Every house is a small universe with its laws and truths. Can you imagine the universe without the sky ? No. And can you imagine the sky without clouds ? Definitely not. In the house, the ceiling is our only sky.
This house was built by the Ukrainian architect Sergey Makhno for his family. The house is built in contemporary Ukrainian style under the influence of Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi that finds beauty and harmony in imperfections.
Being almost completely enclosed by a minimalist concrete fence, its character can be seen with half an eye — a proud thatched roof hangs over the wooden rails on the walls. These materials are traditional for both Ukrainian and Japanese cultures. The most amazing space is the living room, where a gigantic window lights up a double-height wooden shelving system displaying a collection of clay pots, standing out behind the comfortable suede sofas. All the lighting in the house is designed by Sergey Makhno Architects. Made by hand, in limited editions, by one person for another. In the main living room, there are Khmara (Cloud in engl) lamps (photo above) that never rain and can be also found in the Paris gallery.
Sergey Makhno’s wife, Vlada, is an interior designer. The two of them meticulously designed the interiors blending Japanese and Ukrainian cultures. The beds are futons, and little statues in Japanese style stand here and there. One of the bedrooms even has a real wall made of paper and wood.
The dining area is the family’s favorite one. It sings an ode to a tree — warm, simple, perfect. Every place at the table offers a great view — to the living room, garden or terrace. After traveling to Japan, Sergey became a big fan and tea gourmand. A tea ceremony would be first thing he mention while talking about Japan. Teacups are more commonly used in this home than wine glasses.
The house has two kitchens. The minimalism of the open one is emphasized by a wooden table from a flea market, that replaced the kitchen tabletop. This table was born in 1935, and several generations of the Hutsul family have dined at it. The closed kitchen was designed according to Ukrainian traditions. Above the table, there is a “mysnyk” — special authentic shelves for dishes. The apron of the kitchen is protected by Sergey Makhno designer ceramic tile “Rock”. You can exit the kitchen through the window — everything in this house is made for ease of decision making
photo credits: Behace
