A lively bernedoodle named Hugo is the first to greet visitors at the door of a loft apartment in one of Katajanokka’s historic buildings.

Reima Rytsölä, CEO of Lumo Homes, invites us in and leads the way to the spacious open-plan kitchen. Recently refurbished in a contemporary style, the apartment is given a sense of warmth and grounding by a large wooden dining table, with enough room for the whole blended family when everyone gets together: five children, two parents and one dog.

Reima and his wife moved from Kaartinkaupunki to Katajanokka in June 2026. Renting suits a couple who also own a leisure home in Pickala, allowing them to divide their time between the two properties throughout the year.

“The sense of community in Katajanokka has been a really pleasant surprise. Several people we’ve never met before have genuinely welcomed us to the neighbourhood, which is a wonderful feature of the area,” Reima says.

Ending up in Katajanokka was not entirely a foregone conclusion, and a little luck played its part, too.

“We’d already reserved a Lumo apartment on Töölönkatu, but at the last minute, the letting agent called to say that an attic apartment was about to become available in Katajanokka,” Reima recalls. “My wife and I had already gone back and forth over the moving arrangements, and I think I even said that perhaps we should just go with the apartment on Töölönkatu. But we decided to come and have a look at this one after all. We knew immediately that this was the apartment for us.”

Moving into a Lumo home has given the company’s CEO an even closer perspective on what renting a home is really about.

“As a resident, I get to experience first-hand how our service concept works and what we could improve,” Reima says.

The apartment brings together old and new in an interesting way. The building dates back to 1938, but when it was converted into apartments in 2022, modern features were introduced. These can be seen in the technology, finishes and even the glazed balcony.

“There’s a kind of hybrid feel to it,” Reima says.

After a long working day, it is good to stretch out in front of the television and unwind. The focal point of the living room is the generously proportioned and playfully sculptural ‘Big Mama’ armchair from the Serie Up collection, designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1969.

“It’s a lovely place to watch television, get some work done or just sit and mull things over.”

Elsewhere, the interior is characterised by modern minimalism.

“There’s something calming about a pared-back, straightforward interior. What I want from a home is for it to bring me peace and energy. Having too much stuff around would feel overwhelming.”

It is important to be comfortable at home, even when work carries on into the evening.

“I often work in bed, reading documents on my iPad, for example.”

In the same breath, however, Reima is quick to point out that working from home is not really his thing.

“In my world, it disrupts the boundaries of home. That’s why I spend a lot of time at the office during the day. Even if I do some more work at home in the evening, I’ve still moved between the office and home during the day. It gives me a change of scene.”

Reima says the meaning of home has changed several times throughout his life. Different stages of life bring different needs and expectations.

“Of course, it depends on whether your children are young, older or have already moved out. Now that it’s just the two of us and Hugo, our priorities when it comes to location are different. When the children were younger, it was important to have their hobbies and activities nearby. Now, having good restaurants close by matters more,” Reima says.

“And renting offers much more flexibility as life circumstances and needs change than owning a home. It can be much harder to sell a property when you need to move on, especially if the housing market is slow.”

The meaning of home is not defined by ownership, but by how a place makes you feel. Home is wherever you feel at home.

“Exactly,” Reima nods. “Why shouldn’t a rented apartment feel like home? My wife and I know that, in practice, we can live here for as long as we want. It’s very unusual for Lumo to terminate a tenancy. As a rule, residents can trust that they’ll be able to stay in the home they’ve chosen for the rest of their lives.”

Hugo lifts his head and watches the interview taking place around the kitchen table. Then he stretches out on the floor again with a contented sigh.

“Life is certainly a lot more peaceful these days,” Reima reflects. “And we can do whatever we feel like. The sea is close by, there are lovely walking routes, and the city centre is within walking distance. Hugo, of course, takes up a bit of our time, which is refreshing and enjoyable.”

“In the end, it’s the little things that make you feel at home,” Reima sums up.

The guest bedroom door is closed. Although all but one of the children have already moved out, their parents’ home remains a place to return to at different stages of life.

“My daughter and her husband are staying with us this week while they escape the chaos of renovations,” Reima laughs. “We’re getting a little practice at family life with children again.”