“It’s easy to entice guests to Hanko”—Tiina maximizes the sleeping capacity of her family’s summer home with small tricks

Already on the drive from the family’s home in Espoo to Hanko, Tiina feels herself relaxing. As soon as she arrives, she needs to walk down to Casino Beach or to Lovers’ Path on the headland beside it. The good vibes continue at their summer home.

“It’s wonderful that we now have our own place in Finland where friends can easily come to visit,” Tiina says.

Before their Hanko summers, the Väinölä family spent their vacations in Spain, where they have a long holiday history.

A covered pergola is practical, offering both shade and shelter. The aluminum furniture was brought from the family’s home in Espoo and originally bought at Skanno. Tiina bought the tablecloth at the Marbella market.

The framed poster on the porch is from the shop Tian Veranta. The coat rack was left by the previous owners.

Omppu’s favorite spot is in the hallway—from the shade she can see both the garden and what’s happening inside. The lamp is from Tiina’s husband’s childhood room. The little stool is a flea-market find.

In Hanko they don’t just vacation, but in summer Tiina also teaches yoga on Casino Beach. The rest of the year she runs weekend retreats with different yoga and movement themes under her own brand, Studio Wire. Tiina says her work hardly feels like work. She loves guiding people toward activity and inspiring them by example.

“Tennis, padel, cycling and running,” Tiina lists—yoga aside—the reasons the family ended up in Hanko.

Originally they were looking for a cabin near Tiina’s home region around Lappeenranta or her husband’s around Lahti. The now-teenage kids loved staying at their grandparents’ cottages in nature—for about a week.

The entry hall opens into the living room. The rugs came from Konst & Form, and the palette throughout was built around their colors. Tiina worried about the blue shade of the Adea sofa, but she’s now happy with the choice. The old ottoman was reupholstered in a zebra-pattern fabric by Lauritzon. Kirsi Neuvonen’s graphic art hangs on the wall.

The dining room got a new table, its finish chosen to match the log walls. The dining chairs are from Ikea. The Ateljé Lyktan Bumling pendant lamp was a 40th-birthday gift from Tiina’s mother-in-law to her husband—Tiina’s father-in-law. The table lamps are from Tian Veranta in Hanko, and the armchairs are by Adea. The painting on the back wall is by Mona Hoel.

The bar cart and lamp are from the shop Madame Colore. The peony painting by Anita Snellman belonged to Tiina’s husband’s grandmother. The small vases are flea-market finds.

The cardboard octopus poster was found at Madame Colore and got new black frames for definition. The lantern is a flea-market find.

The Hanko home more or less fell into the Väinöläs’ lap when, over dinner conversation, the previous owner mentioned planning to sell the house. They went to see the potential second home soon after, and not even a dreary November day could dampen their enthusiasm—the place charmed them instantly.

After a family meeting, everyone gave Hanko a thumbs-up.

The kids, who play ice hockey and ride horses, can now travel to Hanko on their own, so they’re not dependent on their parents’ schedules.

The Väinöläs have now spent two summers in Hanko and are more than pleased with their choice.

“It’s easy to entice guests to Hanko—adults and kids alike. We maximized the sleeping arrangements with small tricks, and now we have room for roughly a dozen overnight guests whenever needed.”

Tiina dreams of a kitchen renovation, but the space is clean and functions well, so it will serve the family for now. You’re always allowed to keep decorating dreams alive.

Tiina found the cute upcycled open cabinet at a recycling center, and it now serves as a breakfast cupboard. The blue glass bottle is from Madame Colore.

The family got away with just a cosmetic renovation, because all the essential work had already been done. Inside, the house was completely white, so the surfaces received fresh colors.

Tiina asked her fellow yoga teacher and interior designer Charlotta Savander to help with colors, patterns and the biggest design decisions.

“I knew I wanted more color than we have in our Espoo home. We were decorating from scratch and had a lot to buy, so I needed help. I trust Charlotta’s eye for style, and with a professional on board, I could get started quickly,” Tiina says.

A low partition wall was built in the upstairs landing to carve out a sleeping space, gaining extra beds and privacy. The side table belonged to the previous owners. The botanical prints are from the Red Cross Kontti store, and the rug is from Ikea.

A sturdy screen from Jysk adds privacy to the pink guest room. The wardrobe is also from Jysk. The lamp is from Madame Colore, and the bedspread from Hemtex.

An alcove was sectioned off in the upstairs landing with William Morris curtains. Altogether, the house can sleep 12 people. The bedspread in the alcove is by Matri.

The blue bedroom features the daughter’s artwork on the wall. The bedspread is from Hemtex, the nightstand is a flea-market find, and the table lamp came from the Fiskars Antique Fair. The patterned cushions are in William Morris’s Brer Rabbit print.

The bedroom’s bedspread is from Tian Veranta. The cushions are in William Morris’s Pimpernel print.

Tiina wanted to paint the bedrooms in pastel green, blue and pink, because the family used the same color codes in their Spanish apartment. The color-coded rooms make it easier to plan where friends will sleep.

“With the colors of this home, we wanted to honor the house’s history, and a pink exterior practically begged for pastel shades inside as well,” she says.

The living room is Tiina’s favorite space, and it opens onto the dining room and the porch. Her other favorite spot is the wooden garden swing that catches the evening sun. The swing has become the established place for enjoying a sunset drink at the end of the day.

“I think every home needs inviting nest-like spots where you can sprawl out or curl up under a blanket.”

The summer room in the garden is the daughter’s domain, but her little brother and guests use it when needed. The sofa is from Ikea, and the William Morris Strawberry Thief pillows are from Lauritzon. The rug and painted coffee tables are from Ikea. The rattan armchair is from Madame Colore, and the Hanko posters are from Tian Veranta.

The fenced garden feels like a second living room. Tiina found the perfect wooden swing, whose seat hangs from ropes. The aluminum sun loungers are from K-Rauta and the mattresses from Cafe Latte Lifestyle’s Hanko summer shop. The small tables are from Rusta, and the Iittala Flora pitcher is a flea-market treasure.

According to local lore, the Väinöläs’ house was built for the baker who worked for the gentry in a neighboring villa. The house once held a large baking oven. The family loves the garden’s just-right size—it accommodates everything they need and is easy to keep tidy.

The white sofa set came from their home in Espoo. The pieces are from Ikea, and they bought a few extra chairs for this house.