Today, I’ll tell you about a couple who rent an apartment in Helsinki. They renovated it at their own expense and furnished it with second-hand items bought at flea markets and through ads.
“Our friends asked why we were renovating someone else’s property. For us, it was natural. We live here now, and the atmosphere in the apartment affects our mood in the morning and our eagerness to come home in the evening,” explain the couple.
Let’s see how they transformed an old but charming apartment in a building from 1905!
The apartment is in an old, beautiful building near the center of Helsinki. Due to the old renovation and poor furniture (which the couple completely replaced), they managed to rent this apartment for 60% less than similar apartments in the area.
The apartment is 80 square meters. From the spacious hallway, you can see the living room and kitchen-dining area. There’s also a bedroom.
The renters did some cosmetic repairs: they leveled the walls, painted the windowsills and doors, and restored the parquet flooring.
Meet Suvianni, she’s 36 years old. Like her husband, she runs a small business—a flower shop with a friend. Probably that’s why there are so many plants in their rental apartment.
One corner of the living room is dedicated to hobbies. The husband, Gustav, is into music, while Suvianni loves snowboarding.
To me, this apartment is a great example of how to integrate vintage items into the interior. Antiques and old furniture aren’t just junk—they’re beautiful and cozy.
A unique vintage chest of drawers with a marble top was found in a second-hand store. The rug once belonged to Suvianni’s parents.
The paintings are random finds from street flea markets. The chairs are from there too. But the two small icons above the dining table are a gift from Gustav’s grandmother. These icons have been passed down in their family for generations.
They found a display cabinet to store glassware (mostly glasses and vases).
This is what the bedroom looks like. Sage green was chosen for the walls for a reason—Gustav loves this shade and believes it has a calming effect. An unusual feature here is the wooden hanger.
This concludes our tour. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find photos of the kitchen and bathroom. But I think the atmosphere of the apartment is clear even without them. Don’t you agree that it doesn’t feel like a rental? There’s a certain coziness and a unique atmosphere here.
