Photos and text: Riikka Tuomivaara
Warmth. It radiates from every detail of Federica Simoni’s log villa in Kuusamo, Finland.
The low midwinter sun streams through the massive windows. A fire crackles in the fireplace, cheerful Italian folk music plays from the speakers, and the scent of freshly baked pastries fills the air. The surrounding forest and frozen Lake Kitka are nearly snowless, even though it’s already December.
Federica vividly remembers the first time she saw the property. It was January, and the snow was two meters deep.
“The road wasn’t plowed, so I had to walk to the cabin from the main road with snowshoes. I had been searching for the perfect place in Kuusamo for a year, and I immediately knew this was it.”
The property includes two log buildings, an old smoke sauna, a summer kitchen, and a new sauna building. The older log cabin which already existed on the property is under renovation and not yet ready for display. The new log building, completed in 2024, took three years to construct.
“During that time, I almost went crazy several times,” Federica laughs as she eagerly begins to show off the cabin’s details.
And there are many. The construction material had to be untreated and natural “kelo”, deadwood logs, which Federica believes will be treasured as museum artifacts in the future. Suitable logs were eventually found from Russia and Finland.
Almost everything inside the cabin is from Italy. Standout details include parquet flooring salvaged from an old demolished house, a sophisticated thin-walled bathtub and industrial-style stairs leading to the loft.
“Even the floor drain covers are from Italy, and it wasn’t easy to make them compatible with Finnish plumbing requirements,” Federica explains.
Federica’s greatest pride, however, are the Italian stone walls in the entryway, kitchen, and sauna, which she built herself.
“When the Italian stone supplier heard I was planning to build the wall myself, the reaction was, ‘Mamma mia!’ But he was impressed with the result and now uses pictures of the wall in his company’s marketing,” Federica chuckles.
While the cabin’s soul is Italian, there are also Northern Finnish touches: the living room wall is adorned with a massive burl clock, and the bathroom door handle is made from reindeer antlers.
Federica, originally from a small village in northeastern Italy, has always prioritized doing over dreaming. She has traveled to 53 countries and lived in places such as Australia, China, Germany and Brazil.
“My soul is Brazilian. I’ve never received so much love anywhere else. I volunteered with children, and when I arrived, everyone hugged me all at once,” Federica says.
Federica first came to Finland a decade ago because of her husband’s work. While living in Helsinki, she couldn’t stand the gray and dark winters.
A vacation in northern Finland opened a whole new world. The Northern Lights and quiet snowy landscapes captivated her during her visits to rental cabins near Kuusamo’s Lake Muojärvi.
“Once, my car got stuck in the snow near a rental cabin, and I had to dig it out with my bare hands. Yet, I fell in love,” Federica says.
What fascinates Federica about Finland, especially the north, is the silence, safety, and personal space.
“Finland is the complete opposite of Brazil and even Italy. People are quiet, and physical contact isn’t as natural. Luckily, in my work, I get to touch people and share my energy. That saves me.”
Federica has a law degree and has worked globally in corporate law and as a consult. While living in China, she got into shiatsu.
Nowadays, she provides shiatsu treatments in Helsinki and Kuusamo Tropiikki Spa. She also makes house calls. Shiatsu, based on Chinese medicine, is akin to acupuncture but without needles.
“Shiatsu is much less known in Finland than in Italy, where treatments are common. I’ve noticed how closed-off Finns’ body language can be, and many could truly benefit from shiatsu.”
With her new villa, Federica also plans to bring small groups of Italian tourists to Kuusamo.
The living room is designed to accommodate multiple yoga mats, and Federica is now looking for a partner to organize yoga or meditation retreats in the space.
“In the kitchen, you could prepare healthy meals—a complete wellness tourism package.”
After moving to Finland, Federica and her husband attended an orientation session about Finnish culture.
“The teacher of the course told me that usually foreigners don’t resist so much in Finland, but she predicted that I would. And she was right! Sometimes I look back at the notes I took during orientation and realize that everything written there has happened,” Federica laughs.
During the construction project, cultural differences became particularly apparent. Federica had a clear vision and wanted everything done to the millimeter. Finnish contractors sometimes struggled to understand this, preferring to stick to tried-and-true methods.
“Fortunately, I found carpenter Sami Multasniemi, who is now like a son to me. He approached my ideas with an open mind and most importantly, wanted to learn new things.”
Federica was also surprised about how local services didn’t always meet her expectations. At times, her emails and calls went unanswered.
“There were even instances where, as soon as I started speaking English, the line was hung up. I’ve sometimes wondered with my Italian friend living in Lapland if Finns are so rich that they don’t need to offer services.”
She also noticed that Finns don’t always handle criticism well.
“I’m used to wanting to know what I’m doing wrong so I can avoid the same mistakes in the future.”
In the end, the house turned out exactly as Federica envisioned.
“The result is identical to the plans. I also have 65,000 photos as memories of the process,” Federica says.
Federica has made a few Finnish acquaintances, but connecting with locals has been challenging. She hopes this will change now that she works with the Italian Cultural Institute in Helsinki.
“I’ve thought about organizing events at the cabin and in Kuusamo’s center, such as Italian cooking and traditional dance evenings.”
At the same time, Federica has decided to embrace Finnish culture and enjoy the solitude Kuusamo offers.
“I’ve realized that Italians can often be overly intrusive. A neighbor might even peer through your window, and it’s completely normal,” she says with a smile.
She also praises Finns’ ability to listen.
“Finns know how to give someone a turn to speak, while in Italy, everyone talks at the same time. I also enjoy working with Sami. We often work in silence, which has a beautiful harmony.”
