windows into the past

Blue, red, and white: a charming island cottage brimming with seaside atmosphere and family memories

At the Tammi family’s island cottage, the attic stairs are never repainted because they hold the grandparents’ footprints and memories. Built in the 19th century, this former postmaster’s house was relocated to its current spot one log at a time.

Author Irene Wichmann

Images Riitta Sourander

July 28, 2025Lue suomeksi

Minne. One word defines Outi and Timo Tammi’s summer cottage story from the 1940s to today. “Minne” is Swedish for memory or recollection. It’s also the name of Outi and Timo’s daughter and that of Timo’s grandmother who is closely tied to the cottage’s history. There are plenty of memories here—the island and the house carry them from many different decades.

These old stone steps get plenty of use. A photo of the grandparents sitting on the same steps enjoying a summer day is a treasured reminder of generations gone by.

The Tammi family built a four-meter-long bench on the glassed-in porch, topped with mattresses and a fabric cover. It serves as both seating and a guest bed. The cottage’s glass porch was built in the 1950s, when the house was white with gray window frames. Outi and Timo later reversed those colors.

Blue-patterned, striped, and polka-dotted textiles bring a bright accent to the light color palette. A sailboat and other coastal-themed items complete the seaside feel.

The armchair between the bookshelf and the bench is a cozy reading nook.

This cottage was originally built as a postman’s house during the 19th century. Timo’s grandfather Väinö and grandmother Minne—with Väinö serving as a postmaster—bought the house and moved it to a lovely peninsula in the 1940s.

Väinö and Minne’s correspondence from over a century ago is preserved in a wooden box, which Outi received from her mother-in-law.

Outi and Timo bought the house from Timo’s cousin in 2000. On the first island summer, Minne was a newborn, and the family’s two boys were energetic preschoolers. For years, Outi spent summers on the island with the children. For the first ten years, they heated wash water in a cauldron, until the house was connected to the municipal water system. By then, the kids were teens.

The mini kitchen only has a stove, with a countertop across from it on top of the old baking oven.

The old plates on the wall stir nostalgia and memories.

Countertops and old rustic cabinets on the wall provide essential storage in the small kitchen.

White and blue-and-white dishes perfectly suit the house’s character.

They used plenty of white paint that first summer, tearing out the old, musty board lining. Otherwise, the cottage has remained almost unchanged over the years. This continuity is important to Outi. Her work as an interior designer is fast-paced: clients change, trends come and go, and a color that’s fashionable now may soon be out of style. Family-related items bring stability, continuity, and peace to their leisure time.

“The house has never felt too small for us. We spend a lot of time outdoors, and we have around two hundred meters of shoreline,” Outi says.

The focal point of the living area is the Saaristo sofa by designer Ristomatti Ratia, which pulls out into a spare bed. An abundance of red, white, and blue textiles soften its wooden frame into a cozy spot to lounge. An antique table sits in front of the sofa, and a white bench acts as an extra seat.

There’s always something to work on at the cottage, since an old building constantly needs upkeep. Part of the appeal of cottage days is doing hands-on projects together. Last Midsummer, the family rented a hot tub the children had been wanting—though the parents were unsure. It turned out so great that Outi and Timo decided to buy one.

The stairs leading to the attic are just as they were in Väinö and Minne’s time. Outi stripped the paint from the door and left the surface untreated.

Including the attic, the cottage spans about 80 square meters.

The children’s sleeping nooks are across from the parents’ bed area. The curtain rods are repurposed broom handles.

Some things are left just as they are. The worn stairs once used by great-grandfather Väinö and great-grandmother Minne to reach the attic are now used by the younger Minne and her brothers. Those footprints won’t be covered up with a new coat of paint.

Textiles fit the cottage’s color scheme in the sauna’s dressing area as well.

On the side porch, there’s a dishwashing station with running water. The same white boards used indoors were used to build the sink. Decks wrap around the house, providing plenty of extra living space. The lounge chairs can be moved wherever the sun is shining.

Whenever the weather allows, meals are enjoyed outside. The textile colors echo those indoors.

On the side terrace, morning coffee is enjoyed while watching the sunrise. Outi appreciates the cottage’s relaxed atmosphere. When things aren’t polished to perfection, everyone feels more at home. If they don’t feel like cooking or want something different, the nearby town is just a five-minute boat ride away, with plenty of restaurants and fun activities.

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Blue, red, and white: a charming island cottage brimming with seaside atmosphere and family memories

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