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Finn Finesse

By Alecia Stevens

Photo by alex steinberg

Sometimes you just want to be surrounded by things that make your heart sing, especially in a home far from home. The owners of this classic riverfront loft in Minneapolis, who grew up in Europe, have long been ardent admirers of Alvar Aalto, the prolific Finnish architect and designer who introduced simple materials and modern lines to Europe (and beyond) in the mid-twentieth century. To bring life to their vision, the couple worked with FinnStyle, a home furnishings and gift store in Minneapolis dedicated exclusively to Finnish design. Store manager Elina Ruppert calls the collaboration a “very happy match.”

1 Color

If it makes you happy, use it. Hot pink, coral, red, yellow, and lime green all work together here. The African art also reflects the homeowners’ love of robust color. “Non-colors” black and white make the perfect foils for the intensity of the hues and the light, natural wood and brick. Even the red roses, looking like a prop borrowed from a David Lynch film noir, pop all the more in their stark, white Aalto vase.

2 Pattern

It’s been a while since we’ve seen much use of pattern, thanks to minimalists Barbara Barry and Christian Liaigre. But here, the black-and-white zebra pattern is graphic and strong, adding support to a voluminous room and holding its own amid the commanding reds. It also stands out because of the limited use of pattern in the other furnishings; only the art is a competitor.

3 Line up

The art is hung gallery-style here, a great no-nonsense look and a practical way to display your favorite pieces if you have the luxury of a long wall. Sometimes the whole matter of hanging art gets over-analyzed, and a simple solution is best: Just get it up there in a line at eye level.

4 Classics

These white, cotton-duck sofas are never wrong. A sofa like this may not be compelling on its own, but it is a workhorse, graciously playing a supporting role to everything around it. Until you inherit or acquire the sofa of your dreams, you won’t go wrong with a square, modern shape in white or muslin.

5 Useful sculpture

Alvar Aalto designed this lamp in 1959 for the home of French art dealer Louis Carré. Romantically called the “angel” lamp for its wing-like shapes, it is so much more than a light source: It’s also a beautiful asymmetric, sculptural form. You’ve got to have lighting. Make it a statement.

Alecia Stevens is a Minneapolis interior designer and stylist.

For more information on resources featured in this story, please reference our Buyer's Guide.

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