Lifestyle

In Progress – My New Home

Lifestyle | 9.8.2014 | Katja Kokko

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My home is like a Turkish bath right now. The luxury of a penthouse in Punavuori: no need to go to the beach, as a bikini seems to be the only sensible outfit to be worn indoors. (I might as well redirect my post to Eira’s cliffs until the end of August at least.)

My furnishing project is going a bit slowly. I’ve continued to throw out stuff even after the move, and things are finally starting to look the way I want them to. (There is still a unique dining table by Custom Wood up for grabs, though.)

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I’ve always disliked clutter, but this year I’ve cleared out a record-setting amount of stuff, with several bags of clothes and other possessions given away for reuse. My home is now light and spacious. There are no closets full to bursting – quite the opposite, in fact. Women always say that they have nothing to wear; well, I invite you to have a look in my closet – its bareness is a sight to see. Perhaps I should rent it out, as I seem to have no use for it myself.

The atmosphere in my new home is so good, almost reminiscent of Carrie Bradshaw, that I don’t much mind the fact that it is a work in progress. (Though my closet and Carrie’s have very little in common, at the moment.)

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The extra-large cotton bed spread from Balmuir works perfectly with the carefree atmosphere, and has remained free from cat hair, as the resident feline has taken to lying under the bed to escape the sweltering heat, shielded by the soft folds of the over-hanging counterpane.

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What makes me especially happy, however, is the kitchen. The appliances scream made in the 80’s, but that works perfectly with the mood of the place. Apart from a set of chairs, and a dining table by Custom Wood made out of old planks, the kitchen décor is likewise a work in progress. (The dining table for sale is larger than my current one, crafted from an old door with the mirrors covered by leather from an old jacket.)

The huge birthday present given to me by my photographer friend is waiting for mount and frames, some of the plants are still without pots, and one wall is short of a low kitchen cabinet with glass doors (let me know if you come across one at a flea market!).

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Despite its incompleteness, I’ve spent some of the loveliest moments of the summer in this kitchen; getting tipsy on a glass of bubbly while making dinner with my friends, munching on sandwiches by candle light in the middle of the night (I still don’t get along with overhead lights), sipping iced tea on a first date, and enjoying my morning coffee until well into the afternoon.

Cut flowers are a bit of decoration that I bright home with me every week. Fredrikinkatu square’s flower seller has a so-called happy hour on Saturdays from 4 to 5 pm, and you can get a bouquet of carnations or lilies for five euros.

I’m not sure how active I’ll continue to be with this home décor project. I have a feeling that things will find their places in their own time, without much need for planning. And to be honest, décor is not a main priority at the moment. The feeling of things being in-progress is somehow inspiring. There is a sense of anticipation, as if anything were possible. Perhaps I’ve been unconsciously clearing space so that I can move abroad – something more easily done without masses of possessions.

On the other hand, many things have undergone a re-prioritization due to the recent changes in my life. Nothing is as important right now, as the connection I have to my inner self, to my family, and my closest friends. A bit of disorder is fine as long as it doesn’t manifest physically. When something starts gnawing away at you, it’s a sign that something needs to change.

By the way, Neal’s Yard Remedies’s Room Sprays are a way of creating a lovely atmosphere through aromatherapy. You can find them in Galleria Esplanad’s Eteritique.

DSC_0049 Pictures Katja Kokko

Translation Katja Nikula

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