Home tour | A loft-like Helsinki apartment

I’ve just got back from a wonderful week away – our wedding in Devon, followed by a quick mini-moon in Cornwall. More on that to follow, but in the meantime what better way to get back into the blogging groove than a tour around a gorgeous Nordic home?

Located in the hip Kallio district of Helsinki, this small but striking apartment was created by interior designer Laura Seppänen for Finnish composer and producer Hank Solo. Hank wanted a tranquil space where he could focus on his music, so Laura blended industrial and Scandinavian elements to create an airy, loft-like look.

The apartment’s wooden flooring and exposed-brick walls provided the ideal starting point, and they look fantastic offset by pristine white paint, contemporary lighting and smart monochrome furniture. Throughout, high ceilings create a sense of spaciousness and serenity, while varied textures – woollen rugs, grained wood, gleaming brass – add a layer of cosiness.

The open-plan living area is particularly eye-catching thanks to a chunky concrete dining table (flanked by oak and black Normann Copenhagen ‘My’ chairs) and abstract artworks by Finnish painter Tanja Meski. The well-chosen furniture includes a sideboard by Spanish brand Treku, a black and brass wall lamp by Workstead, a black marble coffee table by Ferm Living, and a sparkling brass ‘Slit’ table from HAY.

There’s another swathe of polished concrete in the bedroom, here providing the perfect backdrop for a minimalist, low-slung bed. It’s softened by a snuggly rug, an assortment of paintings and a pair of sumptuous black curtains. Yet more iconic lighting awaits in this room, too, including an aluminium wall lamp from Frama and a glass ‘Toio’ floor lamp from Flos.

The monochrome look continues in the kitchen, where open shelving is used to display an array of stylish accessories (including Ingegerd Råman’s ‘VIKTIGT’ carafe for IKEA, and Norm Architect’s ‘Bottle’ grinder for Menu). A high table from HAY creates a useful dining area in the corner of the compact room, while a bar cart adds extra storage and food-preparation space. I particularly love the houseplant in the window, which has been trained to creep up the wall to beautiful effect.

Last by not least is the hallway, which doubles up as a home office thanks to an ingenious desk and shelving unit from Bolia, which can be adjusted and reconfigured as needed. It’s both stylish and practical, and its colour echoes the birch-veneer wardrobes in the bedroom beyond, adding a sense of harmony and continuity to the apartment.

Photography by Pauliina Salonen via The Design Chaser