Carpenter built a home – Teemu Siniranta’s house celebrates the art of woodworking

Finnish carpenter Teemu Siniranta constructed a house for his family, crafting furniture with his own hands. However, the highlight for their children is the wooden treehouse perched atop a storm-broken poplar tree.

Residents:

Carpenter Teemu Siniranta, Svetlana Siniranta, and their children Teo (10) and Fedja (4), along with their cat Roosi, reside in a detached house completed in 2020, located in eastern Helsinki, Finland. The living area spans 112 square meters.

ALMOST HIS ENTIRE LIFE, Teemu Siniranta has lived in the Vartioharju neighborhood, just one intersection away from his family’s new house. Fate or coincidence, the wild plot of land near the sea became available for purchase in their familiar surroundings. After a whole year of consideration, Teemu made the land deal together with a family they found through a mutual friend. Two identical wooden detached houses were erected on the plot a couple of years ago.

“Splitting the land between two families is a great way to save on construction costs,” says Teemu.

“Splitting the land between two families is a great way to save on construction costs.”

The building process may come more naturally to a skilled woodworker than to an inexperienced homebuilder, but it was still an immense effort. Teemu’s partner, Svetlana, admits she was quite stressed while he toiled away long hours at the construction site. In addition to the house, Teemu built all the fixed furniture for their home.

“I spent a year almost alone with the kids,” Svetlana remarks.

Teemu and Svetlana got their vision of a two-story wooden house by examining various prefabricated house models. Architect Leena Carelse brought their ideas to life, designing a suitable detached house for their family, combining a modern and retro feel with oak surfaces and furnishings.

Summer paradise

The air is filled with the scent of flowers, and buzzing pollinators add life to the backyard. At the end of the terrace, herbs thrive in their planter boxes. Svetlana is the family’s green thumb and has brought lush floral arrangements to life with the help of her friend and landscape designer, Svetlana Lavrentyeva. Along the terrace, Japanese-inspired flowerbeds showcase a mix of grasses and vibrant, colorful flowers.

Woodworking and purring

In his own woodworking workshop in Herttoniemi, Teemu crafts custom-made furniture and fixtures. His material of choice is durable, European oak – an enduring favorite among both customers and the Siniranta family.

Retro vibes

Teemu constructed a kitchen designed by Poiat for a client and was so taken by it that he replicated the same design for his home. The combination of oak veneer and white upper cabinets gives the kitchen a light and airy feel. Teemu built the cabinets using moisture-resistant film plywood, believing that investing in sturdy frames makes it easier to update the doors when needed.

Checkered and oak

In her workspace, Svetlana chose ferm LIVING’s refreshing checkered wallpaper to contrast with the oak herringbone parquet flooring. Teemu’s hand-built bookshelf is starting to feel too small for their collection. Retro-style power outlets and switches add the perfect finishing touch.

Amidst nature

The living room, standing five meters tall, combines vintage elements with a cozy Scandinavian style. Although they initially planned for a pink sofa, Teemu and Svetlana settled for a safe, grey option from Muji. Teemu fell in love with a salvaged wooden chair’s shape, which he refurbished and reupholstered with a stylish wool blend fabric to match the theme.

Refreshing surfaces

The oak-framed coffee table, crafted by Teemu, boasts a trendy terrazzo surface made from Abl’s stone press tiles. Teemu collaborated with interior designer Tiina Hautala, the founder of Dejlig Design, on the Rima sideboard. These sideboards are manufactured in Helsinki under the Dejlig & Siniranta brand.

Scandi lovers

Originally from Moscow, Svetlana developed a passion for modernism and Alvar Aalto while studying art history in her hometown. Working at the Ateneum Art Museum, Svetlana found herself drawn to a spacious, light interior design style that favors light wood materials. This explains why the couple’s interior preferences are so cohesive.

Setting the mood

The wallpaper in Fedja’s room challenges the notion that large patterns don’t work in small spaces. Sandberg’s Raphael wallpaper creates a woodland atmosphere in the room. Quirky bed linens complement the wallpaper’s colors. Fedja found the mushroom lamp and guitar at a flea market.

Vintage wooden furniture is perfect for recycling and adds charm to kids’ rooms.

Fashion show

In this case, the cobbler’s child has no shoes: the wardrobe’s sliding door will be completed when the woodworker has time, as client projects always take priority over Teemu’s personal projects. Until then, clothes hang neatly on oak coat racks recessed into the wall.

Material experimentation

Upstairs, the utility room is adjacent to the sauna’s washing area. Teemu’s meticulously crafted cabinetry will be put to the test, as time will tell how well the oak veneer doors withstand moisture. The utility room’s ceiling features the same wooden slats as the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

Soft shades

Teemu’s colleague and interior designer, Tiina Hautala, designed the Sinirantas’ color scheme, incorporating soft shades of pink alongside natural colors. Though the living room sofa didn’t receive the pink touch, the bathroom makes up for it with an entire wall of soft pink. Vertical wall tiles with grey grouting enliven the space. The bathroom’s background structure also serves as a practical shelf.

Text: Anna Aromaa Images: Timo Pyykkö

The story was previously published in Avotakka magazine 3/2023.