In the fall of 2025, 135 new Avara rental homes were completed on Veturitie in Keski-Pasila, Helsinki, featuring interior designs by Suvi Pokela of Alva Interiors. We spoke with Suvi to learn about her design vision for the new Veturitie development.
1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and your approach to the project?
I am Suvi Pokela, an interior designer and founder of Alva Interiors. My main work involves designing homes and vacation properties, so through my client projects, I have a good understanding of what is desired from a home. I started designing interior concepts for Avara in the fall of 2023.
2. Where did you get the inspiration for the interior design themes?
The inspiration came from rental situations and the diverse life circumstances of tenants. A new home often signifies a new phase in life, but it also involves significant emotions. I wanted to create homes that feel warm and inviting from the start. Additionally, the urban location of the property and its proximity to the old railway yard area in Pasila added a unique touch to the design.
3. What kind of interior concepts did you design for the properties?
The goal was to create two different color and material schemes that exude coziness and warmth. The choices needed to withstand time and use, but also be contemporary, so I started designing clear and harmonious ensembles that would serve as a base for various interior styles even as trends change.
Although the main focus was on timelessness, the themes feature currently popular oak as well as shades of green and terracotta. All apartments have warm-toned oak flooring, complemented in some apartments by muted light, soft greige, and calm gray-green shades on the walls and built-in furniture; chrome is used in the details. In the apartments designed according to the second interior theme, the kitchen is also oak, and the color scheme includes rose beige and steel.
4. How do the interior themes support the longterm attractiveness of the apartment in the rental market?
Traditionally, the rental home market has aimed for longevity by keeping the color and material schemes of apartments as neutral as possible. This approach has likely aimed to create homes that appeal to as many people as possible, but the result may have been somewhat cold and uninviting. The thoughtful colors and materials of the Veturitie apartments, along with cohesive lighting, support living comfort and provide a natural base for tenants’ own personal interior design. I believe tenants will also appreciate the investment in the coziness of the common areas.
5. What kind of wishes did Avara have for the interior design?
Avara emphasized durability, timelessness, and adherence to the budget, but at the same time, Avara wanted to do something different within the limits of possibility and offer good living conditions to future tenants.
6. How are the principles of sustainable development reflected in the design?
The surface and material choices for the homes were made to ensure they withstand time.
7. How did you consider the different needs and lifestyles of tenants in the design?
chose colors and surface materials that suit different interior styles and provide a harmonious and clear base. The different interior themes of the apartments give tenants more options to find a home that matches their own style.
This interview has also been published in our Sustainability Report. Explore the 2024 Sustainability Report via the link below.
Learn more about Alva Interiors: alvainteriors.fi
Images: 1. Photo of a completed apartment and 2. Digital rendering from the design phase. The images show different interior design themes.
