This unusual Scandinavian house is located in Finland’s southernmost town, Hanko. About 8,000 people live there, and it’s roughly 130 kilometres from Helsinki.
The homeowner is 54-year-old Sophia Boleckis, HR director at Wärtsilä. Sophia lives in the house with her two sons — she occupies the first floor, and the children share the second floor.
People in Hanko, including Sophia, get around by bike. Almost nobody drives cars. The town is very compact — you can reach any spot in 5–10 minutes.
It was precisely the calm, peaceful, almost village-like atmosphere of the town that won Sophia over. She moved to Hanko with her teenage children in 2020.
“I really like the atmosphere and the location of the house. Our neighbourhood is like a small village: all the neighbours know each other, we often chat with passersby. All the necessary everyday infrastructure is within a one-kilometre radius,” Sophia told Meillakotona magazine.
A sign above the front door reads “Villa Sophia.” The building used to be non-residential — in the 1990s it housed a record shop that sold vinyl and players. The shop owner lived on the premises.
After buying the house, Sophia put a lot of time and effort into turning the former shop into a cosy home for her family. She wanted something unusual — an interior that would reflect her habits, taste and personality.
And it looks like she succeeded. The décor differs a lot from the typical Scandinavian interior dominated by white. Sophia’s favourite colours are blue and yellow, so many details in the house feature those shades.
See how Sophia Boleckis arranged her home in the Hyggemag.com review.
A colourful bunting with little flags sets the tone right at the entrance. Sophia sewed those triangles herself from fabric scraps.
Sophia loves the town she lives in. That’s why you find different details in the interior that reference Hanko — for example, a poster on the hallway wall.
A large collection of jugs and vases Sophia has gathered over a lifetime is kept in a glass display cabinet. She enjoys wandering flea markets and finding unusual pieces. White-and-blue jugs are especially dear to her.
There are many other vintage items around the house. Some are family heirlooms. For example, the rocking chair was made many years ago by the husband of Sophia’s grandmother’s sister. The throw was once knitted by Sophia’s mother.
The bright dining chairs were the most budget-friendly purchase. Sophia found them at a garage sale in a neighbouring yard — people were moving away and selling things for next to nothing. She took the chairs and painted them her favourite yellow.
Sophia loves hosting. Almost every weekend relatives, friends, acquaintances or colleagues (past and present) come by. Many stay overnight — there is a guest room on the second floor set up just for that.
When guests arrive, Sophia always sets a beautiful table. She enjoys laying out a meal, choosing plates and glasses from her large collection, picking napkins and thinking through the little details. In summer she uses salt shakers shaped like lemons and strawberries; in winter she swaps them for others.
That’s why her home holds a lot of beautiful vintage tableware. Some pieces came to her as inheritance from her mother and grandmother.
During the renovation and decorating of the house, Sophia was inspired by Italy. She loves the Mediterranean feel — yellows and blues, lemons, freshness.
“I adore Italy!” Sophia admitted in an interview. “Our trips there inspired me to use fresh lemons in the décor and to bring in yellow. Later I bought plates and a jug in a lemon shade in a local shop. From my last trip to Italy I brought back a set of glasses with lemons inside (you can see them in the photo of the dining table). After that it went on… I painted the kitchen chairs yellow and found napkins in the same shade. Blue is another main colour in the house; it appears in the wallpaper and especially in the colour of the living room.”
Some of the tableware is stored in a 19th-century blue antique cabinet Sophia bought at a flea market — she restored and repainted it.
The Arthouse wallpaper stayed from the previous residents and fits perfectly into the interior Sophia created. The old brown piano looks great against the blue wallpaper. A gold-and-blue ottoman bought at a sale ties the living room elements together.
The sofa was found in an antique shop. Sophia fell for its curves and the shimmering tone of the fabric.
Wall paint — Tikkurila L429 Indigo.
The coffee table with a marble top was brought from the house in Brazil where Sophia spent her childhood. She kept this table for many years, waiting to find a place for it in her own home.
The bed and bedside tables in Sophia’s bedroom also have their own story — they were brought from Brazil. Sophia’s parents once slept on that bed; now she does.
The embroidered cushion comes from a small shop in Hanko. It fits the vintage interior perfectly. You wouldn’t guess at first that the cover is from a regular shop — it looks like a family heirloom.
The interior blends inherited furniture, secondhand finds from flea markets and everyday mass-market décor in a harmonious way.
The living room wallpaper is from Rebel Walls. The armchairs remained from the previous owners. The rug is from Carpetvista (the well-known Swedish brand from Malmö that supplies rugs to many countries).
The garden has several seating areas and a cosy terrace by the house.
In the photo below, Sophia stands next to the sauna — it’s a tempting place to steam. The sauna sits a short distance from the house and looks a bit like a small guest house. It was built in the same style as the main house.
Photos: Krista Keltanen.
