Loviisa Old Houses event
There was no progress at the cottage last weekend, because I decided to visit the Loviisa Old Houses event instead (Loviisan Wanhat Talot). Loviisa is a charming small town of 15 000 people on the south coast of Finland, an hour's drive from Helsinki. It hosts a yearly event where regular people open their doors and gardens to visitors. All the houses are at least a hundred years old. You can find a lot of inspiration here for taking care of old houses and gardens and for interior design. There's also plenty of side events like an antique fair and pop-up flea markets.
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| A street in Loviisa |
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| A lush cottage garden |
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| A greenhouse in wood and glass |
The classic cottage garden is what I see in my mind's eye, when I'm thinking about my garden. I already have a good start, my current garden is definitively informal! 😄 Jokes aside, there are beautiful old trees, a lilac hedge, roses and berry bushes, so it's a great start. I just want it to be a little less wild and overgrown, and to have some nice perennial groups or borders. I'm also dreaming about building my own greenhouse, to grow cherry tomatoes and cucumber! My grandma used to grow her own tomatoes, and they were nothing like what you buy at the store.
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| Natural wood floors |
If you remember, my floors are covered with painted masonite. It would be amazing if there were these type of wide plank floors underneath! I have a feeling my planks will be narrower and also in poor condition, because there are some holes and the floor is wonky overall. If I need to replace the planks, this type of wide planks would be the dream. I'd like to have traditional soap-treated wood floors, because they feel very warm and soft, a bit like untreated wood. If you're not familiar with the method, you first prime the planks with cold water, then scrub them with a natural linseed oil soap. Then you rinse and wipe up the water and dirt. The soap creates a subtle protective barrier and also slightly bleaches the wood. You need to repeat it a few times a year for upkeep.
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| Handplaned wood ceiling |
Continuing in the same vein, I'd love to have a more original-looking ceiling. Currently, there is fairly new wood panelling that looks quite modern, covering the ceilings. I don't know if there's anything old underneath it. If the house is older than the 1920s, it could in theory have these kind of atmospheric handplaned planks. But if it's from the '20s like the paperwork is, then painted beadboard panelling would be more appropriate historically. Although it would be cool to have a cottage from the 1700s, I'm not about to start faking one. At the very least, I'm going to paint the current panelling, because it looks too contemporary unpainted, and a bit sauna-esque.
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| Stencil imitation wallpaper |
Even though choosing wall decorations is still ways away, traditional stencilled walls is one option that I really like. This is a wallpaper, but it demonstrates the style. I've been fighting the urge to tear down the tattered yellow and green cardboard that's currently covering the timber. It's so dirty and worn, and there are missing sections and holes. It feels counter-intuitive to leave it up, like it's irreversibly musty when the house has been empty and cold for so long. But it's such a rookie mistake and I know better. You rip out so much of history when you do that. So, I'm sitting on my hands and taking my time. I'm looking forward to explore what kind of colours and wallpapers they've used in my house! That'll inform my final decision ☺️
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| Cottage kitchen |
This kitchen has such a nice vibe! Patterns, colours and objects are used in such an interesting way. I could see having cast iron pans hanging on the walls, and wooden cutting boards drying on the stove hood. This house had just such a homey and unpretentious atmosphere, especially when compared to the other houses I saw. I think it's that down-to-earth vibe that resonates with me.
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| White and terracotta tiles |
The stove I have is relatively new, so it's lost a sense of history. But I think changing out the tiles to something more historically accurate could help a lot! This stove is stylistically more mid-century, but white square tiles are very traditional for Finnish stoves. I also like the terracotta tiles on the floor, I've seen them in other historical interiors. A white backsplash would also help with the light, it's so dark by the stove! I'll have to go visit some museums and do more research on the tile type to get it right. I think they need to look more handmade than these white tiles to fit in my interior. It could even be a fun DIY project, to make handmade clay tiles! Let's circle back to that in a few years 😄
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| Library wall |
This image speaks to me, a wall of bookshelves and a Persian rug. Yes, please! I have rugs like these at home and I like the atmosphere they create. Also, they are very easy to vacuum, compared to other rugs. I've been thinking about the layout in the cottage, and there aren't a lot of places to put a bookshelf. But I'm toying with the idea of making a library wall like this behind the bed, as it's the only unbroken wall. I quite like the idea.
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| Antique peg rail |
To wrap things up, a little detail! These kind of peg rails are cool. There's a similar one on my veranda. Also, I have one almost exactly like this in my attic. I could hang it behind the bed or kitchen table, to hang clothes on. There's really no space for a wardrobe in the house. Unless I want to sacrifice the best feng shui spot to put the bed, not to mention my neat library wall idea. It might be because these cottages didn't really have wardrobes, you would have stored your clothes in chests, on pegs or even in the attic. I think I can make do with some pegs and a chest of drawers. It's not like there's a washing machine, either! 😄 You got to really embrace the old way of life.
This weekend, I'll have to do some scary things at the cottage that I've been kind of putting off. I'll let you know how it went in next weeks post, so be sure to check back! 👻
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