A Modern Classic Apartment Interior in Helsinki, Finland

New Zealand designer Katie Lockhart has developed an unparalleled approach to midcentury-inspired interiors, brought into the current century. Last year, Lockhart and her team completed the renovation of an apartment in Helsinki, Finland for a young couple. They began talking during lockdown and the project was completed remote through most of 2021. Lockhart added architectural detailing from flush oak architraves and skirting, an oak parquet floor, and colored tiles on the kitchen floor to create a base palette. Here is a look at the resulting design, stripped down to show its main features.

Photography by Mary Gaudin courtesy of Katie Lockhart Studio.

Above: The red chair is the Lightwood Red Webbed Chair by Jasper Morrison for Maruni. The light is the Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen PH5 Pendant in Pale Rose at Modern Planet.

The kitchen features custom oak cabinetry and built-in seating. At the top of kitchen runs the flush oak detailing instead of typical moulding. The fireplace, also designed new, is set with black brick.

Above: The kitchen floor is designed with Heath Ceramics M17.2 Redwood Tile and M61 Barley Tile. A Dualit 4 Slice NewGen Toaster sits in the corner. Above: The backsplash is designed with Mutina Ceramica vertically-laid tile by Silvia Giacobazzi. Above: The stainless steel sink and faucet (a John Pawson design for Cocoon) is echoed with a stainless steel worktop on the custom kitchen island. Above: A detailed look at the custom oak flush kitchen cabinetry. Above: A view of the dining cabinet and parquet floor, both in oak.

Both the kitchen and dining room cabinetry was detailed through drawings and made out of oak by a local Finnish cabinetmaker.

Above: The dining room cabinetry is fitted with broad reeded glass.

The dining table is the couple’s vintage Hans Wegner table. The chairs also Wegner designs: the classic Wishbone Chair in oiled oak. The pendant light above is the the Hotaru Double Bubble Light by Barber & Osgerby for Ozeki & Co. Ltd.—the Japanese manufacturers of Noguchi lamp shades.

In the bedroom, the Finn Juhl Nyhavn Desk is paired with the Maruni Hiroshima Armchair (in Walnut and a seat upholstered in Divine Melange 4721). On the desk is a Verner Panton Flowerpot VP3 Table Lamp in Light Blue.

Next to the flush oak molding is a Charlotte Perriand Wall Light in White which are positioned throughout the apartment.

Above: A bedroom with a window looking out onto the sea. The blinds are from Woodnotes in Finland and the ceiling light is the Noguchi Akari 26A Shade. Custom oak housing for radiators are beneath the bedroom window. Above: The tile is Cinca Unglazed Mosaic 1 Inch Tiles in Porcelain White (01201) and Grey Green (0120). The tub faucet is John Pawson for Cocoon.

The couple requested a fully-tiled bathroom in a similar vein to other tiled baths Lockhart had designed previously. The bathroom tile done is a dual-tone palette with cream tile for the walls and green for the tub and floor.

For more projects by Katie Lockhart see our posts:

• Collective Composition: A Historic Villa Renovation in Auckland by Katie Lockhart and Jack McKinney Architects
• Bathroom of the Week: Two Bath Remodels with Bold Green Tile in Auckland
• Mission Bay Pavilion: A Modern, Color-Packed Addition to Auckland’s City Beach
• A Soulful, Monastic House in New Zealand, Japanese-Shaker Style Included

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