“Arriving here immediately felt like coming home”—after traveling the world, Petra settled into a red-ocher wooden house idyll

Petra Theman is charmed by the home’s original windows and its steep sheet metal roof. The exterior paint has a vibrant red-ocher hue, although it’s actually oil-based paint.

Petra Theman has lived in several of the world’s major cities. Her current home is in an old wooden-house idyll in Tammisaari, Finland. She has carried out an extensive renovation, replacing any mismatched materials with ones that better serve the future of the home.

A colorful and inventive interior goes hand in hand with the sunny atmosphere, free of rigidity and rules. Petra prefers to decorate in a way that makes aesthetics and functionality meet in the most ideal way possible.

The garden, with its fruit trees and perennials, is an important place for Petra to unwind. She is planning to build a small yard sauna.

How did you end up living here in Tammisaari?

I had just built a large vacation home in Kirkkonummi, which was quite an undertaking. But then my work situation changed, and it made sense to settle in Raasepori. My friends and family thought that a condo would be the smartest choice this time. I went through my wishes and several housing options. I realized I wanted to live in a country cottage, but not alone in the middle of the woods—I wanted to be within biking distance of the city and services. I wasn’t afraid of options that might require renovation because I’ve been renovating for the past 25 years. What I did want to avoid were old houses that had been over-renovated, with all their original charm lost.

The array of delightful recycled wallpapers begins on the veranda. “My previous homes haven’t had this many different patterned wallpapers, but well-designed wallpapers are art in themselves.”

An old farmhouse-style chair on the veranda in front of the paned window.

A low cabinet on the veranda.

On what basis did you choose this particular house?

In my property purchases, one guiding factor has always been the feeling I get on my first visit to the place. Arriving here immediately felt like coming home. Just around the house, there are incredibly beautiful seaside nature trails, and the nearest sandy beach is just a couple hundred meters away. Yet the area still feels like a village. So the location is perfect, and both the plot and the house are just the right size for me. I also appreciate the high foundation and the fact that much of the original interior has been preserved, although it was hidden under more modern materials. I also had to consider the fact that the house needed major renovations, and I had to negotiate the purchase price low enough before deciding to buy.

The TV room table came to Petra as a free gift when she bought some lamps, and she painted it tomato red. She has found all her Moroccan rugs on Etsy.

The safari chairs are by designer Jussi Peippo, and they were refurbished by Studio Kjellberg.

What kind of renovation ideas did this house spark in you?

I quickly had a clear idea of what this house needed. It was in fairly rough shape but still livable. It happened that, just as the demolition work had started, the old farmer from the neighboring farm came by to have a chat with me. I learned that he knew this house very well, as it had been built for his grandmother, and he himself lived here briefly with her during his childhood. He provided me with a wealth of valuable information and insights that partly confirmed and partly altered my plans. At the time of purchase, the renovations the house had undergone dated from the 1990s and 2000s, and most of the materials used were inappropriate for an old house. The only things I kept were the half-wall panels and the exterior siding. Repairability is important to me. Laminate, MDF boards, ‘cardboard doors,’ and other artificial elements generally need to be replaced with more natural materials.

Petra sold the 1990s soapstone fireplace the day she discovered that there had once been a beautiful tiled stove in the living room. “I replaced it with what I’ve done elsewhere too: I bought old, traditional stove tiles which were used to build a new tiled stove.” The 1970s ceiling lamp is from a Facebook flea market, the chairs are by Aino Aalto from the 1950s, and the pine table from the 1980s was restored by Petra herself.

The first time she visited, Petra fell in love with the view from the windows onto the wide-open grain fields. “It’s important for me to see as far as possible from my home. I can sit here in my rattan chair and let my thoughts drift away.” The William Morris wallpaper was a thrift-shop find.

The cylindrical masonry stoves provide the rooms with pleasant, gentle warmth. Firewood is transported in the wheeled box.

Have you had any other guiding principles?

My guiding principles have been improving energy efficiency and restoration. It’s been fun with this house, and not too rigid, because old recycled materials were already used in its original construction. We’ve revealed all the original elements we could find. I love that the house has interior doors, so it’s not all one open space. For someone using spot-priced electricity, it’s very practical in winter to use the rooms the old-fashioned way and keep some of them cooler than others.

Petra bought the kitchen’s art nouveau style chairs and extendable dining table from a neighbor when she lived in Munkkiniemi, Helsinki. Thanks to their convenient size, they also traveled with her to Helsinki’s Ullanlinna, Stockholm, and Beijing. The Lim & Handtrycken wallpaper is a recycled find.

The built-in kitchen cabinets are reused, and they fit the house so well that most guests assume they’re original.

The Ilve stove, which runs on both electricity and gas, was a secondhand treasure. Petra likes the ease and speed of gas and the way this large stove can accommodate cooking for a big group when needed.

Is there anything important still left to do?

I still need to restore the windows, because at some point, unfortunately, they were painted with the wrong type of paint that doesn’t let the wood breathe. Also on my list is demolishing the concrete steps at the entrance, since they were poured directly against the log structure and there’s bound to be rot. Next year, I plan to paint the original sheet metal roof, which stole my heart the moment I first saw this house. Renovation truly is the best way to spend your free time!

The bedroom’s varied ceiling panels were installed by the previous owner. They were put up somewhat carelessly, but since the panels themselves were in good condition, Petra decided to keep them. “I chose to live with a few unsightly seams, even though they’re the first thing I see when I open my eyes in the morning.” The throw blanket is Anno’s Arkiivi.

The bedroom floor has been fitted with carpeting, and a French balcony with double doors replaced the window. This is an important spot for Petra to start her mornings.

The landing is covered with linoleum tiles, and the 1990s railings have been replaced with posts from the Sekelskifte online store.

How would you describe your decorating style?

“Mom likes old junk”, said my daughter back in elementary school. I consider myself bad at decorating, because I see it as a constant process of changing things. Everything in my home stays in place for ages, and I don’t alter anything once it’s set. I easily tolerate things that are unfinished or show signs of wear. I think about how the spaces function, and I strive for a flow. I also pay attention to whether an item, color, material, or pattern ‘speaks’ interestingly with its surroundings. I don’t feel comfortable in a clinical environment. This home and my second home are quite different to each other, because I listen to the house and its surroundings.

The wallpaper in the guest room is William Morris’s Seasons by May Saffron, with rolls found at a secondhand shop. Petra bought the bedspreads on secondhand online store Tori, and the 19th-century toile de Jouy cushions at an auction. The panel paint is by Virtasen in the shade Rödhamn. Elvis the cat belongs to one of Petra’s daughters.

The upstairs bathroom was built under the ceiling slope in the attic. The wallpaper is William Morris’s Compton Brown & Orange. The cabinet is from the 1980s and was refurbished by Petra.

The most practical renovation idea was to move part of the bathroom wall 30 centimeters into the veranda area. The Woodio tub was a secondhand find.

Has this home changed your decorating style?

I’ve noticed that I can tolerate a certain amount of cuteness. I like the Country Living magazine’s Modern Rustic annual publication, which features stunning rural homes from around the world. The best thing is seamlessness between a house and its interior design. I love recycling, and I always have some old door, window, handle, lock, tile, roll of wallpaper, cast-iron spiral staircase, plaster relief, or even columns from a manor balcony waiting for the right moment. Living and working abroad from a young age—especially in Latin America—has also strongly influenced my sense of interior design.

How have Raasepori and this house changed you?

I’ve discovered a new appreciation and understanding of simple everyday life here. The traditional rhythm of life feels very human. Basic tasks, like keeping the house warm in winter, are sure to keep you from dwelling on trivial little problems.

Petra Theman’s wooden home is about 120 square meters in size.