Breathtaking landscape views, like the most enchanting gallery

A striking, generously basemented family log home at the heart of a vast hunting ground in the Karlovy Vary region, with a professional facility for processing game.

The decision to build a timber home — especially one using a log structure — usually follows a fairly long inner journey, towards the idea of sustainability and a certain emotional return to one's roots and to nature itself. The owner of this house went through a similar process. He'd always felt close to nature, sought it out and surrounded himself with it since childhood. Hunting, and everything around it, became one of his great life passions — and that's unmistakable in his new home near Karlovy Vary, too. But let's not get ahead of ourselves…

How old things give new things life

It began with finding a plot with an old, derelict barn on it. For five years the investor walked past it, turning the idea of building a timber home over in his mind, again and again. There was a building moratorium in the area, so the only way forward was to renovate the existing structure. There was no shortage of obstacles at the start. It turned out the building wasn't even registered in the land registry. Perhaps it was exactly these significant challenges that finally spurred the investor into action. As a passionate hunter, he naturally seeks out situations like this — and enjoys overcoming them even more.

Shared vision in the leading role

With his building vision in hand, he first approached the German representative of the Finnish manufacturer — one of the dominant players on the world market since the 1960s. In the end, though, the choice fell "one house further on" — on the world's number one in the field, KONTIO. "From the very first conversation about the project, we were on exactly the same page about everything. The discussion was clear and constructive. It was one of those decisive moments that tells you you're on the right path to making your vision real," the investor recalls of his early talks with the winning supplier. Mr Michal worked on his project for more than two years, so he came to appreciate the advertised speed of assembly and the elimination of beam settling, thanks to the patented SmartLog™ technology.

It was clear to KONTIO's Czech representatives, from their very first meeting, that he was the textbook client for this kind of project. A win-win before the starting gun even fired? What more could you ask for.

Non-standard requirements — challenge accepted

Just as other clients want a man-cave with a pool table, or an open-plan loft with a climbing frame for the kids, the new owner here had a clear idea of what his house absolutely had to include. To meet the investor's requirements, the masonry basement below also had to be carefully planned. The whole house has a basement, and it's exactly this part of the house that holds every hunting-ground owner's dream — a complete facility for the perfect hunter's ritual: a game-butchering room, a cold room, a social room not just for hunting get-togethers, and there was even room for guest accommodation with two bedrooms for like-minded friends.

A lifetime of hard work has now let Mr Michal fulfil his dream in the house's fittings too, so everywhere you look there's custom furniture in expensive wood treated with orange oil, fittings to his own designs, and a selection of first-class original furniture from suppliers across Europe. The interior is decorated throughout with hunting trophies he's collected on expeditions to South Africa, Kamchatka, and even far-flung, treacherous Alaska.

Arctic pine, forever

An invaluable material, thanks to its inimitable properties, typical of most Finnish log homes, is Arctic pine. It grows in a band just 100 km wide, north and south of the Arctic Circle. The extreme climate of this region has a positive effect on its toughness and durability. There's no doubt Arctic pine has outstanding thermal properties, excellent dimensional stability as it dries, and great durability thanks to its high resin content. The owner of this KONTIO house, Mr Michal, confirms it himself — even in summer he can't stop praising the house's thermal-insulation performance.

Another benefit of wood is its pleasant colour, the one-of-a-kind texture of every single beam, and a scent that stays with you even decades into living in a log home. In this log home near Karlovy Vary, all these qualities were enhanced further with natural oils from the Swiss family firm Diotrol, which keep the wood's visible texture and transparency intact.

A thoughtful interior as the cherry on top

Every bed headboard in the house is made from Himalayan cedar, as is the massive table on the large terrace, which the owner had shipped in from Switzerland. After careful consideration, he commissioned the kitchen from Chemnitz, Germany, where the first-class supplier Sachsen Küchen operates — a proud holder of several German Design Award honours.

The communal areas are furnished with luxury seating from the German manufacturer KOINOR, with built-in positioning, relaxation chairs, loungers and footstools. Every piece from this brand is defined not just by its striking design, which fits this residence like a glove, but also by flawless craftsmanship, top-quality materials, and, not least, one of the most comfortable seating experiences around.

The lighting, too, holds nothing conventional. The first thing that catches your eye is a monumental chandelier in the centre of the living zone, sourced directly from Slovakia. Every light in the living room, meanwhile, was made by the investor himself, to his own design, with the professional help of a trusted carpenter. The whole house has underfloor heating, and for a one-of-a-kind atmosphere — as well as a supplementary heat source — there's a large fireplace with an insert, decorated, naturally, with trophies from successful hunts.

KONTIO timber homes — modern house with basement — views from the dining room

The success of KONTIO's Finnish log buildings rests on quality architectural design, outstanding craftsmanship and precise attention to detail. The result is an exceptionally high-quality living space, with a flawlessly finished interior as the cherry on top. In the case of this timber home, that's exactly what was achieved.

Do it again, but better? Not a chance!

We always like to ask whether, after living with the finished project, a client would reconsider any detail, large or small, or any part of the brief. For Mr Michal, it would only come down to minor things: "Maybe I'd take a bit off the outdoor terrace and add a few metres to the living room. Originally I wanted the house mainly for hunting, but the atmosphere and this spot 'in the middle of nowhere' captivated me so much that I ended up staying here for good, with my partner and daughter."