A modern Honka Tuuli log villa – A couple’s paradise

As you descend the slope of the rocky island to Marjorita and Jukka’s holiday home, you’ll first marvel at the waters of Lake Kallavesi shimmering between the pines, and then at the magnificent Honka Tuuli log house.

Tuhkimo, a gentle Rottweiler, warmly welcomes you at the Sormunens’ terrace. The couple greet you under the roof between the sauna and the residential premises. As you enter the spacious lounge area, you take in the stunning lake view through the large windows. The sun shining from behind the house makes the landscape glow.

– “We couldn’t really imagine anything else on this lakeside plot except a log house,” says Jukka.

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A customised log villa

As a large Finnish company with a long history, the couple found Honka to be an obvious choice when it came to choosing a supplier. With its large landscape windows, the single-storey, two-part, elegant and modern Tuuli model immediately stood out as the perfect choice. The couple worked with Honka’s designer to shape it into the ideal home for them: a spacious, durable, easy-to-use, remotely controlled high-quality smart house for leisure, slightly larger than usual, with only one bedroom serving as a sleeping area and the other two as studies with enlarged windows and glass sliding doors.

– “The building project started when our children had grown and were about to move out on their own. The house was designed for two adults. We knew from our previous projects that any amount of customisation was possible, so we knew to ask for exactly what we wanted,” says Marjorita.

We knew from our previous projects that any amount of customisation was possible, so we knew to ask for exactly what we wanted.

Marjorita, the customer

No hiccups along the way

Local contractors with excellent reputations were selected through Honka’s network. The project proceeded on schedule without a single setback, and the results were second to none. Marjorita and Jukka did much of the interior work themselves, helped along by invaluable professional advice.

– Choosing reliable companies for a construction project is an absolute must. For those dreaming of a log house, Jukka’s advice is to set aside enough time just for planning and calculate the budget carefully. It is also sensible to allow for some flexibility.

– “We went to various fairs and construction sites and looked at many different types of log houses. It was a really big help – it gave us a clear view of what we wanted and what we definitely didn’t want,” says Marjorita.

The ideal log villa

The log villa was completed a year ago, and over that time, it’s become clear that having two studies and making the spaces adaptable were great choices. Although the number of rooms that are actually used as bedrooms was reduced to one, there is still plenty of space in the house for the adult children and their spouses to spend time and stay overnight. The airiness and brightness of the large and spacious lounge area is also a delight, and works even better than expected.

– “My only concern during the construction phase was the positioning of the house on the plot, facing northeast. I was afraid the house wouldn’t get enough natural light. But the direction has turned out to be perfect: there’s plenty of light,” says Marjorita.

– “Although the sun illuminates the landscape, it doesn’t shine directly in through the big windows,” adds Jukka.

Although the sun illuminates the landscape, it doesn’t shine directly in through the big windows.

Jukka, the customer

A paradise amidst nature

The yard can remain mainly a forested area for picking berries and mushrooms, with plenty of space on the large terrace. There is also a separate sauna building with changing rooms. The shower-room window offers a view of Puijo Tower in Kuopio, ten kilometres away. Sauna bathers can enjoy the gentle heat on aspen benches, carved by Jukka himself.

– “When I’m here, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. We can work remotely in the studies, and later pick berries and mushrooms in our own yard. We also fish on Lake Kallavesi. There’s nothing better than heating up the wood-fired sauna in the evening and watching the stars over the lake, sometimes even the Northern Lights,” says Jukka.

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