Estonian family spends six years restoring century-old farmhouse and sauna
Egle Kurs and Mēliss Kurss from Estonia have single-handedly restored an overgrown rural property in the Alutaguse municipality, including a century-old farmhouse and log sauna. The six-year project coincided with the couple becoming parents to three children.
In the village of Koldame, in the Alutaguse municipality of Ida-Viru County in northeastern Estonia, lies the Vīlepi farmstead, brought back to life over the past six years by Egle Kurs and Mēliss Kurss. The couple shared their story with Estonian Delfi during a competition for the country's most beautiful rural home.
An overgrown property
Egle recalls that when they first visited the property in 2016, they could not even drive up to the house — dense bushes and chest-high weeds covered everything. The farmstead had previously been home to an elderly man who had passed away, and the house and land were sold by a relative of Mēliss. Although they couldn't even get inside the house at the time, Egle already knew she wanted to live there.
Six years of work
Over time, the couple transformed the property entirely, restoring the century-old farmhouse — now featuring a grey facade — by hand, along with the old storage sheds and a century-old log sauna that had previously been swallowed by bushes. A children's playground was also set up in the yard. Alongside the renovation work, the family grew, with Egle and Mēliss becoming parents to three children.
Egle notes that the result is hard to put into words and is better seen in person. The restored house and sauna are now fully back in everyday use.
