First Christmas at Ekkulla: from run-down school to cozy home—“life on our own terms tastes exactly like this”
With just two days left until Christmas Eve, a calm mood fills this old village school. In the home of Ninni, Gro, and Rafael Donner, final holiday preparations are underway.
This more-than-a-century-old red-and-white log house stands proudly under the shelter of sturdy-trunked oaks. The snowfall remains outside the doors as Ninni, Gro and Rafael Donner warmly welcome you to their home, Ekkulla. While the snow changes the landscape, the house may already look familiar from television.
In the Finnish documentary series “Kaipuu maalle – Kyläkoulusta koti”, viewers were able to follow the couple as they renovated the building into their home. The show generated plenty of attention thanks to Ninni and Rafael’s optimism and determination. Restoring a building that had fallen into disrepair was a massive project, and throughout the demanding renovation, they experienced big emotions. But in the end, everything worked out. The run-down village school was turned into a home, they got married, and Gro was born into the family.
Home: A primary school built in the early 1900s. The downstairs area measures 260 square meters (2,800 sq ft). The house also has an attic, an outbuilding, a sauna, a small shed, and a 1.5-hectare (3.7-acre) yard
Christmas celebrants: Rafael and Gro Donner.
Follow on social media: @ekkulla
There are only two days until Christmas Eve, and neither renovation fatigue nor holiday stress is in sight. Gro is trying out her first steps and, as an energetic child, keeps her parents on their toes. While the snow flutters against the windows, it’s peaceful and cozy inside. The wood-burning tile stoves provide comforting warmth, and star-shaped lights in the windows bring a festive atmosphere indoors.
“Our Christmas decorations are quite simple and natural. Fir branches, candles, and a tree are enough,” Ninni notes.
The first Christmas at Ekkulla will be celebrated with Ninni’s relatives. The plan is relaxed togetherness, good food, and music. Ninni has printed out carol lyrics for everyone to sing along.
“Ninni’s family is musical and loves to sing. In my own childhood home, music didn’t play such a big role. So I really enjoy the musical tradion Ninni has brought,” Rafael explains.
A much-awaited visitor, Ninni’s beloved grandmother who lives in France, arrives bearing champagne. It’s served with salmon tartare and ceviche on fried rice paper.
“It’s been fun putting together our first Ekkulla Christmas menu. Rafael and I love good food and enjoy cooking. We eat just about anything, but we especially like fish.”
On Christmas Eve, the menu is heavy on appetizers: whitefish and vendace roe with all the trimmings, cured whitefish and salmon, mustard herring, and shrimp salad. And of course, Christmas rye bread! For the main course, Rafael will make a venison roast using the sous vide method. With it, they’ll serve carrot casserole, their own turnip casserole, and potato casserole from a neighbor. A crisp green salad with vinaigrette also belongs on the table. After the tangy salad, cheeses taste especially good. In addition to a traditional spiced cake, Ninni will prepare lemon posset for dessert.
“These lemon puddings, made with only three ingredients, can be easily prepared in advance and served when it’s dessert time. We’ll also enjoy lovely truffles from Rafael’s older brother, who lives in Belgium with his family and always brings local treats when they visit Finland.”
“Moving to the countryside was a big change. We’ve been building our home with our own hands, honoring the spirit of the house.”
On Christmas Eve, they also plan to visit the quaint old wooden church in Mustio, about a ten-minute walk from Ekkulla. The lakeside path winding through the ironworks area is beautiful in both summer and winter. Before heading to church, they’ll have rice porridge and mulled wine.
To visitors, the house radiates harmony and beauty, but the couple mostly notices what remains unfinished.
“When you own an old house, you have to tolerate some level of incompleteness,” Rafael says.
“When you own an old house, you have to tolerate some level of incompleteness.”
The former gym hall, now the living room, is still waiting for a wall-to-wall bookcase for their own books and the hundreds they’ve inherited. The proportions of this large space are clear when you see perfectly how a four-meter Christmas tree fits here.
“When I first walked into Ekkulla, I saw its potential and imagined where each piece of furniture would go. But of course, our pieces from a small apartment weren’t nearly enough. Luckily, we got some furniture from relatives and made a few good second-hand finds online. It’ll take a while for everything to fall into place and for us to see what else is needed. You should live in an old house for a while so it can show you what it requires,” Ninni says.
The creative couple already has plans for summer: possibly opening a café and expanding Rafael’s vegetable garden. But first, the old schoolhouse will fill with Christmas and music. A life shaped on their own terms truly tastes exactly like this, the happy couple says.
“There is space to breathe and wander at Ekkulla. Life here feels peaceful and true to who we are.”
