New-builds can be stunning, but the pristine surfaces and blank walls mean they often end up looking a bit stark. Not this one. Created by Helsinki-based interior designer Laura Seppänen, whose work I’ve featured before, it’s a fantastic example of how to add warmth and cosiness to a just-built home without detracting from the clean lines or sense of airiness.
Designed for the 2020 Finnish Housing Fair, the scheme plays on colour, texture and shape to create a minimalist yet very inviting space. Throughout, white, black and grey are mixed with slightly warmer beige and cream tones, while hard surfaces such as polished concrete and marble sit alongside grained wood and soft textiles. There’s also a recurring use of slatted wooden panelling, which breaks up the open-plan layout without blocking natural light – and which contrasts beautifully with the sleek black pocket doors and lime-mortar walls.
One side of the ground floor acts as a living area, with textured upholstery and a woollen rug softening the angular architecture, tiled floor and double-height windows. A pair of low-hanging pendant lights and a large plant emphasise the soaring ceiling, while curves in the sofa, armchair, Ferm Living candelabra and plant pot, Valerie Objects floor lamp and Nikari side table offset the clean lines. I particularly like the way a shelving unit has been placed behind the sofa to divide the sace in two, creating a more intimate sitting area around the fireplace and making good use of the lower ceiling in the rear section.
The other half of the ground floor is taken up with the kitchen and dining area. The black-stained ash-veneer fronts and marble-terrazzo worktops tie in perfectly with the rest of the house and are neatly balanced out by the wooden partition on one side and a bespoke oak dining table on the other. Mismatched chairs (including Charles and Ray Eames’ iconic ‘Wire’ chairs) and a Flos ‘Aim’ pendant create a relaxed, welcoming feel that’s ideal for convivial dinners and lazy weekend brunches, while a classic Georg Jensen ‘HK’ pitcher and Muuto ‘Kink’ vase provide the perfect finishing touches.
The first floor features a similar mix of materials and textures, although the atmosphere here is a little cosier – a subtle change marked by the shift from concrete to wooden steps as the staircase turns back on itself. The master bedroom is perhaps my favourite room in the house thanks to its custom-made wooden headboard, striking artwork and sumptuous grey curtains. &Tradition’s ‘Loafer’ lounge chair, Menu’s ‘Androgyne’ side table and another Valerie Objects floor lamp form a comfy reading spot in the corner and have been cleverly positioned so that they provide a focal point at the end of the long landing. The bathroom, meanwhile, echoes the finishes used in the kitchen, providing another note of continuity that ties the various parts of the house together.
If you like the look of this house and want more new-build inspiration, check out this soothing Stockholm apartment and this airy abode in the Swedish city of Uppsala. You can also read my top tips for turning a new build into a home here.
Design by Laura Seppänen; photography by Mikael Pettersson for Hevi Kivitalot
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