleased with the atmosphere in their renovated bathroom. The wall tiles are Artisan 24471 Moss Green and Artisan 24465 Ochre from Värisilmä, and the floor tiles are from Laattapiste’s LPC Art Octagon series. The bathtub is a Bathlife Chakra 1600.

Do you have favorite spots in your home?

Louise: I dreamed of having a bathtub, and now that we have one, I relax in it as often as I can. The armchair in the dining area is a nice spot for taking in all the surroundings, and from there you can also see into the kitchen.

Axel: The best place for spontaneous coffee breaks is at the kitchen table. Because we live in a small town, the drop-in culture is vibrant. Friends let us know when they’re in the area and pop by for a cup of coffee. From the table, I can also see when Nisse the cat wants to come back inside.

Louise’s makeup table built into a shelving system — Louise’s makeup table sits next to the entrance of the walk-in closet. The chair is from her childhood home, and it has traveled with her from home to home.

A jewelry stand and a table mirror on the makeup table

Do you still have interior design dreams?

Axel: We’re looking for a bigger, better-condition linen cupboard and a breakfast cabinet for the kitchen.

Louise: I’d like to swap the IKEA nightstands for second-hand ones. We also need to update the sofa, and ideally, we’d have two sofas placed facing each other. But we’re enjoying our home exactly as it is.

Floor plan of the semi-detached home in Vaasa — This semi-detached home in Vaasa spans 135 square meter

Design & Decoration Vintage Homes

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