Grandpa would be so happy! Family revamps his 1960s house—“the house was a diamond in the rough”

“This house is for Sanna.” That’s what Grandpa said when Sanna Pielismaa-Reinola had barely reached adulthood. Over the years, Grandpa often talked about how he pictured Sanna living in the house he had built back in the day.

That idea stayed in Sanna’s mind for years. The top floor was rented out 15 years ago. When Sanna’s grandparents passed away over a decade ago, her mother waited for her decision on what to do with the house.

Now that the interior renovations are nearly complete, the plan for next summer is to build a cozy deck on the side of the house.

The entryway’s well-preserved wood surfaces were kept intact, as was the brick wall.

For this family of four, the renovation created plenty of room for both activities and relaxing. “We’ve always been city people. We even lived in the hustle and bustle of London for two years before having kids. Moving to a single-family home was a huge lifestyle change, especially for Topi, since he’s always lived in an apartment building,” Sanna says.

The current back entry was once Sanna’s mother’s bedroom. During the renovation, all sleeping areas were moved upstairs, so this extra bedroom gave way to the long-awaited back entry. “It’s my favorite room and the real MVP of family life. It truly makes our daily routines easier,” Sanna says. The bench is an Ikea storage unit. The Tiiliskivi cushion from Marimekko was handmade by Sanna’s sister, known as Suvitaito. The wall hooks are from Jotex.

The idea of renovating Grandpa’s house stayed with Sanna and Topi Reinola over the years. Renovating a large single-family home wasn’t their top priority—they loved city living.

After their first child arrived, Sanna and Topi began craving more space. They also wanted to keep Sanna’s grandparents’ beloved house in the family.

Finally, in 2022, they decided to go for it. The pandemic years and the start of an exterior renovation on their previous home nudged them into renovating Sanna’s grandparents’ place.

“We could have taken the easy way out by demolishing the house. It was a tough decision to renovate, but in the end it felt right. I think Grandpa in particular would be pleased we took this route,” Sanna says.

Sanna, what memories do you have of this house?

My childhood home was very close by, and I spent lots of time here during elementary school. We held Christmas and other celebrations here, which I remember fondly. I also recall that exploring the attic was something you did only with Grandpa. He had a large yard and a potato patch that felt like a magical secret garden to me.

The main goal of the kitchen renovation was to expand the counter space and create openness, so they removed several interior walls. The walnut-hued kitchen is from Ikea, and the gray quartz countertops (plus installation) were ordered from Estonia. The faucet is by Tapwell, and the wall print is by Lotta Maija.

The design was inspired by the original kitchen, and the old but well-kept bar pulls were reused in the new cabinets.

Sanna’s grandpa crafted the charming wooden shelf on the kitchen wall.

The brick wall brings a touch of rustic style, balancing the modern cabinetry and light-toned floor. The table originally belonged to Sanna’s grandma’s parents, and the chairs were among her grandparents’ treasures. Above the dining table hangs the Golden Bell pendant by Artek.

What did it look like before the renovation?

Sanna: Some rooms were stacked to the ceiling with belongings. We cleared it out gradually over ten years. Right before starting renovations, I held a few garage sales, which I advertised on Instagram. As the items collected over the decades found new owners, we finally made space to begin the work.

It was rather dark throughout, with lots of partition walls, dark floors, and small rooms—yet still cozy in its own way.

Topi: The vibe was really that of Grandma’s old place, and the materials were quite varied. Still, it was a diamond in the rough, needing just some updating.

Here’s how it looked before the renovation:

What kind of renovation was done?

Sanna: We officially started in spring 2023, after clearing it out and sorting all the paperwork. That’s when we really got to plan and dream about the house, realizing we could make it truly ours and ideal for our family.

We stripped the house down to the frame and replaced the exterior wall insulation. Uneven floors and some ceilings were leveled, and we installed radiant floor heating throughout. The biggest task was modernizing the infrastructure: new drainage, plumbing, and electrical wiring. We also replaced oil heating with an efficient air-to-water heat pump. Then we did a drainage project around the house, which meant seven rotting trees had to be removed to make room for the excavator.

We stuck to the house’s roots. We began demolition downstairs while I was pregnant. We wanted to keep most of the original layout but open the space considerably, so we knocked down several partition walls.

It was a full transformation, but we managed to preserve the brick wall, interior doors, kitchen bar pulls, and various wooden details. They keep the home’s original charm alive.

Topi: Structurally, it was in surprisingly good shape, so the renovation went as planned. My old basketball friend’s company, Atikam, took care of the contracting.

The kitchen island has proven really practical. It offers plenty of storage and countertop space, while also serving as a convenient spot to set out food for guests.

At the end of a busy day, the family gathers on the green velvet sofa from Hakola. The first-floor flooring is a light herringbone vinyl from Vinyylilattiakauppa. Tikkurila’s Paperi is the main white tone used throughout.

The print is “75 Years” by Artek.

How did you settle on these materials and décor choices?

Sanna: We blended my grandparents’ old furniture, a variety of colors, and pieces we’ve accumulated over time in a way that respects the 1960s. We might not have always appreciated Grandpa’s collecting, but we love vintage furniture now. Nearly all our wooden pieces were found here.

We moved a lot of furniture from our previous home, though here we embraced even bolder colors and a stronger ’60s aura. Our own bedroom, however, is a peaceful and minimal retreat.

Topi and I share similar taste, but I tend to visualize the end result faster. I’ve had to talk him into my boldest ideas, though he always ends up liking them.

I gathered inspiration from Pinterest, Instagram, and our travels. During a trip to Copenhagen, for instance, I saw a wonderful child’s room that sparked a lot of ideas.

We tackled the house floor by floor, and that was a wise move—each level taught us more about materials, plumbing, and fixtures to use in the rest of the renovation.

I’m especially happy with how the upstairs turned out. It all came together naturally right after our second child was born.

The staircase and wooden slats in the stairwell are original. The sparkling crystal chandelier was discovered in the attic.

What was life like during the renovation?

Sanna: We lived in a one-bedroom apartment the whole time. We often visited the construction site as a family—those visits were fun and memorable. We pitched in whenever we could. Our older child, Mauno, got to know every corner of the place and the crew. One of our favorite memories is finding out I was pregnant; we still talk about visiting the site with my growing belly, and later with the baby in our arms.

We moved in February 2024, once the main floor and basement bathroom were ready. I wanted to hold Risto’s baptism in our new home. Moving day was Friday, and the baptism was that Sunday. My sister helped organize everything, even though she wondered if we’d manage. With perseverance and assistance from our support system, we handled a two-day move and prepared for the christening. We lived on the main floor for about six months, until the upstairs renovation was finished that summer.

Mauno’s room was once the tenant’s bedroom. It’s a wonderful spot for play, with a direct view of Lake Näsijärvi. The recess in the wall was originally a doorway. “I’m glad I spoke up and asked for that recess. Otherwise, it would just be a flat wall,” Sanna recalls. Grandpa built the wooden trunk, and the nightstand came from the attic. The walls are painted in Teknos’s Hello Light, which Mauno picked himself. The upstairs floors are vinyl cork.

A wooden shelf found in the upstairs storage now hangs on the playroom wall. Grandpa made it himself.

“My grandparents never got to meet their great-grandchildren, but when I see my kids and my sister’s kids running around here, I know they’d be so happy,” Sanna says.

When guests visit, they pull out the Karup Design sofa bed. The artwork on the left is by Lotta Maija, and the one on the right is by Eveliina Netti from Julistamo. The soft pink paint is Francis by Cover Story.

What was the most challenging part of the renovation?

Sanna: Balancing day-to-day life with a big renovation was sometimes tricky. We didn’t have a project manager, so we oversaw everything ourselves. Our phones rang constantly, and we often had to make snap decisions.

When we found out we were expecting, we tried to accelerate our timeline, hoping to finish before the baby arrived. That didn’t happen, and at first it was a letdown. But we didn’t let it stress us out. We had work, a pregnancy, and a new daycare start all at once. We simply didn’t have time to worry.

Did you stick to your budget?

Sanna: We initially budgeted 250,000 euros. We were able to get a mortgage rather than a renovation loan because this was a complete overhaul. Because of our budget, we avoided major changes to the layout. We decided to invest the most in the main floor and economize on the upstairs and basement. The biggest expense was upgrading the building systems and dealing with permits.

So far, the renovation has cost about 300,000 euros. Our original budget was exceeded mostly due to system upgrades and contractor labor hours.

The parents’ bedroom used to be the tenant’s living room. They partitioned this large space to create both a bedroom and a closet behind a wall. Dimmable lighting works well because they wake up at different times. The slim wall-mounted bedside shelf is the Joy Shelf by Roosa Ryhänen. The walls are painted in Teknos’s Piparkakku and Naku. The bed is by Karup Design, and the bench is from H&M Home.

They approached the bathroom with a spa-like atmosphere in mind. Sanna says designing the sauna was one of the toughest parts of the entire renovation. In the bathroom, they had to break through floors for new drains and install fresh plumbing and wiring. While the parents enjoy the sauna, Mauno and Risto love splashing in the Woodio tub. The contractor built the benches from pine, and the ceiling is made of treated spruce slats.

Located where there used to be a small half bath and a closet, this spacious powder room now includes a double sink, storage, and even a shower. The double sink has been a lifesaver on busy mornings. The tiles are from Laattapiste, and the oak vanity is from Ikea.

The dark green Woodio sink creates a striking contrast against the Laattapiste tiles. The vanity is from Ikea, and the faucet is by Tapwell.