The house, like a construction set, is made of Serhii Makhno’s favourite materials: linen, wood, clay, and metal — the best things nature has given us.
here are several types of Ukrainian clay used here. The walls are decorated in 9 different techniques. One of them, for instance, is commonly used in ceramic sculpture modelling. To get a texture with rhythmical dints, the walls were covered with clay and knocked with a wooden spoon until they got dry. Also, according to ancient Ukrainian traditions, the clay was mixed with flax seeds, rye, and wheat — this technique was used in the times of Trypillia.
ll the lighting in the house is designed by MAKHNO Studio. Made by hand, in limited editions, by one person for another. In the main living room, there are our KHMARA lamps that never rain and can be also found in the Paris gallery. Sinks and children’s bath are also created in the ceramic workshop of Serhii Makhno.
The dining area is the family’s favourite 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. If you ask Serhii what Japan means to him, a tea ceremony will be the first mentioned. 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 Serhii Makhno’s designer ceramic tile ROCK. You can exit the kitchen through the window — everything in this house is made for ease of decision-making.
The stairs to the second floor hold glass handrails and ginger TETRAPODS — the designer tile by MAKHNO Studio inspired by actual multi-tone tetrapods that protect coasts from destructive waves
Second-floor planning is simple and ergonomic. There are gallery halls and bedrooms for the residents. The hall ends with a balcony overlooking the living room and garden — the first thing owners see when they leave their rooms in the morning.
The decor here is represented by the 16-century ceramic tile and the guardian angels above the doors to the children’s bedrooms. The window overlooks the second level of the stone garden and a rooftop terrace. This is analogous to one of the most famous Japanese gardens — the stone garden of Ryōan-ji in Kyoto. The rocks and sand in Ryōan-ji are like the sea and land, two inseparable entities. 15 large stones in the garden are laid out in such a way that no matter how hard you try, no more than 14 stones can be seen together. It is believed that only the person who has attained true enlightenment can see all the 15 ones.
Serhii’s parents are frequent guests in this house. It is believed that grandparents love grandchildren more than children — in Ukraine, the connection between these two generations is very strong. Therefore, in the evenings, when Serhii and his wife are downtown, the kids are being watched by their grandparents. Their room is very simple and restrained. The traditional for Japan low mattress is no longer surprising to Serhii’s parents — they are used to the creative experiments with their son.
And for the first time our FLAPJACK, which received the Red Dot Design Award 2017, is made in this colour. Looks unusual, but great. The guest bathroom is a gallery of designer tiles by Serhii Makhno. Here are the GRASS and EARTHQUAKE in two versions: glazed and metal-reduced.
Ivan is Serhii’s eldest son. He is studying in Italy and planning to continue his father’s business. His room is traditionally made in dark colours. The main focus here is the view of the garden and the floor made of a 500-year-old oak. Ivan shares his room with Kaws and ceramic art toys DIDO created by his father.
At the head of the tatami bed — Sumi-e-style monochrome art piece depicting distant landscapes, traditional for the wabi-sabi philosophy.
Children’s dreams will live here. So, it is the life that will settle here. The room of the youngest son is also minimalistic and spacious.
The wallpapers are designed by Serhii Makhno. At first, the father made chaotic blues spots on the craft paper, and then, the walls were painted by famous Ukrainian artist and ceramist, Serhii Radko. These are traditional themes of his works — animals and birds that live in Ukraine and symbolize family.
Although the younger sons are very small — 2 and 4 years old, it was important for the parents for everyone to have their own space. The space that kids will transform into the universe.
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