Nuuna has been Kuusamo Log Houses’ most popular holiday home model since the start of the millennium. Now, an M version has been unveiled, giving an extremely modern first impression.
Builders were immediately captivated by the villa’s appearance
It is easy to find rational reasons for building a holiday home in Kuusamo. The area’s enchanting nature is unique, with its snowy winters and hot summers. Time flies when holidaying in Kuusamo, if you enjoy spending time in nature even a little.
For the couple from Joensuu, however, the most compelling reason for building a holiday home in Kuusamo was family ties. Their son has settled in the town with his family. With a new second home, they can spend quality time together as a family and watch their grandchildren grow up. In future, the couple will be spending a lot of time in Kuusamo. It’s not worth driving all the way from Joensuu just for a few days. The journey is over 400 kilometres.
The project began in 2020, when a 5,000-square-metre plot was purchased on the shores of Lake Kuusamo. It is about ten kilometres from there to the town. Choosing a holiday home was easy, as the couple fell in love at first sight with the new M-version of Kuusamo Log Houses’ most popular Nuuna villa. It features long roof overhangs, with a timber-clad colonnade at the eaves. A wide passageway runs between the log frame and the pillars. The M-series Nuuna is not only an impressive-looking building but also safe to use – rainwater is guaranteed not to splash onto the log walls. Otherwise, the model retains the familiar Nuuna design features, with a high glass wall reminiscent of a ship’s bow facing the living areas.
At the start of the summer, the Nuuna M 104 model from the range, with a floor area of 96 square metres, was completed for a couple. The high-ceilinged living areas are complemented by two bedrooms. At the same time as the villa, a 25-square-metre log-built lakeside sauna and a timber-framed outbuilding were constructed on the site. All the materials for these were sourced from Kuusamo Log Houses. Construction work began last spring and the final inspection took place just before Christmas. Work on the plot continues with the landscaping of the garden area. Meanwhile, the couple are able to spend time at their new holiday home, enjoying the company of their son’s family and the pristine nature of Kuusamo.
Brick flooring was chosen because of the dogs
The couple are bringing four Bernese Mountain Dogs with them to Kuusamo. The pets’ large size and, above all, their weight place specific demands on the villa’s surface materials. The brick tiles chosen for the floor can withstand the wear and tear caused by 16 paws. This has been tested in the couple’s home in Joensuu, which has a similar floor.
The villa is built from 202 mm thick, non-settling laminated logs. The partition walls are plasterboard painted white. The log surfaces have been finished on the inside with a translucent white panel paint. The exterior colour is a 4-oil exterior paint in the light grey Stenskär shade. The pillar walls are a darker Svartö shade. The ochre-coloured inner surfaces of the roof overhangs add character to the exterior. The shade name is Tiera.
In terms of fittings, the villa is on a par with a high-end detached house. A geothermal well has been drilled in the garden, and the system also heats the lakeside sauna. The villa’s living room features a large and efficient Tulikivi heat-storing fireplace. It is used regularly during the winter season, when it provides a large part of the villa’s heating requirements. The wood felled on the plot provides heat for a long time.
All the fitted furniture is manufactured by Puustelli. Expert assistance with the kitchen design and planning was provided by the retailer. Wheels were fitted under the island so that it can be moved when necessary. When a large group of guests comes to visit, the island is moved to one side, creating extra space around the dining table.
There is no shortage of light in the living areas, as the sloping external walls feature floor-to-ceiling windows. The views of the lake are unobstructed. Kuusamo can be admired in all its splendour.
The couple are enamoured with Artek furniture
The villa’s interior stands out from typical Finnish holiday homes with its colourfulness. The couple are particularly fond of Alvar Aalto’s designs, and they wanted Artek furniture for their Kuusamo villa too. Alongside these, the modern Nuuna range offers a wide spectrum of colours, from yellow to various shades of green.
All the furniture was purchased new for the holiday home in Kuusamo. The designer lighting includes, among other things, Louis Poulsen’s world-famous designs. The couple have sought to add colour to the expansive log surfaces through art. They have hung paintings they like on the walls. The artists featured include, in particular, Arja Valkonen-Goldblatt and Nanna Susi. The couple are drawn not only to the beauty of nature but also to the creations of creative human hands. This pleasing aesthetic is what led them to choose the M-series Nuuna for their holiday home.
The article was first published in the magazine Uusi Koti, issue 4/2024. The article was written by Jorma Välimaa and photographed by Hans Koistinen.
