How a Designer Decorated the Interior of an Old House in Finland

The designer Ilka Maljkainen hunted for the perfect countryside house for several years until he came across this one in the provincial town of Huittinen, located in western Finland. The house was old and required investment and time, but it seemed just right for Ilka, so the designer decided to buy it without hesitation.

A smaller building was included with the new house – a traditional Finnish sauna. Together with restoration work, Ilka also prioritized creating a spacious terrace where he planned to grow his favorite hydrangeas. As a result, two terraces were created – one added to the sauna building.

Since the designer lives and works in Helsinki, and the countryside house was intended for weekends and vacations, he easily overlooked many imperfections of the property such as creaking floors and rough finishes. Moreover, the designer is a big fan of historic homes, so it was decided to highlight and enhance rather than hide the atmosphere of the old house.

Under this concept, there was no need to strive for smooth and monochromatic surfaces on walls and floors. Flaws in the finishing show through several layers of paint, but that doesn’t bother the owner at all.

It’s worth paying attention to how the designer uses color and texture. Light is alternated with dark, matte with glossy, and monochrome rooms are enlivened with active decor. For the open-plan layout of the house, such contrasts provide an additional rhythm.

The furniture includes many vintage items – tables, dressers, and decorative pieces. These are arranged symmetrically, and almost every piece has a match: the owner’s passion for symmetry is evident.

The countryside house turned out nostalgic, as intended, and somewhat reminiscent of typical Russian village houses. Interiors timeless in style should probably be called exactly such.