Villa Kruunu is the Crown of the Housing Fair
The 2023 Housing Fair is exceptionally located on the historic Kuningattarenranta, on the east side of Loviisa Bay. All homes have a sea view, and nature is beautifully integrated into the new residences. The naturalness of the coastal landscape is sought to be preserved in all designs, and natural materials are favored in the area's gardens.
Villa Kruunu is situated at the top of a sloped plot rising from the shore – on a rock amidst pine trees. The stone house, built by Lakan Betoni, offers stunning views of Kuningattarenlahti and Loviisa's 18th-century lower town. The interior design of the two-story main house and the sauna nestled on the slope was created by Johanna Hernesniemi.
Villa Kruunu was designed for a family of three, expecting a new addition in the autumn. We interviewed Johanna before the fair and asked how she approached the interior design of Villa Kruunu.
Where do you start when designing a new home?
“I always start the design process with a thorough discussion with the client. I ascertain their needs and wishes for the new home. We go through their preferences regarding the functionality of the spaces, as well as colors, materials, and lighting and its functionality in each area,” says Johanna Hernesniemi. “The end result is always a tailored solution based on the residents' wishes.”
What aspects are emphasized in the interior design of a stone house?
“Natural materials are important both for the residents and for me. In a stone house, the significance of surface materials and textiles is particularly emphasized, and acoustics must be considered in all spaces. In designing the interior of Villa Kruunu, we started with warm tones and soft materials as a counterpoint to stone and rock,” says Johanna. “The starting point was to bring a warm and timeless feel to the house. The choice of surface materials has an acoustic impact, so I recommend natural materials and wood for a stone house, as they give the interior a timeless look and a warm atmosphere,” Johanna states.
On the living floor of Villa Kruunu, in addition to the hallway and living room, there is a kitchen and dining room, as well as the parents' bedroom with bathing facilities. In the hallway, the space is accentuated by stunning, room-height oak cabinets, the structure of which Johanna Hernesniemi designed, and the Arkkikaluste carpentry shop executed meticulously and beautifully. The same theme is repeated in the kitchen. The softness in the rooms is brought by Roots' hemp rugs, where both the material and color scheme create a timeless atmosphere. Furthermore, hemp is an easy-care material for the demanding use of the hallway and kitchen.
Hotel-like luxury in the bedrooms
The ambiance of the parents' bedroom is like that of a boutique hotel. Roots' soft linen sheets, abundant pillows, and a beautiful linen bedspread gleam in the light streaming through the large window. A spa-like bathroom and bathtub beckon behind a glass wall.
“Here too, oak wood and a hemp rug have been used to soften the stone surfaces of the bathroom. Stone, wood, and linen blend seamlessly together. I believe it's important to bring nature indoors as well, so that the house and its surrounding nature merge beautifully,” says Johanna Hernesniemi.
How do the features of the stone house manifest in your interior design?
“The modern, angular stone house was well-suited for this particular plot. Viewed from the entrance side, the house resembles a beautiful black cube. The sea-facing wall is dominated by large windows, which are, however, rhythmically framed by strong black window frames. The open interior space on the upper floor allows for playful lightness and light tones,” Johanna describes.
Thanks to the large windows, Villa Kruunu's living room is bathed in light. The interior is light and airy, with a large Roots' viscose rug. “The rug's shades are selected to match the other surface materials in each space. In the living room, an impressive painting provides shades for the sofa fabrics and curtains, which in turn also influence the rug selection. Here, the rug and other materials must reinforce the impression of lightness in the interior in relation to the sturdy window frames,” Johanna explains.
How has family life been considered in the interior design?
"Family life has been particularly considered on the lower floor. The entrance leads to a utility room where muddy clothes and the dog can be washed. A hallway equipped with remote work stations leads to the family living room and two smaller bedrooms, one of which currently serves as a study and the other as three-year-old Eeli’s 'playroom'. The lower floor also houses a large utility room with an incredible amount of carefully concealed cupboard space," Johanna describes the needs of the growing family.
From the lower floor, you can access the terrace, which leads to the entirely black sauna. The sauna walls feature microcement, the benches are wood, and the shower's back wall and the lounge floor are made of slate. In the sauna lounge, Roots' Wicker hemp rug crowns the royal union of black stone and yellow hemp.
In your opinion, what has been the best part of designing the exhibition house?
"Designing an exhibition house is a unique project. The best part is the people you work with. The residents, Juuli and Ossi, explored potential designers two years ago and chose me because our visions aligned very well," says Johanna.
"Very important are the collaborators who can bring my visions to life. In addition to Roots Living, special mention in this project goes to:
- cabinetmaker Arkkikaluste, who perfectly understood my drawings for fixed furniture and executed them splendidly
- LVI Juhani Niemi, who helped select the Italian Gessi bathroom and WC fixtures for the property
- Caisla-laatat, who understood and brought my desire for playful use of different materials to life, and
- Rotola-Pukkila's oak panels, which provided an elegant finish to the apartment's interior ceilings.
Thank you all."
Studio Johanna Hernesniemi
Johanna Hernesniemi has worked as an interior designer and entrepreneur since 2011. She has extensive experience in designing both new construction and various renovation projects. Over the years, she has also gained experience in numerous commercial and office space designs. "It's important to me that the end result meets the clients' wishes – and even exceeds them," Johanna says, continuing, "I appreciate the use of natural materials in design work and favor them whenever possible. Wood, natural stone, and natural fiber textiles are close to my heart."
The architectural design of Villa Kruunu was handled by Studio Rosberg/Virve Rosberg.
Studio Rosberg is an architectural firm founded in 2004, offering high-quality and personalized design services to its clients.
Lakan Betoni produces aggregate-based building materials and related services to meet its customers' needs. The Lakka product family includes stone houses, blocks, paving stones, root cellars, mortars, plasters, elements, and ready-mixed concrete.
The Loviisa Housing Fair area is located on the eastern shore of Loviisa Bay. The seaside Kuningattarenranta Opens in a new window residential area boasts an exceptionally prestigious location. Kuningattarenranta offers the opportunity for high-quality living with a private shoreline, almost in the city centre!
The Housing Fair is open to the public from 7 July to 6 August 2023.