Alone in her 100-year-old Finnish cottage, Emmi learns carpentry from YouTube: “I believe you should always try”
Emmi bought a small, hundred-year-old cottage and has shaped it to suit her perfectly. For Emmi, the best part of time alone at the classic Finnish cottage is getting to do everything entirely on her own terms.
The listing had just the right floral wallpaper. The cottage she found online won over Emmi Hanhikoski. When she got there, she still loved it, so she closed on the small classic cottage.
“I had been looking for a cottage for years. I had a strong need to have something of my own—a nice little slice of the homeland.”
At the time of the purchase, in the winter of 2022, COVID restrictions were still in place. Emmi was married, and her spouse had a big, old single-family house. Even Emmi herself wondered why add a cottage to look after, too. Still, having a place of her own where she could do everything exactly the way she wanted felt important.
Two and a half years later, when Emmi’s marriage ended in divorce, the cottage proved unexpectedly valuable.
“Breakups come with very tangible changes that can feel heavy. Many struggle with not having anything of their own after a split. I had a cottage. It gave me a sense of security. The cottage also served as a storage space when I stashed my furniture there before getting a new place.”
Sitting on the cottage’s steps in late summer, you can listen to perfect silence. Sometimes there’s not even birdsong. It’s the quiet that Emmi loves at her cottage. At home, on an apartment balcony in downtown Jyväskylä, the bustle of the city is a constant background hum.
Another joy at the cottage is seeing the results of her own handiwork. By day Emmi works in an office, but at the cottage she’s done small renovations and even built a window from scratch using YouTube tutorials.
“I probably won’t quit my day job just yet! But I believe you should always at least try. Don’t be afraid of not knowing how—learning comes from doing.”
Alongside learning to make a window, Emmi has delved into the ins and outs of composting at the cottage. She wants to do everything herself that she can.
If her own strength and skills aren’t enough, she asks the neighbor next door for help. Most recently, the neighbor helped fell a large tree.
What Emmi loves most about cottage time alone is the complete independence. No one dictates the schedule or how the cottage should look, or how she arranges her yard.
Emmi has wanted to honor the spirit of her 100-year-old log cottage. The cottage has electricity but no running water, television, or even a mirror. She leaves her laptop at home whenever possible.
“Everyday aesthetics are hugely important to me. Now it feels like I’ve got the cottage just the way I want it. Next up is the yard.”
