Classic Christmas in an old consul’s house: “In a big house, there’s plenty of everything—like three Christmas trees!”
After a quarter-century standing empty, this consul’s house in Loviisa, Finland, was restored as a home for Satu and Jarmo Rajala’s family. “We wanted to choose materials we wouldn’t have to replace in our lifetimes.”
This log house, built around the 1850s, stands in Loviisa, Southeastern Finland. It has 10 rooms, a kitchen, and three bathrooms, with around 260 square meters of living space. Living here are entrepreneur Satu Rajala, 51; Jarmo Rajala, 50, an executive in the software industry; three children still at home; and the family pets. Some of the children already live on their own but travel to Loviisa for Christmas. The family home is the former residence of the consuls of Estonia and Denmark in Loviisa. The Rajala family bought it in 2021. You can follow life in the house on Instagram at @satumaista.elamaa.
The renovation took a year and a half. During that time, whenever they were in Loviisa, Satu and Jarmo stayed in a travel trailer at a campground. The exterior cladding changed color from blue-gray to pale green. The shade, estimated to date from the 1920s–30s, was discovered during demolition and was the oldest layer found. They also removed the dilapidated unheated attic spaces, which revealed the roof’s form.
Satu and Jarmo designed the interior together. From the start, they knew there would be plenty of color. An orange-red tiled stove greets you in the entry hall. It looks old but is a recent addition to the house. They searched as far as Sweden for colorful tiles.
There’s such a lovely atmosphere in an old house! How do you celebrate Christmas here?
Satu: Our grown children come home, and we get to spend time together. On Christmas Eve we have rice porridge at midday. In the evening, the table is set with the traditional Finnish casseroles, fish, fish roe, and ham.
A new tradition began after we moved to Loviisa: on Christmas Eve we take a walk in the Old Town. It’s so beautiful here! Through the windows of the old houses you can see people settling in at softly lit tables, and amaryllis blooming on the windowsills. On Christmas Eve night the kids might watch a holiday movie, and I savor the candlelight. Sometimes we play Monopoly until the small hours.
“In a big house, there’s plenty of everything—like three Christmas trees!”
Satu Rajala
From the logs revealed beneath the old wall lining, a keen eye can see that the house tilts slightly toward the sea. The spot where an old passageway used to be is papered with Museum by Eijffinger. The bar cart is a one-of-a-kind piece designed by Aino Aalto.
They searched a long time for wallpaper for the downstairs hall. They wanted it to echo the style of the original British wallpaper. There had to be plenty of color, but the pattern couldn’t feel too busy. They chose Talavera by Cole & Son.
They pulled the terracotta tone from Cole & Son’s Talavera onto the painted chimney wall. During the renovation, the painter wondered if perhaps there should be some white in the house. Not a single wall was left without color.
What does Christmas look like in your home?
Satu: It’s easy to give this house an old-time Christmas, since it came with old furniture and objects. In a big house, there’s plenty of everything—like three Christmas trees!
Our first Christmas in this house felt like the something clicked into place. It simply feels so good to be here. Stars in the windows set the mood on winter evenings and delight people passing by.
We bought the large dining table and the candle chandelier even before we found the house—then we had to find a home to suit them. The tablecloth is from Satu’s go-to antique shop. The napkins were made from old pillowcases from a trousseau chest.
Good food is an essential part of the family’s Christmas. Satu makes big batches of the traditional Finnish Christmas casseroles herself, and rice porridge is served for lunch on Christmas Eve. The dishes came with the house. The dinnerware is Suvi by Arabia, designed by Raija Uosikkinen in the 1950s. For Christmas dinner the adults dress more festively than on ordinary days; the children don’t have to.
How did you restore the 170-year-old house?
Satu: We renovated the house for a year and a half. It was almost in its original state, and no one had lived here for 25 years. Parts of the subfloor had collapsed, and there were old water stains on the interior ceilings. For the first six months we did the demolition ourselves and with volunteer help; after that, we had professionals do the work. I now fully understand how a renovation can take ten years for some people.
We renovated the house in keeping with its original spirit. The building materials are breathable, the light switches are porcelain, the radiators are cast iron, and the trim follows a traditional Loviisa profile. We wanted to choose materials we wouldn’t have to replace in our lifetimes.
There are many Christmas trees and evergreen arrangements throughout the house. Satu made the fir garland for the stair railing herself.
Satu had clipped together her dream kitchen in a scrapbook, and the turquoise and orange color scheme came from there. The birch kitchen was built by local carpenter Patrik Hellsten. Satu calls the kitchen Makita-colored after the tool range. The cutting board and bread box are among the home’s original belongings.
The spacious, light-filled bathroom used to be the maid’s room. The tub was bought from Domus Classica. The walls are tiled with Artisan White from Värisilmä, and the floor has Play Oxide White tiles.
What does it feel like to live in an old house?
Jarmo: I couldn’t have imagined how wonderful the house would become. When I visited the first time, it looked gloomy and dark. Luckily Satu saw its possibilities. As the house started coming back together, it began to feel like home. It’s an awesome feeling to have preserved so much of the original. Even the building inspector said, “You’ve made a beautiful home.”
Upstairs, the fern-patterned wallpaper shifts with the light. It’s at its most beautiful in the evening, when it catches indirect light. The wallpaper is Fern Forest by Boråstapeter. The chairs and coffee table are original to the house; Satu has already restored one of the chairs.
Most of the furniture was part of the house’s estate. The small floor lamp and the bookshelves are original to the house. All the lights were rewired. The rattan armchair was upholstered by Satu.
