This exceptional thatched roof house combines a cozy ambience with contemporary, architecturalelements and rustic charm. The thick thatched roof extends over part of the facade. The architect and designer Sergey Makhno designed the project from Ukraine for his own family and called it “Shkrub”. Makhno and his wife used the name for the structure. The country villa is located in Kozin, south of Kyiv.
Combination of house with thatched roof and Japanese style
The architect drew inspiration for Shkrub from his travels to Japan. This also applies to himJapanese style gardenfull of sculptures. When he was there for the first time and saw how the Japanese value their heritage, he understood that Ukrainian culture is extremely rich. For this reason, Makhno also wanted to incorporate Ukrainian culture into a unique building.
The thatched-roof house is filled with a large collection of Ukrainian ceramics and has entire walls covered in ceramic tiles, also designed by Makhno. A stone path winds through the garden and leads into a long, thin living and dining area that runs the length of the house.
This is followed by a dynamic double-height living area with views of the garden through a floor-to-ceiling window. The living space is also lined with a shelving system displaying Makhno's collection of traditional ceramic antiques. The shelf is mainly made of wood that the designer collected from abandoned houses.
Rustic and ornate interior design
A rough, plaster-lined staircase leads to the first floor, where a series of bedrooms and guest rooms for the extended family are arranged around a common room. In addition, the hall is located on a balcony overlooking the double-height gallery and the garden.
The architect designed each of the three children's rooms individually. One features dark oak finishes, while the other has wallpaper designed by Makhno. The walls in the third children's room were painted with animals and birds by Ukrainian ceramist Serhii Radko.
The upper floor will be simple and consist of a gallery and bedrooms for the family. The hall ends with a balcony overlooking the living room and the garden. This is the first thing the owners see when they leave their rooms in the morning. The idea of finding beauty in imperfection also resonates in these rooms, particularly in the master bedroom, which features a huge mud wall at the head of the bed. In the master bedroom, the designer shaped the headboard to look like a clay cliff. Furthermore, the bedroom is divided into zones so that there is space for studying, as well as a relaxation area and a bathroom.
Some walls were also fitted with ceramic tiles arranged throughout. These have different types of clay, usually mixed with linseed, rye and wheat according to Ukrainian traditions.
Structure of the house
Makhno created the simple elevations of the house using thin, horizontal wooden beams on a thin stone base. The thatched roof with cutouts for the windows on the upper floor protrudes above this. Outside, the merger of Japan and Ukraine continues. At the same time, maple and cherry trees stand next to Ukrainian zoomorphic ceramics and contemporary art. Overall, the design of the Shkrub House leads to a contemporary tradition with the mix of natural materials and organic shapes within the regular building volume.
“In five thousand years, when archaeologists from other planets dismantle my house, they will say that it was built according to ancient Ukrainian traditions. There is a lot of nature and a lot of life,” says the architect. Sergey Makhno has previously worked on projects that attempt to combine Japanese and Ukrainian influences, including an apartment in Kiev where his family previously lived.
*websiteof the architect's office
