In the footsteps of the Aaltos: Pil Kallesø’s family home celebrates timeless design
Pil and Martin Kallesø live with their children in Helsingør, Denmark. The Børge Mogensen table and chairs from Fredericia are cherished family heirlooms, while the Artek chairs were found secondhand.
Hi Pil! Could you introduce yourself to the readers of Design Stories?
“I’m an architect, and together with my husband, Martin, I run the studio Kallesø Arkitekter. We mainly work with private residential clients, designing new houses as well as helping people renovate and furnish architect-designed homes with care and respect for the original architecture.
We live in Helsingør, Denmark, in one of Jørn Utzon’s iconic courtyard houses, better known as the Kingo Houses. The houses are listed as cultural heritage in Denmark, so living here is both a privilege and a responsibility. It’s a home, but also something we’re preserving for the future.”
The family’s home is part of architect Jørn Utzon’s Kingo Houses, completed in 1958. The green artwork at the end of the dining table is by Danish artist Marie Rud Rosenzweig.
Fjor Alvar, 4, and Vesper, 2, play by the serving hatch with sliding doors between the kitchen and the dining area. The Teema tableware is by Iittala.
Pil and Martin are both architects and run their own studio, Kallesø Arkitekter. The couple share a deep admiration for Alvar and Aino Aalto.
How would you describe your home and interior style?
“For us, our home is almost like a collector’s item. Every architect in Denmark, maybe even in Europe, knows Utzon’s Kingo Houses, so when one suddenly came up for sale at a price we could actually afford, it felt too good to be true.
Because the house is protected, every renovation must be done slowly and respectfully, and that mindset has shaped the interior as well. We focus on quality, timeless design, and Scandinavian classics. We have many Danish design icons, but also a lot of Finnish design, because we love how Alvar Aalto’s furniture works in the space.
Utzon spent time working in Aalto’s office when he was young, and you can clearly see the influence between their work. In many ways, our home reminds us of Aalto’s Muuratsalo Experimental House: the courtyard, the stepped brick walls, the way the architecture blurs the line between inside and outside.”
Aalto’s timeless daybed 710 is dressed in Johanna Gullichsen’s classic fabrics. It serves as a cozy reading spot and can also be used as a guest bed.
Designed by Jørn Utzon, the Kingo Houses are among Denmark’s best-known atrium housing developments.
Speaking of Aalto, you and your family visited several Aalto sites in Finland this summer.
“Ever since architecture school, I’ve been fascinated by Alvar and Aino Aalto and the way they worked from the big scale to the smallest detail, from master plan to door handle. Martin shares the same fascination, so a study trip to Finland has been on our wish list for years. I even have family in Finland but had never been before!
We started planning the trip while we were in Japan in 2024. It may sound strange, but those two countries are deeply connected for us in terms of inspiration. They share a respect for materials, light, craft, and human-scale design.
We always travel with our children. We’ve taken them to Japan, Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, Portugal, and now Finland. Our passion is architecture, and we believe that showing them what we care about will inspire them to find their own passions someday, which of course will be architecture, I hope! It’s chaotic and not always “practical,” yes. Museums can be tricky when everything is “don’t touch,” but we try to go with the flow, enjoy the small moments, embrace the chaos, and remember how privileged we are to travel at all.”
“Aaltos’ own Riihitie home and studio in Helsinki touched me the most.”
Which site made the biggest impression?
“The place that touched me the most was the Aaltos’ own Riihitie home and studio in Helsinki. There was something incredibly moving about seeing how they wove together family life, work life, and passion, exactly the way we do in our own home.
And our next dream? Maison Louis Carré in France, hopefully next year.”
The large Japanese lamp was bought during one of the couple’s trips to Japan. The old drawings on wooden stumps are pieces they inherited from an architect who once lived in the Kingo Houses.
The two Spanish Chairs from Fredericia are newer additions. Cushions by Johanna Gullichsen.
The living room always has space for play. The recently renovated floor is made of natural cork.
Has Aalto’s legacy influenced how you approach new architecture projects?
“Yes, very much. Alvar and Aino Aalto set a standard that you can only ever try to live up to. Alvar’s ability to let a floor plan grow organically from its surroundings, and Aino’s sensitivity to materials, furniture, and finishing details, that balance between spatial vision and tactile sensibility is something we deeply admire.
Their partnership as architects and as a couple is also inspiring to us, since we live and work the same way.”
In what ways can anyone bring a touch of Aalto’s style into their own home?
“You don’t need to buy a single Artek piece to be inspired by the Aaltos.
It’s not about the furniture, it’s about the philosophy: human-scaled spaces, natural materials, soft geometry, and warmth instead of strict minimalism. Many modernists were very “clean,” but the Aaltos were humanist. Think: wood, color, textiles, pattern, curtains, Finnish woven rugs, and objects that invite touch rather than avoid it.
Of course, Artek pieces are wonderful, but there are many other Finnish brands that capture the same spirit, for example Johanna Gullichsen, with their beautiful textiles, prints, and colors, which we love and have recently brought into our own home.”
Alvar Aalto’s Tea Trolley 900 is one of Pil’s favorite pieces. It features a handmade rattan basket and a ceramic tile surface.
On Alvar Aalto’s Tea Trolley 900, a Moomin book and an Iittala Aalto bowl capture the family’s love for Finnish design.
Which Aalto design is your personal favorite?
“I’m obsessed with the tea trolley. It had been on our wish list for years, and last Christmas we finally bought it as a shared gift. I also dream of the folding screen divider and many other pieces.
And then there’s the A203 pendant lamp, the one hanging above the dining table in their own home. It’s not in production, but sometimes there are vintage versions available. It’s a dream, a very expensive dream, but I hope one day it will be hanging above ours.”
“The Aalto tea trolley 900 had been on our wish list for years, and last Christmas we finally bought it as a shared gift.”
What kind of home dreams do you have for the future?
“We dream of a new kitchen. Our house is old, and we’ve renovated slowly over many years. Renovation is expensive, and we’re architects! I’ve designed the kitchen myself, inspired partly by Utzon’s original ideas and partly by details we saw in the Aalto houses and studios in Finland. So the dream isn’t to change our house, but to complete it in the right way. One day we’ll be able to afford it, and then the design I’ve drawn can finally come to life.”
The artwork on the walls is by Finnish artist Markus Jäntti. The chairs, dining table, pendant, and shelves are all Artek classics.
Artek’s A333 pendant lamp, affectionately known as “Nauris” (“Turnip”) for its shape. Aino Aalto glassware by Iittala.
Johanna Gullichsen seat cushions add extra comfort to Artek’s Chair 66. They also fit perfectly on Artek’s stools.
Pil and Martin have traveled near and far with their children, including to Finland. The white laminate surface of the Artek 90A dining table stands up beautifully to everyday play.
And finally: What’s your best interior design tip for our readers?
“Don’t compromise. I’d rather wait and save up for the right piece than buy something cheap and replace it later.
We always choose good design, and by that I mean design that can live for generations. If a chair from the 1930s still feels relevant in a 2025 interior, that’s exactly what good design is: it detaches itself from time and trends. That kind of timelessness is the most sustainable choice you can make. I know that my Aalto tea trolley will be just as relevant now, and when my children are grown up, as it was when it was first designed in the 1930s.”
See also:
• Designs by Alvar Aalto at Finnish Design Shop >
• Designs by Aino Aalto at Finnish Design Shop >
• Pil Kallesø on Instagram >
Published on 13 Nov, 2025
