Former farmhand’s cottage

Kirsi fell for this log home the moment she walked in—“The house was different and a little quirky, like a tiny elf cottage”

Finnish Kirsi Tenhunen turned a former farmhand’s house into a delightful DIYer’s cottage. This inventive decorator keeps the winter gloom at bay with candles and star lights hung in the windows.

Author Laura Sychold

Images Mikko Kaaresmaa

November 24, 2025Lue suomeksi

Kirsi Tenhunen and her daughter, Taika, lived in Vantaa, in the Finnish capital region, when Taika started school. The family didn’t feel at home in the city, so they began searching for a place where Taika could have a safe childhood. The house they found was in the wrong direction, in Lohja, but otherwise irresistible. Now Taika is already an adult and has moved out on her own. Keeping Kirsi company are her partner Jussi Mattila and Tapsu the dog.

From the entryway, the view runs straight through the house to the living room. The handsome support beam and exposed woodwork evoke images of a French country home. The curtain is a lace sheet from a flea market.

Thanks to the skylights and the interior window by the entryway, light flows from one space to the next. The stainless-steel range hood and the lighting add a touch of industrial style.

You fell for the house right away. What drew you to it?

Even though the roof needed replacing and the bedroom walls were coming loose, I could already picture what a lovely home it would become. The yard was a good size, even if it was quite a thicket. Taika loved the house too and encouraged me: “Let’s take this one and pay more if we have to!”

What do you know about the house’s history?

The original part of the building—the kitchen and living room—is from 1870. It was moved to its current location in the 1930s as a cottage for farmhands. Farmhands lived on the landowner’s property and worked for them during the day. The house was expanded in the 1990s.

Black on the cabinets and paneling is an unexpected yet stunning choice for the kitchen. The wallpaper is Beata by Sandberg.

Kirsi is fond of colored glass. The ceramic platters are handmade.

Kirsi freshened up the combined stove and baking oven with clay paint and painted the doors black. The sturdy masonry warms the house on cold days. Leaning against the hearth are Taika’s tiny patent leather shoes. The round window was a find through a local freecycling group. At first Kirsi thought she would install it in the house, but it turned out to be too big for that.

You needed to renovate, too. What needed to be done?

We started with a major clean-up and clearing the yard. We built a new woodshed to replace the old one and made space for the car. We joined the wastewater cooperative, had the roof redone, ordered new kitchen cabinets, and had paneling installed in the bedroom and kitchen. We fixed only what was necessary—an old house is allowed its crooked surfaces. Jussi and I make a great renovation team because we enjoy doing things together. I painted the kitchen ceiling by myself, even though I’m afraid of heights.

At times my commute was 70 kilometers each way (about 43 miles), but I kept at it because I love this home so much.

Kirsi’s favorite place is the wooden bench that has been in the family for generations. Tapsu loves it, too. You don’t sit there prim and proper—you curl up under a cozy blanket. The old living-room oven was partly dismantled and replaced with an atmospheric wood stove.

The loft is mainly storage, but there’s room to sleep up in the rafters as well. Tapsu has his own lookout on the sofa. From there, he keeps a close eye on life in the neighborhood.

Kirsi bought a fairly new, slightly dull cabinet for 40 euros. With leftover wall paint and a floral retro fabric, the piece took on a wonderfully old-fashioned look. You can also line the doors with a pretty paper.

Kirsi starts getting ready for Christmas already in November. The tree ornaments she found at a flea market—they are probably Russian—go on a small tabletop tree next to Taika’s pink pig. The gorgeous forest-green platter is handmade. Kirsi dreams of making more dishes in her ceramics class.

How have you decorated your home?

Mostly with flea-market finds. I spend little money and a lot of ingenuity. I love painting and upcycling furniture. A home should have playfulness and even a touch of childlike whimsy. I bought adorable kids’ chairs at a thrift store because they were like straight out of the Goldilocks fairy tale. I’ve fallen for shades of green—they seem to suit the spirit of the house. When I want a change, I swap the pillows and throws. It’s an easy, inexpensive way to give the home a fresh look.

Which items are dearest to you?

The wooden bench in the living room came from my great-grandmother on my father’s side. I found it in a shed covered in mouse droppings. After a scrub with a stiff brush, it was ready for pride of place. Even though you can’t really sit on it “properly,” it’s dear to me. I’ve also kept Taika’s books and toys. I’ve tried to pare down the teddy bears, but they always look at me so imploringly that they get to stay.

The previous owner painted a peaceful sky scene on the bedroom ceiling. The “giant’s chairs” serving as bedside tables are a thrift store find.

From the small room in the extension, you can look out over the backyard. The narrow door leads to the bedroom. In a future renovation, the plan is to combine the sauna and the small room into a proper bedroom.

Even the entryway shows that an inventive aesthete lives here. The kitchen door has been lifted off and set aside but goes back on in freezing weather. Kirsi’s friend Maritta Hyvärinen turned an old chair into a charming stool. The spindle-back chair is from Grandma’s house, and the chest of drawers serving as a shoe rack is from an online flea market.

Even though I’m from the countryside, I didn’t know mice can become tame. Thankfully, we’ve gotten rid of them now!

What does the garden mean to you?

When work got tough, the garden saved me. Pottering about the yard relaxes me and clears my head. I love rescuing perennials buried in grass and coaxing them back to bloom, and planting tulips for a burst of spring color. It’s ok for the garden of an old house to look a little wild.

What’s the best part of fall’s dark months?

Definitely nesting at home and savoring a fire in the stove and candlelight. It’s good to be alone now and then: unwind, read a good book, or watch a lovely movie. Fall is also prime time for cultural outings and new hobbies. My own favorite moment is a ceramics class on Friday nights. It’s wonderful to sink your hands into clay and then bring home something beautiful you’ve made yourself.

Kirsi’s idyllic, personality-filled home is like a tiny elf cottage. In addition to the kitchen, there are three rooms, and the house measures 80 square meters (about 860 square feet). Over the years, its industrious resident has cleared the once-overgrown yard into a lovely garden.

See more photos on Kirsi’s Instagram: @kirsimarjatee

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