Four Great Danes and a Chihuahua rule this old rectory-style house—“We live on the dogs’ terms”

In her own words, Ulli is “crazy about cows.” The cow pattern appears on her dress, too, and even on some of the dogs. The pink cabinet in the kitchen was found at the closing sale of the Kotirouva shop.

Dreaming of a farm where they could keep the family’s two horses, Helsinki residents Ulli and Vesa Toiviainen began searching for a new home a few years ago. The couple has four children, three of whom were already living on their own at the time. They found a promising property in Lohja, but luckily, it slipped through their fingers.

Ulli, tell us what made you move to the middle of the forest.

We are grateful things turned out the way they did, because when we came to see this house in Sipoo, right at the doorstep we felt that this was the home for us. The house resembles an old rectory, even though it’s a prefab house built in the early 2000s. I don’t enjoy a modern environment. In the end, our horses didn’t come here with us. We only have one horse now, who lives in Seutula. The number of dogs, on the other hand, has increased. There’s plenty of space here for four Great Danes. Without the dogs, we probably wouldn’t have moved this far from Helsinki.

The bed in the living room is one of the dogs’ favorite spots. Ulli changes the pillows, blankets, and rugs weekly. Vibrancy and comfort are evident in all the textiles in the home.

The plush armchair in the library is one of Ulli’s favorite spots in the house. You can unwind in the chair, gazing, for example, at the icons on the wall, some of which Ulli inherited from her mother. The wallpaper was chosen by the previous owner of the house, and the floor lamp is a thrift store find.

Even though the house was built in 2004, you might think you’re in an old home. The room called the library features a beautiful coffered ceiling and Ulli’s collection of icons on the wall. She finds the atmosphere of the room very calming.

In this home, dogs are welcome in all rooms. They were even offered their own room, but they prefer to be close to their owners. Anneli is in the background on the living room bed, and Roomeo in the foreground on the shag rug.

How do you spend your time at home?

We run a company that does renovations and specialized cleaning services. I handle the company’s paperwork here in our home office. In my free time, I’m always up to something. I make paintings, and lately, I’ve become interested in painting furniture as well. I make crafts and sew clothes in my sewing room, which is next to Vesa’s music room. The kitchen is also Vesa’s domain—he bakes and cooks delicious food.

You can take in the atmosphere of the living room by the warmth of the tiled stove. Through the doorway, you can see the dining room, where Ulli has painted the chairs herself. She always has many fun projects on the go that bring joy to others as well.

The home has many beautiful and colorful rugs. From the living room, you can access the terrace and the fenced backyard. From the dignified atmosphere of the library, you can step into Vesa’s music room. The couple has different tastes in music, so Vesa jams with Marilyn.

Which is everyone’s favorite spot in the house?

We all enjoy the living room. When we light a fire in the tiled stove, the dogs love its warmth and lounge on the living room floor. Initially, we tried to give the dogs their own room, but it didn’t work because they want to be close to us humans. We love spending time with our little grandchild, and she loves bathing in our sauna. I enjoy sitting alone in the peace of the library room.

The kitchen was one of the things Ulli immediately liked about the house. Her extensive cow collection now resides in the kitchen. Ulli leaves the baking to her husband Vesa.

Currently, Ulli is passionate about painting furniture. She bought old chairs with varied designs and experimented with painting them. Now, around the dining table are many unique pieces. The wallpaper was put up by the previous owner.

What is your interior design philosophy?

More is less! I like to combine old and new. I’m also crazy about cows. I have cows all over the house in the form of ornaments, paintings, and patterns. I love clothes, shoes, and handbags. I like them to be on show in our home. I do style posts on Instagram. I change our pillows, covers, and rugs once a week—partly for cleanliness because the dogs are allowed everywhere, and partly for aesthetics.

Shoes are beautifully displayed in the hallway cabinet. Ulli buys her clothes from flea markets and updates old clothes to suit her style.

Ulli loves clothes and colors. The clothes rack in the bedroom makes it easy to choose an outfit based on the mood. You can admire Ulli’s style on the @tyyliulli account on Instagram, as well as the clothing store she has founded in Old Porvoo under the same name.

Ulli found the paintings in the upstairs bedroom at a recycling center in Porvoo. The artistic Ulli also paints herself.

Ulli loves colors. Black and white works too if it relates to cows or dogs. Ulli customized the wardrobe in the upstairs bedroom to her liking. The lamp is a thrift store find.

What tips can you give for decorating a colorful home?

Be bold with changes! You don’t have to decorate your home to be sales-ready but for your own use. The most important thing is that you enjoy it yourself. We live on the dogs’ terms. For me, colors give joy and energy. Humor is also allowed here. In our yard, there’s a ‘sulking chair’ where you can sit if you’re upset. I also amuse the neighbors by sticking mannequin legs upright in the snow as if someone has dived in.

Ulli buys most of her clothes second-hand. She also updates her old clothes to match her current style. She dreams of an even bigger workspace where she could also do painting. The skeleton mannequin is a reflection of the hostess’s sense of humor.

Ulli attended a visual arts academy in her hometown Kuopio. Although her current work is in a different field, she gets to express her talents through sewing, crafting, painting, and customizing. The magnificent wall rug in the sewing room is a flea market find.

The toilet next to the hallway has a festive atmosphere at first glance. Then humor comes through in all the fun details.

What is the best thing about living in the countryside?

We enjoy being close to the sea, and we make a lot of bike trips. Vesa is also a bird-watcher, and there’s plenty to spot here. The best thing is having our privacy, enough space inside, and the large fenced yard where the dogs can run freely.

Ulli and Vesa’s home resembles an old rectory but is a prefabricated house built in the early 2000s. When it comes to clothing and interior design, Ulli indulges in colors, but the house itself can be traditional. The subtle red ocher is well suited for the rural landscape.

The backyard of Ulli and Vesa’s home in Kärrby is fenced. They decided to do this because two of the dogs once took off on an unsupervised adventure. A local hunter found the pair: one of the dogs had gotten caught in a cage trap set for a raccoon dog, and the other stood guard nearby. The story had a happy ending.