
Inside Leni’s vibrant cottage: “The entire cottage’s color scheme was guided by Kettukarkki candy.”
For years, Leni had dreamed of an allotment garden cottage, and it came true closer to home than she ever dared to imagine. The garden continues the vibrant interior atmosphere, offering a surprise at the end of every path.
In the allotment garden cottage’s yard, a woman wanders quietly in her nightgown. Leni Joutsjoki has just woken up in the snug cottage after a restful night’s sleep. The first thing she does is step outside to wash the sleep from her eyes with cool water from the outdoor faucet. From that same faucet, she also draws water for her morning tea, which she boils in an enamel pot.
Leni and her family enjoy the first rays of sunshine over breakfast on the playhouse terrace. A small fountain bubbles nearby, and neighborhood birds stop at its basin for a drink.
Us: Leni Joutsjoki, 44, and Arto Hietanen, 48, as well as children Herman, 15, and Eerin, 12. Leni is a laboratory analyst and Arto is a Master of Science in Engineering.
Cottage: A 20-square-meter (215 ft²) allotment garden cottage, a playhouse, and a storage shed with a composting toilet.
Where: In the Viherkumpu allotment garden area in Vantaa, Finland.





Leni says that acquiring the cottage was a dream come true for her, even though at first sight it didn’t seem very inviting: the interior was dark, and the panels had yellowed.
Leni didn’t mind the cottage’s tired appearance because she immediately had a clear vision of how to make it inviting. All that mattered was that the location and price were right.
“I’d dreamed of a cottage within biking distance from home for nearly my entire adult life, so I could slip into a different world and tend the garden every day. First, money was an obstacle, and then I waited for Arto’s go-ahead,” Leni reveals.
Arto agreed to the purchase on the condition that Leni would manage buying and maintaining the cottage and its garden solo, with no “work camp” for him. He has seen just how important the cottage is to Leni.
“It means a lot to her. In winter, she can’t wait to return to the cottage when spring arrives,” Arto says.








Originally, the cottage was located six kilometers (3.7 miles) from the family’s home. One year after buying it, they moved to just over half a kilometer (0.3 miles) from the Viherkumpu allotment garden in Vantaa.
“I never even dared dream that the cottage would be so close,” Leni says with a smile.
Built in the 1950s, the cottage was ready for an update, but Leni wanted to keep its unique charm. Along with her father, she made improvements to brighten the interior and make it more functional. When they bought the cottage, the layout was awkward. They decided to move the kitchen to the former entry and convert the slanted-ceiling area that had housed the kitchen into an alcove.
Additional sleeping spots are available in the playhouse and a tent set up in the yard.
“The children sleep in a bunk bed in the alcove, and we parents sleep on a pull-out daybed in the main room,” Leni says.
There is more overnight space out in the yard. They often spend midsummer at the cottage with a friend’s family, and then the playhouse or a tent set up outside provides extra sleeping spots.


Changing the cottage’s colors completely transformed its appearance. During renovations, white paint was the magic trick, as all the walls were painted light. White pairs nicely with the cottage’s joyful colored furniture and accessories.
Leni believes a home can have a muted palette while the cottage can stand out with its own flair.
“As soon as the cottage sale was certain, the very first thing I bought was the Vallila Kettukarkki curtain. From there, the entire cottage’s color palette fell into place,” Leni says.










Leni and Arto’s family lives in an apartment building, where they can enjoy summer flowers on the balcony and in a small yard. In the spring, Leni grows seedlings for the cottage on their windowsills and gradually accustoms them to outdoors on a glazed balcony. Once the weather warms up sufficiently, she brings them to the cottage.
Arto knows that at the cottage, Leni can do things that aren’t possible at home.
“She can tend the garden here, decorate the yard freely, and plan the cottage’s interior.”
Over the years, the garden has gained more greenery, seating areas, walkways, and decorative elements.
A beach is within walking distance of the allotment garden, so it’s easy to go for an evening dip.
Leni often spends time at the cottage alone, but a couple of times a week the whole family meets there to grill and share a meal. Arto says his favorite things are grilling and enjoying those long summer evenings outdoors.
Within walking distance of the allotment garden is Vetokannas beach, which makes it easy to head there for a quick evening swim.
“In the evening, we often light a fire in the outdoor fireplace, chat, and roast marshmallows. As night falls and the solar-powered lights come on, we brush our teeth and settle in for the night in the cottage.”






