Home Tour: An Eclectic And Artsy Interior Design Inspired By Indian Adventures

We love seeing something a bit different at Rooms Solutions.

And we know you do too.

There needs to be more bright and beautiful Boho homes based in Finland and, if it’s already a thing, we need to feature some more in our Home Tours.

The home you’re going to see and read about is one that spreads pure joy about like it’s pre-microwave-melted butter on toast.

We believe homes represent the people who live inside them and Tara is a great example of this.

She runs the Instagram account: @j.o.y.h.o.m.e

You’re about to see and read about how she styles her home with a beautifully eclectic mix of items with an arty tone throughout.

If you’re searching for an excuse to buy bold colors and fabric prints then you’ve found one…

Q&A With Tara

Where did you first get the inspiration for creating such a bright and happy home?

The day I left to go India on my own, I received a message saying that I had been selected to rent this house I live in.

I had only been to one viewing, but I fell in love with it instantly. I am an author, so I wrote a long heartwarming plea on the back of the application form, saying what great care I’d take of the house if I was chosen.

I was so happy to be picked!

I’m a single mum of three so the time in India – on my own – was heaven. I was so inspired by the fabrics, carpets and colors of India.

I went a bit nuts, buying bed spreads, carpets, lamps, ornaments, all sorts of little bits and bobs.

I had over 30kgs extra luggage on my way back home!

It was -30 degrees Celsius, I had snow up to my claves when I moved, but my house felt like pure sunshine!

I lay all the colorful things in the middle of the floor, bought cans of paint and started creating.

I had an empty house, a white canvas to start with, and I had so much fun creating a “Mini India” in Finland.

How do you go about finding such amazing furniture?

Flee markets are my jam, I have found most of my furniture spending very little money.

I love painting old wooden furniture with bright coloured chalk paint.

I love Annie Sloan chalk paints and she has many videos on YouTube showing how to create the boho worn look on furniture.

My flower sofa was bought second hand from Facebook Marketplace and I regularly scout it for great finds, in fact, the only thing I don’t buy second hand is carpets and I love love carpets.

I live in Finland (like Santa Claus) and it is freezing in the autumn and winter, so I like to cover as much of the floor as possible with colorful, thick carpets.

Do you have a favorite room in the house?

I’ll just say downstairs, since my kids live upstairs and let’s just say décor is NOT a priority for teenagers. 

Downstairs is my domain with the porch full of plants, the living room with the awesome turquoise table, the bright yellow room and the turquoise room with the mandala painting my friend painted on the wall.

I change the rooms often, so there’s no one room to call my bedroom for instance, I have slept in most of them and the sofa has been in every room except the porch!

What’s been the most challenging aspect to styling the most joyful home in existence?

With over 140 plants to keep the place feeling alive and jungly, the challenge in Finland is light.

For some reason lamps do nothing for me (but show me carpets and I start drooling!) I have a hard time finding cool boho style lamps, but plants don’t seem to survive in candle light…

Plants take up a lot of space near the windows, which sometimes makes it hard to arrange furniture in all the weird and wacky ways I’d like to.

What advice do you have for others who are still trying to find their style?

Start with one corner!

I always start planning the room with one corner.

Do you have a nook or a corner space in your room you could maybe paint or wallpaper? Put some shelves on? Hang a plant from the ceiling? I urge you to get your favorite things and have them on display in this corner or nook.

It will be YOUR space, with your favorite colors, your favorite fabrics and your special things.

It will inspire you every day and give you confidence to select another place in your house to make look like you.

Don’t worry about getting it right the first time.

It’s only paint!

The room that is now painted turquoise has a wall that was first painted maroon, then wallpapered with flowery wallpaper and now it’s chalk painted BLACK!

Think of your house like it’s a canvas to play around with. How are you ever going to be satisfied or find your style if you don’t try things out?

And when you do find your style, be proud of it and flaunt it.

Nobody else needs to like it.

You do, and that’s all that matters.

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Rooms Solutions would like to say a huge thank you to Tara for agreeing to answer these questions and take part in another fantastic Home Tour.

You can see more of Tara’s home on her Instagram page: @j.o.y.h.o.m.e