The Story of Marina and Lassi

We decided to sell that house and move into my husband’s old family home in Karungi, near Tornio—the exact house where he grew up. Our plan was simple: do a quick cosmetic remodel, arrange the furniture, and move in. Reality caught up with us the moment we started inspecting the house.

The house is about sixty years old—and when we tore open the walls and floors, we saw things we were absolutely not prepared for. Mold inside the framework. Rotten load-bearing beams in several places. The floor was freezing cold year-round because there was no proper subfloor insulation, meaning we had to install a whole new hydronic underfloor heating system. The plumbing, electrical wiring, ventilation, and insulation—everything needed a complete overhaul. It was no longer just about remodeling. It was about our health. Living in this house 'as is' was simply not an option. That’s when the real panic set in. It wasn't just one overwhelming thought, but a whole tangled web of them: the sheer scale we weren't ready for; a budget that was skyrocketing right before our eyes; no clue where to even begin; and a quiet, nagging fear—What if we pour everything we have into this, and it still doesn't turn out right?

In just 9 months, we had a completely rebuilt house, all within a very tight budget. At every single stage, we received tremendous support and invaluable expertise from Katya and Yuri. Every situation was handled immediately; any unexpected issues were resolved quickly and without any downtime. This sped up the entire process significantly.

If we had gone through this alone, without a plan and professional expertise, we would have spent two to three times more of our budget.

We started with the kitchen—and that was the exact moment I realized Katya doesn’t just design room by room. She thinks about how we are actually going to live in this house. Where do I go first thing in the morning? What does Lassi do when he comes home from work? Where should the closet go for things we only need in the winter? What do we use every single day, and what do we almost never touch? She was mapping out the rhythm of our daily lives, not just sketching 'pretty angles.'

From the kitchen, this logic naturally expanded throughout the rest of the house: a kitchen-living area with a fireplace zone, a massive storage space near the entrance, a master bedroom with its own walk-in closet, my personal bathroom, a separate restroom for my husband, and a shower-and-sauna area that serves as a full spa complex—plus a separate office space that doubles as a guest bedroom. Every single design choice was made not because it was 'trendy,' but because it was custom-tailored to us.

I absolutely love classical design. However, instead of taking a literal approach, Katya suggested a modern classic style in warm, gentle tones—a cashmere palette that lets the whole house breathe. It resonated with me so deeply that I could hardly believe it at first; it felt so uniquely 'me,' capturing aspects of myself I didn’t even know existed.

Truth be told, I used to look at homes in magazines and think that interiors like that were only for celebrities. Not for someone like me. Whenever I had tried to put a room together on my own, it always turned into a mismatched clutter. Katya knew exactly when to step in and gently redirect my ambitions, weaving everything into a single, cohesive home that truly feels like my own.

And that was when it finally hit me: it’s not just about a designer creating a 'pretty sketch.' It’s about how easily that project can actually be brought to life. Without a professional roadmap, it is practically impossible for an inexperienced person to execute a build within a tight timeframe and budget. It is such a multi-layered process, one that is incredibly difficult to manage without an expert if you want to achieve your dream interior within reasonable boundaries.

Guests come over and tell me it’s an absolute masterpiece—that it perfectly captures my aesthetic and is so truly my style. I hear this from everyone who walks through the door. It’s wonderful to hear, but something else matters much more to me.

This house is a true reflection of who I am. My home is warm, serene, and gentle—yet cohesive, with absolutely no visual clutter.

Originally, I wasn’t ready for a renovation of this scale. But circumstances forced our hand—and in the end, it turned out to be one of the best investments we have ever made in our lives. Even if we eventually decide to sell it someday (though right now, I can't imagine why), this is a completely different house now—with a completely different market value. And honestly, I don't ever want to leave.