Known for documentation of her quietly captivating cabin life, Kadri Otsiver is an Estonian photographer and creative entrepreneur who returned home after years abroad to build something slower, more tranquil, and more rooted. What began as a modest cabin project on her ancestral land in Northern Estonia has grown over time into a small cluster of homes – one of which she inhabits year-round.
Here coffee is brewed slowly, firewood is stacked by hand, and music hums from vinyl records – less a retreat from the world than a deliberate way of being in it.
(PST) You’ve lived in many countries and once described yourself as a “citizen of the world”. Was there a moment when that lifestyle stopped feeling fulfilling?
(KO) Yes. When I was in my twenties, my greatest wish was to leave. But as I approached my thirties, I began to long for a place where I could build deeper connections. I grew tired of the constant noise… building a life somewhere only to leave and start over again. Everything began to feel temporary, and I realized I was craving something more rooted: a deeper relationship with a place, its people, and the small things that make it feel like home.
(PST) How did your cabin life begin, and when did it start to feel permanent?
(KO) I moved to the forest when COVID hit. The old farmhouse, which has been home to my ancestors since the 1800s, lost its last full-time resident a few years earlier – my uncle. But his animals were still living here, and my mother had to come every day to care for them, so it felt natural for someone to take over, at least temporarily.
I came, and I fell in love with the place. Over time, what was meant to be temporary began to feel like home. Together with my partner who later became my husband, I built a small cabin next to the property.
(PST) People often romanticize life in the forest. Have you encountered assumptions about what your daily reality looks like?
(KO) Oh yes, definitely. People sometimes imagine that all I do is wander through the forest with a cup in my hand, listening to nature. While that is part of it, it’s only one small part. There’s always something to build, fix, or prepare – especially with multiple buildings and the surrounding land. We both have full-time jobs, so time isn’t as abundant as people might assume.
(PST) And what does a typical day look like for you here?
(KO) I wake up around 7:30, feed the cats, heat the houses and have breakfast. This is the part of the day I like to take slowly. Then I open my laptop and start work, mostly with local tourism businesses.
Every other day, around midday, my mother comes by to the old house, and we have coffee and chat. I continue working until my husband arrives home around 5 or 6. During the warmer months, we usually have projects or tasks waiting for us around the house. It’s all quite normal, really.
(PST) Living closely with nature comes with its challenges. What are some of the less visible realities of living this way?
(KO) I think it’s less about nature itself, and more about living in a modest way. People don’t always realise how much time and energy something as simple as heating can take, from cutting wood to making the fire. In the beginning, our only ways of washing were a sink, a cold plunge, or the sauna. These simple things no longer feel taken for granted.
(PST) What’s the biggest misconception about living in the forest?
(KO) People often think the forest slows you down. In reality, you have to choose that for yourself.
(PST) If you could bring one element of city life into the forest, what would it be?
(KO) Probably vintage furniture shops.
(PST) Your cabin is both intimate and impeccably designed – something that could sit on the cover of a design magazine. Did it come together through experimentation, or have you always been drawn to spatial thinking?
(KO) Thank you for the compliment. I still see many things I would do differently now, with more knowledge and experience. I’ve always been drawn to aesthetics and creating things, so it felt quite natural rather than something I had to learn from scratch. Interior design is just one of those outlets.
(PST) I noticed a stack of Never Too Small magazines in your space – a series that celebrates thoughtful living in compact environments. Does designing within smaller spaces bring a particular kind of satisfaction or creative freedom for you?
(KO) Maybe I’d gently challenge that. Designing small spaces, especially without much experience, can feel quite challenging at first. But once you move past that, it becomes really rewarding. The limitations force you to think more carefully, and every decision matters more. It’s like solving a crossword or a difficult puzzle.
(PST) Having lived in so many different places, what has become non-negotiable for you in a home?
(KO) Living with objects that carry meaning has become non-negotiable for me. It probably comes from years of buying things that were cheap or temporary. Over time, I’ve come to value fewer possessions, but ones that feel considered and lasting.
(PST) You’ve built this life together with your partner. Was this kind of environment new for both of you?
(KO) I think many people who were raised in post-Soviet countries are familiar with more modest conditions, such as dry toilets and limited access to showers. So in that sense, it felt a bit like going back in time, but not entirely unfamiliar. Living deep in the forest was new for both of us, but being close to nature itself wasn’t.
(PST) Your way of living has resonated widely online. Did your presence grow organically, or did you approach it with intention from the start?
(KO) It has grown organically. My background in documentary photography and digital marketing likely gave me a slight head start.
(PST) How has your journey from photography to broader content creation unfolded?
(KO) My heart belongs to documentary photography – the combination of aesthetics and meaning – and I’ve carried that into the content I create. As I settled into life in the forest, it felt natural to turn the camera towards myself rather than others, and that’s how my work began to evolve. Each piece of content became a small narrative, revealing something of myself and a way of life that resonates with others.
(PST) You’ve described yourself as introverted. What does living here offer you that other environments couldn’t?
(KO) I tend to feel drained quite quickly in social settings, even though I genuinely enjoy being around people who make me feel comfortable. Living here gives me the space to reset. The city can easily become overwhelming, with all the sounds, smells, and activity, while nature feels calm and grounding.
(PST) If you think back to yourself seven years ago, constantly on the move – what has changed, and what has remained the same?
(KO) Although I feel much more settled now and less anxious, my curiosity hasn’t left me.
(PST) What’s a small, perhaps unexpected pleasure you allow yourself?
(KO) I often have Netflix playing in the background while doing household tasks.
(PST) Does this life feel like a destination, or do you still feel drawn toward new directions and change?
(KO) As a framework, yes. Within that, there are many things I would still like to change, but overall, this life feels like me.
Credits
Interview by Paula-Stina TasanePhotography by Silver Mikiver