Last summer, Thierry and I embarked on an exciting journey as we welcomed a 150m² terraced house apartment in a calm neighbourhood in Helsinki into our lives. I have also shared a sneak peek of our old home closer to the city center, in Vallila.

Before we stumbled upon this new gem, we had visited almost 30 houses and plots, and even considered building our own home. We had seen a variety of houses in different conditions, and in many of them, we had a serious interest. We became dedicated to the search in January and visited this flat for the first time at the beginning of May. For me, it was love at first sight. It was a sunny day, and the apartment was bathed in light. The catch was that it was a time capsule, untouched for nearly 30 years. I knew, though, that in my family's hands, the apartment held tremendous potential. We visited it for the second time about a week later, and at this point, Thierry had started to feel the same way about this home as I did: this might be it.

Our home is our fortress, a sanctuary open to friends and family, and this is to craft its beauty, comfort, and soul.

We got the last seal by our family and friends. My father, a professional with undeniable skills and an enthusiasm to help us, could see beyond the peeling wallpapers and outdated appliances; he saw potential and a future home that we could truly make our own. I always dreamt of this kind of handprint from my father, and a tale that involves everyone who wants to participate. These past few months have been filled with gratitude toward these people who've kindly lent their hands. Thus far, we have received help from my parents, my cousin, and another specialist. Our home is our fortress, a sanctuary open to friends and family, and this is to craft its beauty, comfort, and soul.

A sneak peek of our transformation

At this stage, we've made a lot of progress with the upstairs renovation, which takes place first. I've been carefully documenting the renovation through photos and videos, which I'll certainly share with you later. But for now, let's go back to the beginning…

The entrance

A glass wall between the front door and the hallway, an artistic wall mural, a dark burgundy-painted staircase, and two elegant wall lamps.

The kitchen

• A kitchen transformation featuring new floor and wall tiles, a new countertop, a brass faucet, and cabinets painted in sage green, complete with elegant golden handles.

• A white Parisian-style double door, separating the kitchen and living room.

The upstairs and the bathroom

• Walls, they get a total makeover - resurfacing, noise insulation, paint, and wallpaper.

• Transforming the entire upstairs by painting the plank wood ceiling white.

• The original parquet, polished and painted.

• Maintenance painting the windows where needed.

• Painting the original wooden doors.

• A complete bathroom makeover, from tiles to equipment.

The bedrooms

The two bedrooms upstairs are very similar. Here is the smaller one. We forgot to take proper before pictures of the so called master bedroom aka our bedroom, but both of them have the same fibreglass wallpaper, from supposedly 30 years ago.

The fireplace room

Downstairs consists of a spacious fireplace room that we will use as the second living room, two other rooms, a large bathroom, and a sauna. Additionally, there is a yard. We plan to transform the walls and floors with paint, creating a captivating and romantic cabin ambiance.

Two more rooms

The rest of the downstairs includes two additional rooms, one of which is the same size as the smaller upstairs bedroom, and the other is two to three times as large. I'm very excited about upgrading these rooms, as they are dedicated to work and creativity. So, hello to my own sewing space!

The bathroom and sauna

The bathroom will be elevated with opulent floor and wall tiles, a chic brass-accented shower, and a jacuzzi or a bathtub. I've been dreaming of having one for as long as I can remember.

The sauna

The sauna appears quite ordinary, and we aim to modernize it and as well add some character. Our plan is to create a captivating, dark-painted sauna that provides coziness and a nice space to relax in.

I'm so happy to have you here, so please let me know what kind of renovation content interests you! In the near future, I will be sharing our renovation and interior design plans, room by room. Each room has its own unique character, but they all follow the same theme of a whimsical Provencal and French style with a contemporary Nordic twist. You can also follow our home improvement adventure on Instagram at @stellamarie.r.