In the home of our designer Bette Eklund

This is the fifth and last part of our exclusive 10th-anniversary series. Here, you can follow us on a visit to our designer Bette Eklund's home in Turku - Bette's and our hometown - on the southwest coast of Finland. Bette will show you her favourite parts of her home and share her best interior tips with you.

Creating a harmonious and confident environment

Bette's current home is a charming one-bedroom apartment on the ground floor of an almost hundred-year-old stone building. She lives here with her partner Topi and her dog Nooa, an 8-year-old Jack Russell Terrier. The building is located close to the old square Puutori in central Turku. While they are living just a stone's throw away from all the city's amenities, they are also close to nature; forests, the river Aurajoki, the island and nature reserve Ruissalo and Turku archipelago: one of Finland's most spectacular natural attractions with its thousands of forested islets and rocky skerries.

Through the living room window, you can even catch a glimpse of the beautiful Jewish synagogue.

When Bette bought the apartment in 2020, she had it completely renovated. She wanted to restore the apartment's original appearance as far as possible and play with soft tones. The sturdy and beautiful original wooden floor was brought out and oiled in the same dark brown shade it once had. The decorative original wooden doors were highlighted by being painted brown, as an intriguing contrast to the white walls. When the renovation was completed, Bette rented out the apartment for a year before she eventually moved in herself with Topi and Nooa in February 2022.

"I wanted to restore the apartment's original appearance as far as possible and play with soft tones." - Bette Eklund

The old living room, including the connected alcove, was modernized into an open-concept floor plan with a combined kitchen, dining room and living room, with the new kitchen perfectly fitting into the old alcove. The old kitchen was transformed into a spacious bedroom and the old toilet and bathroom were combined into one large bathroom.

Bette inherited the artwork from her grandmother's sister. It's made by the Finnish artist Antti Niinimäki.Hide Sofa Bed invites for relaxing moments at home and is perfect as an extra bed for overnight guests. Our signature piece Deer Shelf Oak is absolutely one of the apartment's eye-catchers.

Bette's 3 best interior tips

1. Use colours: they give you surprisingly a lot of positive energy.
2. Use mirrors: they provide your space with light and reflections, making it appear larger than it really is.
3. Use round shapes: they add softness to your space and make it look larger than it really is.

"Remember to keep the space light and airy. Too many things easily create a disorderly feeling and make the space seem smaller than it really is." - Bette Eklund

Fan Stool Cobalt - Limited Edition has already found its way to Bette's home.

Bette's 3 best tips for creating a personal home

1. Highlight furniture and objects that put you in a good mood; remind you of good memories, convey positive energy and put a smile on your face.
2. Save and use old furniture and objects that tell a story, for example, old furniture and objects inherited from family and friends
3. Dare to be yourself and decorate with furniture and objects that you find attractive. Don't be afraid to combine different styles.

Bette organizes her clothes and accessories with the help of Lume Collection.In the bedroom, Bette has a prototype of both Idefix Bench and QBE Light.

Bette's 3 best tips for a minimalist and sustainable interior

1. Dare to shop second hand. Buy furniture and objects that have already lasted several decades. They will probably last several decades more.
2. Get furniture and objects that provide meaning to your home and that you know you couldn’t live without.
3. Remember the following aspects when you decorate: contrast, balance, proportions, repetition and airiness.

Lume Shoe Stand Large provides practical storage in the hallway.A prototype of our newcomer Wave Table has a special place in Bette's home.

 

This exclusive series was created to celebrate our 10th anniversary, which takes place this fall. Read the series to get a fresh look at BEdesign and a deeper insight into our exciting journey, which began already more than ten years ago. The series includes behind-the-scenes photos that have never been shared before. You can read the four previous parts here.