Vising the old Lang Trade House, turned into a cafe and boutique hotel in Raahe is the highlight of my Christmas holiday!

As a lover of old wooden houses and owning one myself, I’m always interested in visiting tastefully restored and renovated places. This cafe in Raahe has been on my list since I heard about it and now was a good opportunity to drive there to meet my god daughter and friends.

It takes a lot of money, effort and especially good taste to restore an old property like this, hats off to the owners. Everything from the materials and colours down to mismatched china and bathroom latch has been carefully curated to fit a house worthy for a wealthy merchant in the late 1800 to early 1900. Which just happens to be my favourite aethetique ever and I now have a lifelong project of turning my own home into something similar.

Right as you step in there is a little basket full of Aino and Reino booties to change into if you are wearing winter shoes with studs on them, so you don’t damage the old wood floors.

Dark red wine curtains, muted green wood trims and ochre yellow wallpaper, lit with crystal chandeliers and candles, just pure perfection.

Contrary to the modern down right stupid open-consept houses, the old ones have lots of little rooms with doors in between to control temperature, noice and have privacy. One of the rooms here has a little shop with mostly artisan gifts and tasteful touristy stuff.

Inspiration for a (distant) future kitchen renovation.

The most beautiful cash register ever!
I’m not selling anything but I want one.

There were quite a lot of people in the main part of the cafe so we retrieted to the back of the house where I assume lunch is served and can also be rented for parties. We are also introverts so there’s that.

Savoury pies first, the next round was cake with friends once they got here too.

4.30pm and pitch black if it wasn’t for the street lights and snow. Days are getting longer already though and sooner than we realise it’s 24 hours of daylight again here close to the Arctic Circle.