Festive Atmosphere

"It's not the calendar date that makes a celebration, it's the people. Sometimes even preparing for a party can turn the everyday into a small celebration; adding decorations and setting the table, small but immensely enjoyable things. Being together is more important than having clean floors.The darkening nights are an invitation to decorate the home, make it cosy and ask friends over for some mulled wine. A Christmas atmosphere can easily be created using soft, warm and welcoming textiles, which this year feature reds in apple and cranberry shades accompanied by metallic tones." 

The Melba table textiles by Miia create a holiday atmosphere at home. Find your own from Finlayson. 

Melba kitchen and interior textiles, Finlayson 2014 / Photo: Suomen Kerta

Midsummer

 

 

Here's couple of images of our Midsummer celebrations last weekend. Midsummer is one of the biggest festivities in Finland, a celebration of the Midnight sun and long-awaited summer. Most people go to summer cottages, if you're a tourist it probably isn't the best time to visit if you're in for a city holiday, as the cities tend to get deserted during that weekend, and shops closed. If you have a chance to visit someone's cottage, it's a magical and lovely time!

We went to west coast, had a barbeque, sauna and good company! Two recipes I can recommend wholeheartedly, first some rhubarb-rose water -syrup marinated strawberries with whipped cream. And the second my favorite barbeque of the summer, grilled broccoli. You have to boil broccoli florets for couple of minutes, dry them and barbeque. Then mix lemon juice, olive oil, red chili, garlic, salt & black pepper and pour it on the broccoli. This sauce works with barbecued kale too. The surprise factor of it being so good is an added bonus!

White on white

Winter in Finland is always white in some way, but this year it has been an exceptionally bright one. It is like living within the frosty world of Narnia, snow everywhere, white light even during the darkest night, all sounds muffled by the piles of white.
After a few failed attempts to capture the most breathtaking moments, I came accross these images by a fellow designer, Tia.
I hope you enjoy.

Autumn in Helsinki

Summer in the fall

This summer we did a holiday-trip to Åland, which is the autonomus island off the south-west coast of Finland. The area is mainly swedish-speaking, extremely beautiful and very particular on it's nature.

We spent the first night in Kustavi at a place called Itätalo (the East House in english). The place is a wonderful example of a 19th century farmer's manor. The most important buildings of the area have been built in the 18th and 19th centuries. Based on what is known of the history, buildings have existed in the area as early as 17th century and the area has already been inhabited in the early middle ages.

As the night turned darker, the decision was to be made who was to sleep where. Accomodation was slightly primitive: there were sleeping quarters in the barn, the old granary and the old Seamstress's hut. Our party decided on the old farm house workers' quarters, Väentupa (from where the pictures are from), which dated back to 1700's. The building is almost in it's old glory thanks to well done renovation. The great fire-heated baking oven and humongous rafters dominated the room and the walls were lined with long dining-tables.

Unfortunately the tables were not heavy with delicacies from the old times, but the lady of the house prepared an evening meal suited to the atmosphere. Freshly picked mint-leaves from the garden spiced up the tea and warm rolls from organically grown wheat tasted delicious in the darkening night of Kustavi.

With great summer memories, Miia.