Old wooden townhouse blocks are a staple of Finland. Most of these two-story buildings date back to the early 20th century, and many still stand in good shape today.
One of them is home to 44-year-old Minna Rajala, a stylist and hairdresser from Turku. She moved into the apartment on the city’s outskirts in 2012 and, little by little, has been reshaping the space with vintage and second-hand finds to highlight the house’s special, lived-in atmosphere.
The building where she lives was built in 1910. It’s divided into several two-story apartments, one of which is Minna’s.
Her apartment is 72 square meters (about 775 sq ft). It includes an open kitchen-living room, a bedroom, a walk-in closet, and a bathroom. There’s also a basement space she hardly ever uses. Minna lives alone, so she doesn’t need much stuff.
Minna Rajala is only the fourth owner of this old flat. The previous residents tended to stay for decades — maybe that’s why both the apartment and the building are in such good condition.
According to Minna, the first occupant was a deep-sea captain who moved in back in 1910.
“I dreamed of an apartment in an old wooden house where original details were still preserved. And this place has everything I wanted: a great location, enough room, and that historic atmosphere,” Minna told Meillakotona.
Today the apartment has everything needed for modern life: year-round heating (radiators plus a tiled stove which she lights mostly for ambiance) and a renovated bathroom.
The stove in the living room is original — it’s been here since the building went up. The floors haven’t been replaced either; they were restored and repainted.
But Minna has completely reworked the interior to suit her taste: she painted walls, updated plumbing fixtures, and planned out interesting decorative details.
Painting is one of Minna’s hobbies. A few years ago she took a painting course with a local artist, and now her works are part of the décor. Thanks to them, the otherwise minimalist white Scandinavian apartment feels colorful and alive.
Minna painted one wall in the kitchen a minty accent color (Tikkurila, shade “Mentol”). The old chairs used to look different — she restored and painted them a soft pink.
The rug under the dining table is another common Scandinavian trick: Finns and Swedes often use rugs to define a dining zone.
It’s the small, bright details that give this old apartment its personality. Pink chairs, a yellow wall cabinet, a yellow coffee maker, a plate piled with colorful vegetables — there’s a cheerful mix of hues everywhere.
At the same time, there are no expensive pieces here. Almost everything was bought at flea markets or via classifieds. For example, Minna found the wall cabinet for dishes in a thrift store.
The wood-burning stove has been in place since the house was built. It’s no longer in regular use, but Minna kept it as an important historic element.
“I really love how this stove looks,” she explains.
Minna also made an accent wall in the living room, just like in the kitchen — bright yellow wallpaper by Birger Kaipiainen.
She got the vintage bench from her father’s colleague.
They painted the staircase mint, and that little change instantly refreshed the whole spot. When Minna put up a mini-exhibition of her works on the landing, the area felt even cozier and brighter.
“My home is fun, casual, playful and colorful. I’m my own decorator. I put together the space slowly, over the years. I don’t invest big money and rarely buy new things. Most of the furniture in my house is second-hand,” Minna admits.
On the second floor is Minna’s bedroom. One wall there is also an accent — wallpaper by Eijffinger.
A small mirrored porthole on the wall is a tiny reminder of the flat’s first owner, the sea captain. He installed that little ship’s window, and every resident since has carefully preserved it.
In the photo above, you can see the small walk-in closet where Minna gets ready each morning. The mirror is her essential tool — she works as a hairdresser and likes to look put together.
“I’m sad when I see people strip old houses of their character during massive renovations. That historic spirit disappears. I love old doors, windows, and wooden floors. I adore the old cooker hood and the hundred-year-old stove — it doesn’t work anymore, but it’s so beautiful I can’t bring myself to remove it,” Minna says about her 1910 apartment.
Asked how to decorate an old house cheaply yet beautifully, Minna has two tips.
First, use paintings. If you can’t paint well yourself, buy art at flea markets, thrift shops, or local classifieds — many lesser-known artists sell work for little money.
Second, choose unusual decorative objects.
“Anything can become art. For example, colorful glasses bought at a market add life to my home. A few years ago I took a glass-blowing workshop, and now a few hand-worked glass pieces sit on my living-room shelves as souvenirs,” she says.
