Ceramist Leena Kouhia - My Milieu

Ceramist Leena Kouhia - My Milieu

What is your Milieu like, Leena?

We live in the middle of the city with my spouse Tapani Rantanen and our dog Liisa. The house, located in a courtyard, used to be a metal shed and was built in the '30s. In the house, there isn't a single straight line. The roof and the windowsills are skewed, each window a different size, framing the scenery uniquely in every room. We have our own little yard, glass terrace, and a rhubarb bed. The old brick wall tells of times past.

 

Our home is quirky, and that's why we fell in love with it at first sight. We appreciate the edgy vibe of the house, honoring it by choosing a lot of second-hand furniture for our interior. We have a 4-meter-long solid wood dining table with arched legs, Hans Wegner's CH25 chair, a Thonet rocking chair, a sofa by Carl Malmstein, and an old archive cabinet from a police station. Additionally, we have brought a lot of art into our home. What feels like home is really up to the spirit world.

I spend a lot of time in my atelier, which I have decorated with the same philosophy. The old weathered wood is an important material for me, serving as a backdrop for my ceramic works, where I aim for ruggedness and a minimalist design language.

 

 

What moods do you aim to convey through your choice of colors?

My relationship with colors is primal. It's hard to put into words where the colors that speak to me arise. The color palette of my life consists of brushed, down-to-earth colors.  

Bright tones such as bright red can be quite difficult for me, depending on whether it is about the interior, lipstick, or a car. I'm not one to exclude colors, but the purpose affects my choices. It all comes down to how the color interacts with different materials and light.

 

 

While I relentlessly enjoy my time alone, I'm very lively and social by nature. I'm a person of opposites, and although my ceramics are simplified, I'm not a minimalist. I can admire others' minimalist homes, but if you go to my "saved" file on Instagram, you will find eclectic mansion interiors from England, floral wallpapers, and cushions. I love extremes.

 

 

What have you been inspired by lately?

About orange. Specifically, a ridiculously bright orange. I bought shoes that are orange like an orange, almost neon orange! I was surprised myself as well, as I usually don't like the orange spectrum. I also enjoyed the new Café Savoy in Helsinki designed by Studio Joanna Laajisto. It was a fabulous dining experience! I pondered what this straw-yellow light or color is that surrounds me everywhere? It made me feel unbelievably good. During my trip to London, the color palette of artist Frederic Leighton's home museum inspired me with its combinations of lemon yellow and turquoise. I wouldn't want to live in such an ornate environment myself, but the combination of colors and styles was impressive.

Leena's Milieu-shades:

SJLO1 Afternoon White
SJLO05 Celadon Grey Green
021 Water Green
025 Baltic Blue

My Milieu