This Charming Rustic Czech Cabin Is Utterly Dreamy Inside

The house, originally built in 1875, was just a ruin when my father bought it in 1968. He bought it as a second home to escape to from Prague. Ever since I was a child, I’ve been spending weekends here and always had a strong connection to the place. Coming into the project as a designer, I had to work with a lot things that needed to stay—such as the staircase, which was created by my father.

A big inspiration for the interior design is the history of the place. In traditional Bohemian countryside cottages of past centuries, everything happened in one central room. The heart of the house was a fireplace and the families worked, dined, and slept in the same multipurpose room. I wanted to retain this original idea of people gathering in one space so the flow of the cabin reflects that, from the minimal, modern, and functional kitchen to the main seating area, all divided by the airy staircase and the bar.

Czechs are famous for their DIY culture, as the resources you could get during the communist era (1939-1989) were scarce, so everybody had to figure out solutions for themselves. Therefore Czechs tend to be super handy and embrace a lot of home-enhancing projects. For one such project in the cabin—a drying rod over the fireplace—I employed my then 9-year-old nephew. When the old rod broke, I told him that we needed to get a new one. So he went into the forest just behind the house and was back in 10 minutes saying “Here it is,” carrying a huge piece of a branch. We hung it together and it’s been there for more than 15 years now.

There are a lot of vintage and thrift store finds throughout the house. I love old stuff, as it always makes me wonder what the items “heard” or “experienced” and I wish they could tell their stories. I love when items have a story. I don’t try to repair them to look like new, instead I accept their look and appreciate the impact time had on them. It just makes so much more sense to me than wanting untouched perfection. This approach is reflected when I reupholster the old chairs in my workshop on the second floor of the house. I love when an old piece of furniture gets brought to life again with my own hands; it’s really important to me to keep preserving the history of this cabin which surrounds us and our land.

My Style: My style is eclectic. Working with the space and what is given and including traditional items with a minimal and modern approach.

Inspiration: Life and the history of the place/item.

Favorite Element: Nature around the cottage—just walk out of the door, look at the stars, watch the cats laying in the sun, hear the birds chirping, and do stuff which has meaning…

Biggest Challenge: As an interior designer I try to dig deeper and really get to know my clients and figure out what it is they really want deep inside.

Proudest DIY: The intricate wooden boards that make up the bar island in the kitchen are made of one Cottonwood tree. Initially when the tree was felled we felt like it would be a shame to burn such wonderful large pieces of wood. So we carved them into square pieces and then it just fell in place: to build a kitchen island out of them. The bar stools were originally used in a hospital; I painted them red and replaced the seats as the original ones were worn down.

Biggest Indulgence: I splurged on my bathroom. The self-standing bath was a dream of mine and it’s again a thrift store find, which I got re-furbished. Together with clean and minimal appliances and a spacious rain shower it creates a relaxing space. And the elaborate tiling brings in a bit of unexpected luxury into an otherwise rustic interior.

What’s your best home secret? The eclectic combination of cheap and expensive. You can wash your dishes with cheap soap and get an old arm chair for free, but if you splurge on luxurious fabric to upholster it with, it will make it a statement piece.

• Primalex — Essence

• Grey bag for firewood — Hornbach
• Porcelain light switches and sockets — Design Decento®
• Etched Glass Doors — Leptani
• Dining table — Vintage, inherited from grandmother
• Arm Chairs and table chairs — Vintage, Re-upholstered by BF

• Fridge — Gorenje
• Barstools — Vintage self-refurbished

• Everything — Sapho Koupelny

Thanks Barbora!