FAMILY VILLA IN KLÁNOVICE

The transformation of a beautiful villa into a cozy home. A dominant oak-clad core with a library and kitchen, custom-made flooring and handcrafted furniture. The new layout balances openness and intimacy. Every detail is fine-tuned into harmony.

Area 372 m²
Project year: 2020

Principal architect Zuzana & Jan Kurz

Completion year: 2022

Area 372 m²
Project year: 2020
Principal architect Zuzana & Jan Kurz
Completion year: 2022

The client wished to make a beautiful villa just outside Prague feel warmer and more personal. Initially, the task seemed simple – adding paintings, changing the sofa and a few other minor updates. However, an open discussion soon revealed that the existing layout didn’t truly meet the needs of all members of the household, both two- and four-legged. Trust was sealed with the first spatial concepts and through months of close collaboration between client and architect, a functional, comfortable home took shape. Reason and emotion touched every corner – from bespoke furniture, flooring, paneling, handles and switches to the final vase on the shelf. The result is a warm and inviting interior full of subtle surprises.

What began as a modest request to 'make it cozier' became a complete transformation. The ground floor is defined by a generous custom-designed oak cylinder – a unifying element made from veneer sourced at auction from a single tree, ensuring a consistent grain pattern throughout. You can literally walk around it in a circle with your morning cup of tea or coffee. Inside, it hides extensive storage, a kitchen, a living wall, a library and even a display for the owner’s impressive Formula 1 model collection. The space is complemented by solid oak furniture: the dining table, sideboards, and more. All of these were crafted in the workshop of our long-standing cabinetmaker, Roman Schuster.

'The oak cylinder visually corresponds with the custom-made parquet floor, designed in collaboration with Princ Parket. Its square, geometric pattern was chosen intentionally to avoid elongating or widening the perception of space, instead offering a calm, symmetrical rhythm. Each tile is unique, yet they all share an inherent order – a subtle, playful detail that reveals itself slowly. 'It’s often the understated but crucial details, like the consistent oak grain running across all the custom furniture, that make the difference between a space that feels good and one that feels truly great, even if we can’t always articulate why,' says Jan Kurz.

'We also consider more complex details important – the texture and tone of floors and walls, their application and their harmony with finer elements such as switches, handles, and sockets,' adds Zuzana Kurz.

The new layout provides varying degrees of intimacy. The ground floor remains open, inviting social interaction, while the upper floor, even after necessary modifications, preserves private rooms for each family member. Both levels now offer abundant storage. Everything has its place, creating a sense of calm and order.

The final result was greatly supported by close collaboration between the architects and key suppliers, particularly 4interior & Tiles as the general contractor. To improve energy efficiency, a green roof was also designed and implemented in cooperation with Zahradní architektura Kurz.

Materials

Oak • Cement screed • Afghan wool • Brass • Ceramic tiles • Velvet • Granite • Glass

Materials