The story of this unusual house in the Finnish countryside became the subject of a documentary series on the Yle channel. Young writer Rafael Donner, 35, and his wife Ninni bought an old, abandoned school about an hour’s drive from Helsinki. The couple fully renovated the building and turned it into a warm family home.
Renovating the old house: what was inside and what experts said
The two-storey wooden building, built in the early 1900s, had stood empty for many years and slowly fell into disrepair. That did not deter the new owners — Rafael and Ninni saw great potential in the old school. Still, it took a lot of work to turn the dilapidated school into a proper house with modern comforts.
Details: the house is 260 square metres and sits on a 1.5-hectare plot. The current owner, Rafael Donner, is the son of well-known Finnish writer and director Jörn Donner. Rafael followed in his father’s footsteps: he worked as a journalist in Helsinki for a time and now writes short stories. His wife Ninni is a baker-pastry chef. The couple raise a small daughter named Gro.
They bought the house in 2021. The building appealed to them at first sight, but before buying they asked specialists experienced with old buildings to inspect it.
The experts examined the house and concluded that, although the structure was basically sound, it needed major renovations. Wiring, plumbing and the heating system all had to be replaced.
Most of the renovation work was done by Rafael and Ninni themselves. They called in professionals only for the difficult jobs.
“We decided from the beginning that we would renovate the house as economically as possible and use materials typical for that period,” Ninni told Kotijakeittio.fi. “We looked for information online, read books, studied research. We also attended restoration courses that taught us how to repair an old house properly.”
How the Donner family’s old house looks after renovation
The couple combined the kitchen and dining room. The dining area is spacious and bright thanks to light-coloured walls. A large table stands in the middle — Rafael and Ninni love to host guests.
Above the dresser hangs a painting the Donner family cherishes. According to family legend, in the 17th century an ancestor named Jochim Donner emigrated from Germany to Finland and brought this small painting with him. It has been handed down through the generations ever since.
The dining area feels warm and cosy thanks to a 100-year-old stove whose tone matches the antique cabinet opposite.
The dream kitchen: the home’s main room
The kitchen is Ninni’s favourite place in the house. Before meeting Rafael she worked as a bartender. After marriage, moving to the old house and having their daughter, Ninni decided to change careers. Her love of baking and good food led her to take culinary courses and train for a new profession.
The kitchen became the family’s main investment. Both spouses love cooking, so they spent significant money fitting out their dream kitchen. It now contains all the essential appliances.
The cabinets are painted a warm olive that pairs well with other green shades throughout the old house.
Their garden and farm: how the move changed their life
Moving to the old house changed Rafael and Ninni’s life. Since 2023 Rafael has taken up farming. On the home plot he grows vegetables, herbs and fruits — from potatoes and carrots to artichokes, ginger and asparagus.
“I never thought vegetable growing would get my husband so hooked,” Ninni told Kotiliesi.
In 2024 the couple opened a small café-shop near the house where visitors can have lunch and buy carefully selected interior items. Ninni bakes the buns herself, and dishes served to guests use produce grown on their own farm. The Donners write about life in the old house on their blog.
Business is doing well. Despite the farm’s distance from big cities, visitors keep coming. In 2026 Rafael and Ninni plan to open a bakery as well.
“We were very surprised by how popular our café became,” Ninni admitted.
They also plan to build a chicken coop for raising French-bred hens. “They lay eggs with a very beautiful colour,” the couple explain.
Reworking the living room
The living room was set up in what used to be the school’s gym. It is the largest room in the house, with ceilings up to four metres high.
Both spouses adore reading, so one wall is taken up by a large bookshelf. The shelves hold books the couple have collected for years and hundreds of volumes they inherited.
In the evenings Rafael likes to play guitar in the living room. Little Gro loves music. The house wasn’t always like this.
“My wife’s family is very musical — they love to sing. When her parents visit, the house is full of music and songs. In my family, singing never played such an important role. So when I first met Ninni, her musicality surprised me,” Rafael says.
Now he hardly ever puts the guitar down.
Decorating for the New Year: a tall tree and natural materials
Every December they always put a real tree in the living room. The couple chooses the tallest tree from the nursery so it looks right in the roomy living area. This year decorating it required a ladder.
By tradition, Rafael and Ninni decorate the whole house. Sprigs of evergreen sit in glass jars everywhere, and small bunches of fir tied with satin ribbons hang from doorknobs.
Bedrooms, the child’s room and the bathroom
Parents’ bedroom. Many old stoves remain in the house from earlier times. But since the renovation installed central heating, the stoves are rarely used.
Next to the parents’ bedroom is Gro’s room. The child’s walls are plastered with clay and painted a blue-grey. Little drawings hang over the bed.
Before renovation the house had no indoor bathroom — all facilities were outside. Now the couple can take a bath or a shower in comfort. If they want a taste of the past, they can still relax in the sauna located in the yard.
“We live a kind of unique life,” the couple agree as they finish the tour of their old house.
Images: Johanna Myllymäki / Riitta Sourander
