Mia and Ulla’s second home has certainly earned its place as the perfect summer day getaway

Spending their summers in Hanko are Mia (49), a doctor, Ulla (45), a public affairs manager, their children Kira (7) and Elina (17), and their French bulldogs, Morris and Pablo. Mia and Ulla planned the summer kitchen and pool area to be both functional and suited to Hanko’s weather conditions. The wide wall behind the dining set provides wind shelter and privacy, and the heated swimming pool can be covered if needed. In the summer kitchen, the couple wanted a grill, a refrigerator, and a water outlet. Planks from the home’s cellar were repurposed as countertop surfaces, and the stone-topped cabinet is by Brafab. Shelves, herbs, and artwork complete the outdoor cooking space to give it a real kitchen vibe.

For almost ten years Mia and Ulla have rolled up their renovation sleeves each time they arrive in Hanko. Restoring their second home has sometimes felt like a work camp, but every summer, the old house has grown dearer and, as the renovations progress, more their own.

“The past year has shown that the thousands of hours we’ve spent renovating haven’t gone to waste, as the house has been in constant use. Now more than ever, we’ve been able to enjoy our second home all year,” Ulla says.

Ulla, Mia, and the dogs start each morning with a run, first checking the weather and wind direction before deciding on a route. Tulliniemi Beach is a favorite, as is Varisniemi at sunset. The villa has two entrances; this former main entrance now serves as a secondary entrance and lounge area. The wool rug is from Jotex, and the table lamp is from Winkel Shop. Ulla’s father restored the sideboard.

With each renovation, the house has become even more cherished. The 1920s plank floor has been re-exposed, and new sections have been added as needed. Every surface has been renewed, at least with a fresh coat of paint. The old game table was rescued by rowing it from a villa on Vartiosaari island in Helsinki.

White sofas can work with dogs in the house, as the covers are removable for washing. The rug by HK Living is from Cobello, the sofas are from IKEA, and the lamp is from Winkel Shop. The couple bought the antique cabinet before purchasing the house.

Each year, something in the old house has been updated or newly built. Renovations have been carried out thoughtfully, in a style that suits the house’s character. The couple has put in thousands of their own work hours, although they’ve also hired professionals often. Ulla restored the downstairs windows with her father, while the upstairs windows were replaced earlier.

Built in 1923, Villa Golden Gate was named by the lady who owned the house after returning from America to Hanko. Since then, it has been lived in by one Helsinki-based family, a couple of local Hanko families, and now a Helsinki-based couple with their daughters and dogs.

Ulla and Mia enjoy working outdoors and fixing up the house, but the surrounding nature and morning runs with the dogs along Hanko’s stunning beaches are just as important to them. Summer brings both yard paving and sailing trips to the outer archipelago.

The couple wanted to update the villa with a harmonious color scheme and hired a designer to help. The plank floors and walls feature muted shades of green and gray that fit the old house. The kitchen is from IKEA, and the farmhouse-style dining set, newly painted, is from Ulla’s childhood home.

Mia and Ulla wanted to move the kitchen from its upstairs location to its original spot by the current main entrance on the yard side. They placed the dining room behind the kitchen, and there is also an entrance to the cozy living room from the kitchen. During the renovation, they carried the old wood stove downstairs; only the vent hood is still missing. The ceiling lamp is from Villa Hima in Hanko.

Upstairs, you’ll find the bedrooms, a guest room, a bathroom, and a lounge area. The subtle color scheme highlights natural tones: linen, beige, muted blue, and olive green. After moving the kitchen, the bedroom got a new plank floor. The painting is from Olkkari, the light-blue throw is from Pore Helsinki, and the green HK Living pillow is from Cilla’s.

The sea and its surrounding nature have been especially dear to Mia since childhood. Hanko became familiar because it was always a stopover on sailing trips. The sea also became important to Ulla after she met Mia. The fishing nets come from Mia’s grandparents’ cottage and the antique coat rack was found at a flea market in Hanko.

Both floors have bathrooms tiled in a style that suits the era. When renovating an old house, anything can happen—one winter, the pipes froze and water flooded the new wooden kitchen floor. Now they always shut off the main water supply before leaving Hanko. The drying rack is from Cilla’s and the basket is from Tikau.

Mia and Ulla renovated the sauna themselves on a small budget. They refreshed the wall color, slightly enlarged the benches, and constructed wooden duckboards to cover the concrete floor. The wall lamps are from IKEA, and the claw-foot tub is from K-Rauta. Heating the sauna, and in winter the tiled stoves, is almost a daily routine. The outdoor sauna is heated several times a week in the summer, and there’s a hot tub next to it.

The wooden house, built in 1923, covers 170 square meters. Pictured are downstairs and upstairs layouts.

Last summer, the pool area—complete with an outdoor shower and summer kitchen—was finally finished after many summers of planning. After all, dinner in the evening sun always tastes best.

By the swimming pool, there’s a cozy seating nook. Mia rescued an old iron framed bed from the cellar to turn into an outdoor sofa. She built the coffee table from oak planks found in the cellar. The ottoman and jute cushion are from By Pias, the light-green cushions are from Granit, and the large linen back pillows are from Foto Art Deco in Hanko. The armchairs are Heet by Hay.

The 170-square-meter house and 2,000-square-meter yard have needed plenty of work. The old shed at the back of the yard has been painted to match the house and the other outbuildings. This summer, Mia and Ulla plan to pave the still somewhat unfinished space between the terrace and the sauna with slate. Next on the list is renovating the summer room at the end of the shed.

This mansard-roofed villa’s history goes back to 1923, when a young woman who had emigrated to America returned to Hanko, built the house, and named it Villa Golden Gate. In the 1930s, it was bought by a Helsinki family and later served as that same family’s summer home. Mia and Ulla and their family became owners in 2010.

In the yard, you’ll find an outdoor sauna, a storage building, a hot tub, and a swimming pool with surrounding terraces.