The dining area is a glass-enclosed terrace, whilst the upstairs hall has been converted into a bedroom and utility room, with a walk-in wardrobe. In this beautiful semi-detached home, which boasts stunning river views, the use of space has been conceived in an unconventional way.
Semi-detached houses generally consist of two identical dwellings, with the room layouts mirroring one another. This is the case even when families of different sizes set out to build the house. This approach to building a house seemed impractical in Rovaniemi when Elli and Mika Kansanniva, along with Sanna and Juha Eteläinen, began planning a semi-detached house to be built together. The families had different wishes and needs for their future home, so both couples designed their own half of the house exactly to their own preferences.
The idea for the semi-detached house arose from the plot’s generous building rights. The corner plot acquired in Rovaniemi is a real find, as the windows of the house, completed a year ago, offer a magnificent view of the Ounasjoki River and the city spreading out beyond it. The riverside location offers a peaceful detached house setting. However, the centre of Rovaniemi is less than a kilometre away.
The corner plot offers one of the best views of the river along the street, yet it remained undeveloped for a long time whilst the neighbouring plots were filled with stately detached houses. Apparently, the dip in the ground covering an area of just over a thousand square metres put off potential buyers. The couple were not concerned about filling in the dip, and levelling it did not significantly increase the cost of the earthworks carried out before the foundations were laid.
Down-to-earth, cosy log walls
For the walls of the semi-detached house, they wanted sturdy, non-settling laminated log. Ellin and Mika feel that the solid timber walls are earthy, cosy and healthy. The house package was purchased from Kuusamo Log Houses. The service received from the seller was a decisive factor in their choice.
When designing the floor plan, the aim was to rectify the shortcomings of the family’s previous home and create a layout that would make everyday life easier. The 130-square-metre floor area was planned across two floors – the ground floor is for living and the upper floor for sleeping. The family has two daughters, teenagers Lilli and Peppi. Compact bedrooms with adjoining walk-in wardrobes were designed for them.
No actual bedroom was built for Elli and Mika. The open-plan loft upstairs has plenty of space for a double bed. It was separated from the staircase by a lightweight glass wall, which can easily be removed later when the daughters grow up and move out of their parents’ home.
A generous amount of floor space was allocated to the kitchen. The same room also houses a spacious living room, furnished simply with a stylish Adea sofa. Behind the high windows of the open-plan living area is a glass-enclosed terrace featuring a fireplace. This means the terrace can be used all year round, allowing a round dining table to be placed there. The terrace and the spacious balcony upstairs offer a splendid view of the Ounasjoki river.
The terrace features a four-square-metre sauna. The owners wanted it built separately from the house so that one could walk from the sauna to the bathroom via the warm terrace. The passageway can be screened off with a curtain, ensuring that those spending time on the terrace do not disturb those in the sauna – or vice versa. In the family, Elli, Mika and their dog Vili are the sauna’s most frequent users. They like to sit on the benches every day after work and appreciate the lovely steam from the wood-fired stove. The stove heats up with a single load of wood.
One of the most important rooms in the house is the utility room. As well as being used for laundry, it serves as the parents’ walk-in wardrobe. It measures just over 11 square metres and is accessed from the hallway.
A beautiful and functional home
Construction began in late summer 2019. A 400-square-metre marquee was hired for the foundations, providing a comfortable place to work whatever the weather. The log load arrived on site in February the following year, and we were able to move in last November once the interior was complete. There is still some outdoor work left to do: cleaning up and tidying the garden.
During the interior design phase, Elli’s taste, eye for colour and knowledge of the possibilities offered by the market really came to the fore. The couple were prepared to invest in their new home to make it as beautiful and functional as possible. The surface materials are high-quality and the colour scheme harmonious.
Upstairs, the floor space was utilised efficiently by choosing sliding doors for the girls’ bedrooms. The real eye-catcher of the home is the kitchen. It offers space, style and functionality. The fittings include equipment used by professional chefs. Mika has had a long career in the restaurant industry and can now conjure up dinners striving for perfection at home too.
The moss-green units were purchased from Keittiömaailma. The appliances are high-quality Miele units manufactured in Germany, with the exception of the Finnish Festivo fridge.
Balmuir’s interior design products add the finishing touch to the home’s style. They were purchased from the recently opened Balmuir Store Arctic Circle in the Arctic Circle, run by entrepreneur Mari Kotaniemi, who is a friend of Elli’s.
Spaces with a difference – this article was first published in the magazine Uusi Koti in 2021. The article was written by Jorma Välimaa and photographed by Hans Koistinen.
