A Thatched Roof House That Blends Ukrainian and Japanese Influences
Looking at the old Japanese houses for inspiration, architect and designer Sergey Makhno came up with a wonderful and unique design for his own family home. One of the driving forces behind this design was a desire to show appreciation for the local culture and heritage. As such, the house is infused with lots of beautiful wall art and items that reference the Ukrainian culture and history. The site on which the house is built is situated South of Kiev, in a region called Kozin. It’s not just the local culture that’s referenced throughout this project but the Japanese one was well, in the form of a beautiful zen garden decorated with lots of sculptural art and vegetation.
The house has a thatched roof which became the main focal point of its exterior design. The huge window in the living room stretches all the way up, reaching the roof which appears to have cutouts for each window on the upper floor. Inside, the house is organized on two floors. The living and dining areas are combined into a single long volume which stretches the entire length of the house.
The living in particular is very interesting because it’s a double-height space. This is where the owners’ large collection of Ukrainian ceramics and pottery is displayed on a series of shelves made of salvaged wood. There’s also a very beautiful and organic-looking fireplace in here as well as an elegant live-edge coffee table.
Photography is by Serhii Kadulin.