Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ann Nygard. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ann, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Hauskaa didn’t begin as a business idea—it began as a deeply personal moment of stillness for me.

In 2019, I was recovering from a serious accident, and for the first time in my life, everything slowed down. The usual pace, the constant movement—it all faded. What was left was quiet, and in that quiet, I found myself returning to something I had always carried with me: a deep love of home.

I grew up in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, where home wasn’t about perfection—it was about warmth. It was candlelight in the winter, handmade objects, and a sense of comfort that grounded you no matter what was happening outside. Later, when I lived in Finland and Sweden, I saw that same feeling expressed in a whole new way. The Scandinavian approach to home—intentional, seasonal, calming—left a lasting imprint on me. It wasn’t just décor. It was a philosophy of living.

During my recovery, I started spending time in a local maker space, working with wood. At first, it was simply something to do with my hands. But then I made a small wooden house—minimal, simple, but full of character. I brought it home, placed it on a shelf, lit a candle beside it… and something shifted.

It wasn’t just an object. It created a feeling. A sense of calm. Of home.

That was the moment I realized this could be something more.

Emotionally, it felt powerful—but I also saw the logic. The home décor market is full of beautiful things, but so much of it is mass-produced and temporary. I kept thinking: where are the pieces that actually mean something? Where are the objects that feel personal, that last, that become part of your rituals?

I realized I wasn’t just making a product—I was creating an experience. Something rooted in the idea of slowing down, of marking the seasons, of building a home that feels intentional.

What excited me most was the flexibility of it. These wooden houses weren’t tied to just one holiday or moment. They could evolve throughout the year—quiet in winter, fresh in spring, cozy in autumn. People could create their own stories around them, year after year.

And in a world that often feels fast and disposable, that felt important.

I knew this was worth pursuing because it solved something deeper than a functional need. It addressed a feeling—a longing for connection, for meaning, for home. Hauskaa became my way of offering that to others.

It started with one small wooden house. But behind it was a much bigger idea: that the objects we surround ourselves with can shape how we feel, how we slow down, and how we connect to the spaces we call home. They tell our story.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Ann Nygard, the founder of Hauskaa, and at heart, I’m a storyteller through objects—someone who has always believed that the spaces we create shape how we feel, live, and connect.

I grew up in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, surrounded by nature, strong seasons, and a deep sense of community. From an early age, I learned that home isn’t about having more—it’s about creating warmth with what you have. That perspective stayed with me as I traveled and lived abroad, especially during my time in Finland and Sweden. It was there that I truly fell in love with Nordic living—the intentionality, the simplicity, and the way small rituals, like lighting a candle on a dark winter afternoon, could transform a space and your state of mind.

But Hauskaa as a business didn’t come until much later, during a pivotal moment in my life. In 2019, I was recovering from a serious accident, and everything slowed down. During that time, I began working with wood at a local maker space. What started as a quiet, meditative practice quickly became something more. I created my first small wooden house, brought it home, and felt an immediate emotional connection to it. It wasn’t just décor—it created a sense of calm, of grounding, of home.

That moment led me to start Hauskaa.

Today, Hauskaa creates handcrafted wooden houses, village sets, seasonal décor, and candles designed to bring warmth, calm, and meaning into the home. Every piece is inspired by Nordic design and rooted in sustainability. We use upcycled wood from local fine furniture makers, non-toxic finishes like Tung oil and milk paint, and partner with local makers to produce our candles. Our packaging is fully recyclable and compostable, and we are deeply committed to supporting our local community.

But what we really create goes beyond the physical product.

We create tools for ritual. For slowing down. For marking the seasons and creating a home that feels intentional.

One of the problems I saw—and experienced myself—is how much of modern home décor feels disposable. It’s trend-driven, mass-produced, and often lacks emotional connection. People bring things into their homes, but those things don’t necessarily add meaning or lasting value.

Hauskaa offers an alternative to that.

Our pieces are designed to be heirloom-quality—objects you return to year after year, that evolve with your life and your traditions. Whether it’s setting up a winter village, refreshing your space in spring, or simply lighting a candle at the end of the day, our products are meant to become part of your everyday rituals.

What sets Hauskaa apart is this combination of craftsmanship, sustainability, and emotional resonance. We’re not just designing for how something looks—we’re designing for how it feels.

What I’m most proud of is that Hauskaa has grown without losing its heart. Every piece still carries that original intention: to bring a sense of calm, warmth, and connection into people’s homes. I’m also incredibly proud of our commitment to sustainability and local sourcing—knowing that our work supports both the environment and our Vermont community.

For anyone discovering Hauskaa for the first time, what I want you to know is this: this brand is an invitation.

An invitation to slow down.
To create rituals.
To find joy in simple, meaningful objects.
And to build a home that reflects not just your style—but your story.

Because at the end of the day, home isn’t a place—it’s a feeling.

And that’s what Hauskaa is here to help you create.

Have you ever had to pivot?

One of the most defining pivots in my journey with Hauskaa happened right at the beginning—and it was completely unexpected.

When I first started creating my wooden houses, I envisioned Hauskaa as something very local and tangible. I imagined selling to tourists at Vermont holiday markets, local shops, and small boutiques—after all, how much maple syrup and cheddar cheese can people take home after visiting Vermont? These were places where people could pick up a piece, feel the wood in their hands, and connect with it in person. It felt natural, aligned with the handmade nature of the work and the strong sense of community I grew up with.

I was surprised when a a local ski academy had approached me to make 1500 pieces for their 50th anniversary celebration and got to work.

I had made over 500 made when COVID hit.

Almost overnight, the entire model I had in mind disappeared. The 50th anniversary celebration was postponed indefinitely. Markets were canceled. Shops closed. Tourist traffic vanished. The very environments I thought Hauskaa would live in were no longer accessible.

At first, it was overwhelming. I had this product that was deeply tactile and experiential—and suddenly, I had to figure out how to translate that feeling through a screen.

But in that moment, I realized I had a choice: pause and wait for things to return to normal, or adapt and meet people where they were.

So I pivoted.

I began building Hauskaa as an online brand on Etsy—something I hadn’t originally planned for in such a big way. They had the tools in places to help sellers with storytelling, making good photography an essential, and giving a good crash course in digital selling. Instead of someone holding a wooden house in their hands at a market, I had to show them how it could feel sitting on their shelf, lit by candlelight, becoming part of their home.

What surprised me most was how powerful that shift became.

Going online didn’t just replace local sales—it expanded everything. Suddenly, Hauskaa wasn’t limited to Vermont. We were reaching people across the country, and even internationally. When I became an Etsy Editor’s Pick and was featured in Etsy promotions, customers discovered us and started creating their own Hauskaa villages in places I had never imagined—from California to New York to Europe and Australia and beyond.

In a way, COVID forced me to think bigger than I originally had. What started as a small, local idea transformed into something with a much broader reach and impact.

It also reinforced something important: while the medium changed, the core of Hauskaa didn’t. People were still looking for the same thing—comfort, meaning, and a sense of home. And even through a screen, that feeling could still come through.

Looking back, that pivot was one of the most challenging moments—but also one of the most important. It pushed me to grow, to adapt, and to build a brand that could live beyond a single place.

And ultimately, it showed me that sometimes the path you don’t plan for ends up being the one that allows your idea to fully come to life.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to unlearn as an entrepreneur is the idea that if you plan well enough, you can be prepared for everything.

Before starting Hauskaa, I approached things very methodically. I believed in planning, forecasting, building pitch decks, thinking through customer profiles—doing everything “right” so that when opportunities or challenges came up, I’d be ready.

But what I’ve learned is that business—and life—doesn’t work that way.

Some of the most pivotal moments with Hauskaa have come completely out of the blue. I’ve had new retailers reach out unexpectedly, asking to carry our products when I wasn’t actively pitching. I’ve had magazine features appear with little warning, creating sudden waves of attention that you can’t fully prepare for. One of the best unexpected things to happen was having Jonathan and Drew (The Property Brothers) name Hauskaa to the Top 20 Modern Christmas Decor ideas.

And then there’s the other side.

I’ve spent months preparing for a holiday market—designing inventory, building displays, planning every detail—only to have a snowstorm cancel the entire event. Just like that, all the preparation, all the anticipation, gone.

Those experiences forced me to confront something: no amount of planning can account for the unpredictability of the real world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hauskaa.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hauskaavt/
• Facebook: HauskaaVT
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/hauskaavt/