Nordic soul

Housing family heirlooms originating from Finland, Emilie Heinonen's Bristol home reflects her love of good design, form and function, as well as her desire to be surrounded by items with a story

- ALICE ROBERTON

Traditionally, Finnish families didn't have a lot of money, but they have always valued quality, functionality and aesthetics,' says interior designer Emilie Heinonen.

'Finns are keen collectors and buy a piece for life.' Born in Helsinki, and having spent her early years moving home frequently, Emilie says her true permanent sense of place is a wooden cottage her grandparents built in Finland. It may be surprising, then, to learn that her home today is a semi-detached, late-Georgian house in the creative city of Bristol - a far cry from a treehouse-like retreat surrounded by nature.

Having initially moved to Bristol from London in the 2000s, followed by a stint in Finland, Emilie and her partner who are keen walkers - and their two children returned in 2018, seeking city life with easy access to nature.

During her time working as an interior designer, Emilie has developed a fascination with how people navigate, feel and use their spaces - hence the name of her business, People & Spaces.

'I strongly believe that design and function go hand in hand, but so does the narrative - something that sits at the very soul of the house.