“When the gate is open, feel free to stop by”—this charming community garden cottage serves as a preparty gathering spot and an oasis in everyday life

Laura and Jannis Mavrostomos became owners of an community garden cottage thanks to their quick action, since cottages in Kumpula’s community garden sell swiftly. This creative couple always has some interior design project underway, and they boldly realize their dreams without much hesitation.

“This cottage is an extension of our home. It’s not a vacation spot but rather a part of our daily lives. We spend the least time here in July because that’s when we travel. The cottage and garden add a touch of glamour to our everyday life.” Laura’s cousin built the terrace last summer. The light patio furniture was found at the Prisma hypermarket, and it is among the few new pieces purchased for the cottage. The slightly off-white exterior walls provide a great backdrop for colorful flowers.

How did you end up buying a community garden cottage?

Laura: We live in Kallio, at the center of Helsinki, and life at the community garden provides a good counterbalance to our hectic everyday life. In Kallio, we can’t yet let our boys go out on their own, but here they can go get ice cream with the neighbors’ children.

Jannis: This cottage had the right vibe, and we knew we wanted a cottage on this side. Even in such a small area, the plots are really different. The location at the edge of the forest sealed our decision.

‘Bakfickan’ is a term used in the restaurant world, meaning a smaller and more affordable version of the main restaurant. The idea for the wall piece came from Laura. Jannis drew a picture, which Laura then used to create the embroidery.

Do you know the history of the cottage?

Jannis: Community gardens were originally intended for less affluent Helsinki residents, where they could live during the summer and grow food. The Kumpula community garden was established in 1926. We know that before the seller’s family, a pharmacist named Tähtitanner lived here. The name was written on the underside of the kitchen table. The old lady next door told us that the garden was very well maintained during the pharmacist’s time. In the middle of the garden was a heart-shaped flowerbed and a burl gate in the fence. Passersby still miss that gate.

The 1950s kitchen cabinet was found secondhand and was free. Jannis built the kitchen countertop and painted it in a shade of lavender. Behind the curtain, sewn from Marimekko’s Tiiliskivi fabric, is a cart from Ikea, which holds items like a coffee grinder, kettle, and toaster.

What kind of renovations did you do?

Laura: First of all, we found out what needed to be done to this cottage. A workman who knows the area and has done many renovations here recommended that we demolish the cottage and buy a new one instead. In the long run, it would have been cheaper. However, that wasn’t an option for us because we value the atmosphere of the old cottage.

Jannis: The cottage was leaning to the side, and its base was filled with all sorts of junk. First, we cleaned up under the cottage, then we straightened it and had a new floor built. We wanted to remove the loft ceiling to get as much space and openness as possible. We cut open the loft ceiling with a chainsaw, there was sawdust up to our knees. On the ceiling, we found old newspapers, skis, and poles. The felt roof was in such poor condition that it would have had to be replaced at some point anyway, so we replaced it at the same time.

What have you built for the cottage yourselves?

Jannis: Almost everything in our cottage is homemade or at least customized. I built the bed from birch plywood and a bench around the dining table from the same material. The table belonged to the cottage’s previous resident, pharmacist Tähtitanner. I wanted to give it a speckled surface, so I customized it by sprinkling small pieces cut from black protective plastic into the wet paint. The cabinet in the entryway is built of Ikea Ivar cabinets and rattan ordered by the meter. It’s nice to do small-scale building projects here because in Kallio you can’t really go outside to build a cabinet or a bed.

The rattan cabinet is a DIY customization made of Ikea’s Ivar cabinets and rattan mesh ordered by the meter. The dresser is a secondhand find. Laura loves paint color samples—she always has a painting project going on, so it’s good to have a bunch of color samples always at hand.

The kitchen table was left in the cottage by its previous resident, pharmacist Tähtitanner. Jannis customized it to be speckled by mixing small pieces of protective plastic into lavender-colored paint. On weekends, the couple sets breakfast on the dining table and enjoys it at leisure. Laura bought the chairs secondhand one and a half years before they found the cottage. The chairs were waiting to be brought out from Laura’s parents’ storage.

This tiny wall rug is Laura’s own handiwork. The tube vase is a gift from a friend; it’s from Tiger. The flowers are from their own garden.

How did the cottage’s color scheme come to be?

Laura: The bed that Jannis built defined the decor; it was the first thing built in the cottage. I realized that I could create a completely different decor for the cottage than we have at home. At home, we have very colorful decor; here, everything is a bit more earthy. We wanted as many wood surfaces visible as possible, which we don’t really have at home. The ceiling was left in its natural wood color, as was the floor. Except for the green in the entryway, we’ve used muted and delicate shades—light green and lavender.

Laura has always liked the color green, but it would have been too dark a shade for their home. It suits the cottage’s entryway because the space is bright and small. The lush nature surrounding the cottage seems to spread into the entryway.

What kind of interior decorators are you?

Jannis: We’re enthusiasts who love good vibes. We’re also doers. If we get an idea, we quickly put it into action, we don’t linger or wonder for too long. We either go to great lengths to find exactly what we’re looking for, or we buy spontaneously if something comes our way. And if we can’t find something, we make it ourselves. I collect inspiration images and have already created a Pinterest board for our future second home, even though that second home doesn’t yet exist. Even if all of our dreams won’t come true, we need to have a project that we can start planning, at least on paper.

Laura: I like to spot wacky and fun things that inspire me at flea markets. I don’t want the same things that everyone else has. Be it items or a cottage or home, everything must have soul and character. We both also get inspiration from Instagram images. When we come across interesting images or accounts, we share them with each other and enjoy them together.

This wicker chair was found in Laura’s parents’ storage. The stove is from Bauhaus. The small wall rug is Laura’s own handiwork, and the larger one was made by Jannis’s mother as a 40th birthday gift for Laura.

As soon as the exterior surfaces of the cottage had been renovated, Jannis built a pirate ship for the boys. “The boys were in the way and bored during the renovation, so I built them a ship so I could continue renovating in peace.”

Community garden living surely differs from regular cottage life. Could you talk a little bit about that?

Laura: Allotment garden cottage life is communal, and the plots are side by side, so of course, there are more neighbors than at a regular summer cottage. Some residents are very active, and here it’s hoped that residents participate in activities, but it’s not mandatory. On Sundays, there’s a barn café organized by volunteers, where residents sell their homemade baked goods, produce from the plots, and grilled sausages. The proceeds go to the association.

Jannis: At first, we wondered whether the communal aspect was good or bad, but what we feared the most ended up being a win. We have a family friend here with whom we got a shared pizza oven. In the evenings we bake pizzas, the kids play in the garden, and we sit in the garden late into the evening. When the garden season begins, the kids always start asking when we’ll have the pizza nights again. Doing things together and eating together is meaningful for everyone.

What kind of moments do you cherish the most at this cottage?

Jannis: The best moments here are the evenings when we put the boys to bed and get to sit outside together, just the two of us. When we pull out the lower bed, the atmosphere changes completely, and the cottage becomes a bedroom. Weekend breakfasts are also some of my favorite moments. We’re breakfast people—we set the table lavishly and sit at leisure.

Laura: I love that we have a place where we can host gatherings for a larger group. I like to organize parties. I’ve hosted things like summer gatherings for my work group and preparties for the Flow Festival for our friends at the cottage. Everyone is welcome here. When the gate is open, it’s a sign that you’re welcome to stop by the garden.

The birch plywood bed made by Jannis was the first piece of furniture built in the cottage, and it defined the decor. Emil and Anton sleep in the lower pull-out bed. When the lower bed is pulled out and the family goes to sleep, the cottage transforms into a cozy bedroom.

The 20-square-meter community garden cottage was built in Kumpula in 1926.

The best thing at the cottage is the spending family time together and having long breakfasts on weekends. Laura enjoys organizing parties, and gatherings with friends are among her favorite moments at this cottage. At the garden table, the family can sit surrounded by apple and cherry trees.