This tiny sauna cabin made a family’s dream come true—“For us, a cabin site among the rocks was an opportunity”

What can an early bird accomplish at the cabin? The morning routine of early-rising, morning-loving Mikko Haltia offers a great example.

“I head out on the lake to check the nets while the others are still asleep. Then I clean the fish and start heating the hot tub. Later in the day, the children get to warm up in it between their swims,” Mikko says.

There’s time for so many things now, but just a few years ago, the property looked like a construction site.

“Construction no longer dictates how we spend our time. Though I do enjoy the work,” Mikko adds.

The fire pit was one of the first purchases. It’s surrounded by lightweight, weatherproof chairs. The base of the slate stone seating area is made up of crushed stone, insulation, and a layer of cushion sand. Majakivi’s slate stones offered the perfect shade of gray to match the terrace’s composite.

Flowerbeds with stone borders line the path. Purple is the most prominent color among the flowers. Ornamental sage and mint have a long blooming season, and the mint has spread into a charming mat over a few years.

Lake Päijänne is still a fairly new discovery for the family. The Haltias had been searching for a cabin within a few hours’ drive of their home in southern Finland. They viewed various properties in different areas, but all the available cabins were in such poor condition that they would have required extensive renovations.

“After exploring the available cabins for a while, we decided to look for a plot of land instead,” Mikko explains.

Inside the cabin, mirrors increase the sense of spaciousness.

The kitchen’s wall unit was purchased from IKEA. The soft gray Veddinge cabinets contrast with the walls, which were treated using a light-toned protective agent for log walls.

Soon enough, they found a suitable plot on the eastern shore of Lake Päijänne in Sysmä.

“Someone else might have seen a rocky cabin site as impossible, but for our family, it was an opportunity,” Mikko says.

The Haltias decided to make an offer on the plot, and half an hour later, it was accepted.

Before construction, the plot was nothing but a field of rocks. Now, the terrace provides an unobstructed view of Päijänne. A Quu Design light fixture hangs from the ceiling of the summer kitchen. Mikko heats the hot tub as soon as they arrive at the cabin, so they can enjoy warm water by the first evening. The tub is filled with a submersible pump.

The cabin project started with tree felling, road construction, and earthwork. Before any structures were built, the family used a tent as their base camp. Once the land was ready, foundations were poured for both the sauna cabin and the outbuilding.

“We built the CLT mini-cabin first. Once it was finished, it was easier to proceed with the sauna cabin’s construction,” Mikko recalls.

While planning the cabin, the Haltias also mapped out how the shore area would be transformed. The contractor moved large stones to serve as the dock’s base. The cabin was positioned to maximize the view toward Päijänne. In front of the sauna cabin and the tiny cabin, over a hundred square meters of patio space were built, and a large dock completed the outdoor living area.

You can jump into the lake from the rocks by the dock, and the children never tire of doing so on summer days. On the spacious dock, you can enjoy morning coffee while watching the kids splashing around in the water.

“In summer, the dock practically becomes a second living room. We bring out tables, lanterns, and comfy beanbags,” Mikko says.

The beanbags at the end of the dock are often moved from one sitting area to another. The family managed to purchase Finnish spruce planks for the dock just before prices soared.

The outdoor living spaces serve as a second living room in summer.

The square meters of the sauna cabin were carefully calculated to fit all necessary functions into a single room. There’s a sink along the kitchen wall for washing dishes. During the day, the bed becomes a sofa with the help of some cushions, and the dining table is large enough for the whole family to gather around.

“A small cabin is enough when everything has its place. And the summer kitchen adds more space,” Mikko says, adding that having it glazed was a great decision.

Both the sauna cabin and the tiny cabin were painted in Tikkurila’s shade Piki. A 36-square-meter patio stretches out in front of the tiny cabin, perfect for relaxing on beanbags. The vintage chair was found at a secondhand shop.

The Haltias favor timeless choices. Above the kitchen table hangs Gubi’s classic Multi-Lite lamp.

In the children’s cabin, a rattan storage cabinet from IKEA stores board games and other cottage essentials.

Power for the cabin is generated by solar panels. A Paavo Tynell Simpukka lamp offers ambient and nighttime lighting.

The sauna cabin’s only source of heat in winter is a fireplace that doesn’t retain heat but provides sufficient warmth. The kids have their own bunkhouse next door, warmed by a solar air heater.

The newest addition is a large greenhouse, with a handmade sandy beach in front of it. Used for lounging, the greenhouse is furnished with various collected pieces that complement the weathered wooden elements. When night falls, candles and string lights illuminate the glass enclosure.

In the evenings, Mikko and the family’s dog, Coco, set out to set nets behind a nearby islet. In the morning, they check the nets for a catch. If luck is on their side, their next meal could include zander or perch from Päijänne.

The greenhouse can be shielded from the sun with curtains. It’s also a popular spot for an afternoon nap. Come evening, candles are lit inside, with tea lights glowing in lanterns and stone holders.

The greenhouse would have required 25 meters of curtain fabric, but IKEA’s ready-made curtains provided a budget-friendly solution.

Over the years, the family have gathered many memorable stories at the cabin. Mikko smiles when recalling their first Midsummer in Sysmä.

“That week, we had to rush to pick up the hot tub from Hämeenlinna, the outhouse from Sysmä’s activity center, and of course, the boat from Savonlinna!”

On one occasion, the Haltias arrived to find the dock empty and the lounge chairs missing. The mystery was solved when the entire family dove in search of the chairs, and found nearly all of them at the lakebed. They believed one was lost forever to the depths of Lake Päijänne, but it was eventually found in a nearby inlet.

Check out the Haltias’ best ideas!

Despite being only eleven square meters, the tiny cabin can accommodate up to five people. The bunk bed has proven to be a true space saver, and the beanbag can also be converted into an extra bed when necessary.

Old steel Wire Chairs were paired with the large dining table. The chairs were sandblasted and painted to withstand outdoor conditions.

For the open area of the summer kitchen, the family bought Lumon terrace glass panels with installation. Now they can cook sheltered by the glazing, even when the wind blows in from the lake.

The sauna has a cohesive look: the sauna benches were treated with a gray-toned protective oil, and the floors with gray floor oil. The stone wall was made with graphite-gray facing stone. The Haltias bring their drinking water from home, while Päijänne’s clear water is used in the sauna.

The family wanted the summer kitchen to be low-maintenance, so they chose black steel as the material. The modular kitchen units from Myoutdoorkitchen and Nordic Line provide ample storage.