Finnish Sanna and Markku’s island haven of ingenuity: “Markku is sometimes terrified of what I’ll come up with next”

When you bring two resourceful makers together, you never know what might happen. For example, a chandelier made from upcycled materials, juniper handles, and unique pieces of furniture carved with an axe.

Plenty of imagination has flourished on the island of Stora Högskäret, where Markku originally spent three summers as a tenant. When his lease ended, he let it be known that he was interested in buying the cottage. He had already purchased a different cabin before receiving the much-anticipated message in 2006.

“I negotiated for one whole summer, and in the end, I became the new owner of this island cottage.”

Rusty objects are especially fascinating to Sanna. Markku built a stand for the bikes.

The other cabin Markku had already managed to buy was located in Kuusamo.

“I bought and dismantled an old log cabin from a holiday village. It remained under tarps for many years, waiting for a new place to be reassembled.”

After clearing the site, there was finally room for the logs, and they were transported to the island. When Markku dismantled them, each log had been marked with a marker pen, but after five years under torn tarps, the numbering had completely faded away.

“The outer side of each log had been painted, the inside lacquered, and they were well dowelled. With those clues and a bit of guesswork, we got everything in the right place.”

In summer, the couple drinks their morning coffee on the patio. A large rock serves as a table.

Brilliant idea! The unsightly hot tub was concealed in a beautiful sailboat, which Markku says ran ashore in Viking times.

In 2007, Sanna entered Markku’s life. She recalls the incredible feeling of arriving by boat on the island for the first time.

“We were greeted by three-meter (10-foot) sea buckthorn shrubs laden with berries. It all felt completely surreal. I instantly became an islander at heart,” Sanna says.

The cabin had just been built at that time.

“I got to join in on the most fun part—decorating.”

Sanna is a carpenter-artisan who started crafting cabinets and furniture for the kitchen in her workshop. To keep the finish from looking too polished, she sometimes employed a heavy hand: planing and hacking the surfaces with an axe, a hammer, and even a fork. According to Sanna, the furniture frames are purposefully primitive, built from horizontal and vertical boards.

“Finally, I’ve applied tinted wood stain and an oil-based varnish to the surface.”

The table set in the living area is Sanna’s creation, and firewood is stored in a trunk she found at a flea market. The rocking chair is everyone’s favorite spot.

One wall is covered with decorative birds brought in from abroad. Markku bent iron shelves to hold them.

Sanna loves the spacious kitchen, which makes cooking pleasant even in bad weather.

A shared hobby for the Parkkaris is traveling to rummage fairs and flea markets in their motorhome. They’ve hauled all sorts of finds back to the island, some of which were thrown into the shallows to rust. The yard is full of rusty items Sanna has collected, including metal flowers.

Markku and Sanna are like each other’s missing pieces. Markku makes grilling skewers, and Sanna finishes them off with juniper handles. Sanna customizes a dresser, and Markku creates beautiful pulls for it. Sanna crafts a wooden table, while Markku imagines decorative details for it.

“Markku is sometimes terrified about what I’ll come up with next. Still, he’s always ready for even the wildest projects.”

Instead of a traditional sandbox, they brought in an old rowboat, fitting seats inside its shelter. The box’s sides were made from reclaimed logs.

The heavy wooden table was a joint project. The pleasantly rustling sun umbrellas were bought online.

On the island, the couple also delights in one particular passion: birds.

“Birds are really important to us. I’ve built nesting boxes for goldeneyes here. In spring, I watch to see which one gets occupants first,” Markku says.

Sanna, for her part, has her own bird forest, filled with both whimsical and ordinary small birdhouses, plus several feeding spots.

The Parkkaris spend most of their time on the island from spring to autumn, but they do visit in winter as well. Thanks to a large stove, the cabin can be warmed up to a comfortable temperature in just a day. Year-round, being at their island cabin feels like the best kind of therapy.

“This is the most important place in the world for us. The peace and tranquility impress us every single time,” Sanna says.

The guest room in the sauna cottage sleeps four. A reed curtain offers some privacy. The birch-bark shoes and bag belonged to Markku’s father.

Weathered logs were left visible inside the building.

Get inspired by the Parkkaris’ best ideas!

They found a beautifully weathered sled at a flea market. Lights wrapped around the ropes on its sides turn on at dusk, highlighting the wood’s lovely grain.

They created a sink top for the outhouse by combining an old stroller base with a wooden chest. The seat was enclosed with a wooden crate treated to look like a vintage trunk. Transfer images brighten the walls.

The wall decor in the guest room is an eight-pane window that Sanna fitted with bird-themed pictures. She made the table lamps from beer crates and bottomless bottles. The ceiling lamp is fashioned from an old fish trap.

Hay poles were turned into posts for lanterns. Rocks were placed at the bottom of rusty containers, and the poles were secured upright with cement.

Linen curtains threaded onto ropes add privacy and a cozy, nest-like feel. The small jute pouches are for phones and glasses at bedtime.