Alarm clocks were left behind in the city! Maisa and Antti’s family made their home at Brobäck farm, where they live in tune with nature

At Brobäck, Maisa and Antti Hakanen’s dream came true. They decided to move from Helsinki to the countryside and discovered the perfect farm in Raseborg, where the children can run around the yard while horses graze in the meadow. Raseborg is not far from the capital region, and the area has wonderful spots for the family to swim in during summer. They live by nature’s rhythm, alarm clocks were left behind in the city and the sun now wakes the children.

Maisa’s morning always begins in the stable. She lists out the day’s tasks and crosses them off once done. The photo also shows ponies Titus, Tiikka, and Rose.

The family has many animals. In summer, the yard rings with the clucking of chickens.

Antti and Maisa are happy with the materials used in their home. They’re durable and easy to clean—ideal for a family with children.

Maisa, chance played a part in finding Brobäck farm. What did you love about the place?

We already had our eye on another place when we noticed the ad for this one. Spring was at its prettiest when we first visited the farm: the sun was shining, and a stream was flowing. I’ve loved horses since school and always dreamed of having my own right in my yard.

The previous owners had been searching for an old house in a picturesque setting. When they couldn’t find one, they decided to build a house in a turn-of-the-century style. The main building has an older home’s charm. With every visit, we discovered new fascinating details and fell further in love with the property. The walls and doors have beautiful colors and hand-painted details that make the house unique.

The entryway opens into the living room, whose double doors lead to the backyard. Two chandeliers easily fit in the same space.

Many of the living room’s furnishings, like the wooden sofa and trunk, came from the previous owners.

The house was in good shape, but you decided to renovate it. What did you do?

We put up new wallpaper, painted the ceilings, and redid the bathrooms. We also added a cooling-off room with a fireplace to the backyard sauna. Last summer, we built a greenhouse and a large deck. Our parents are close friends and have helped us a lot with both renovations and childcare.

Upstairs in the parents’ bedroom, the atmosphere is peaceful. The hostess cabinet was already in the house. The armchair is from IKEA.

You also host travelers in your home. How does that work?

We renovated a small yard cottage, originally an artist’s studio, for residential use. We host guests there and in another cottage we added. The beautiful nature in Raseborg and its proximity to Fiskars attract travelers from all over the world. We’ve really had the world come to us, especially in summer when the rental business is at its busiest. It feels natural for us to have guests around most of the time. A friend was a bit surprised when he saw an Asian man in our yard wearing only a towel, but we love that different cultures can meet—even in something like our outdoor shower.

Maisa and Antti found their kitchen dining set at a flea market. Friends and family gather around it.

The kitchen stove is both pretty and practical. In winter, it heats the entire kitchen. The backsplash tiles are handmade.

Pull-out drawers are built under the staircase steps, where they store hats, scarves, and mittens.

What is your everyday life like?

There’s always a lot going on with the kids and animals. Being a foster family adds even more life to our daily routine. It’s great living here with children because the house can handle wear and tear, so we’re not worried about every little bump.

The children enjoy caring for the ponies and going on carriage rides. I wind down on horseback in the nearby forests once the stable chores are done. At the end of the day, I head to the sauna and cool off on its porch by the fire.

Boating is our family’s shared hobby. We take short trips in the Raseborg archipelago, since we can’t be away from home for too long. We co-own a boat with another family. We also often invite friends to visit.

Guests stay in the outbuilding. The couple bought it at a fair and renovated it. They found the kitchen cupboard in the stable loft, and Antti fitted it with a sink.

The stylish gray-painted outhouse has a Biolan composting toilet.

What do you dream about?

It would be nice to expand our lodging business into the main house once our children are older. I also dream of opening a small summer café in the yard.

Should we go to the sauna or the hot tub? In the Hakanen household, the hot tub is heated almost as often as the sauna.

The main house may look old, but it was built around twenty years ago using eco-friendly methods on the site of an older home.