Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Nov 27, 2025

A 19th-Century Barn Is Revived as a Cozy Mountain Retreat in the Czech Republic

A 19th-Century Barn Is Revived as a Cozy Mountain Retreat in the Czech Republic

A Czech designer partners with local stonemasons and carpenters to convert a tattered structure into a boutique guesthouse in the Carpathian Mountains.

At the foot of the Western Carpathians in the Czech Republic sits an inviting, two-story holiday home that dates back to the 1800s. Known as Mezi Lukami-which is Czech for "between meadows"-the historic barn was restored by Czech designer Daniela Hradilová and her partner, Petr Hradil, to serve as the fifth guesthouse for their nearby boutique hotel, Mezi Plutky, which the duo opened in 2017.



Set in the village of Čeladná in the Beskydy Mountains (which are part of the Western Carpathians), the restored Czech guesthouse was originally built to serve as a house and barn.

The 19th-century building, which was originally built in the typical vernacular of the Moravian Wallachia region, had fallen into ruins when the previous owners approached Hradilová and Hradil to rescue it. After getting a proper sense of the structure’s storied past as one of the oldest buildings in the area, the designer and her husband were eager to revive it.



As part of the renovation, the former entrance hall was converted into the main living room.

Hradilová placed great emphasis on the building’s history to influence not only the new design, but also the surrounding setting. "An essential aspect that all my projects have in common is that they are created with great care and calm," she explains to Urlaubsarchitektur, Europe’s leading platform for architecture-focused holiday homes. "I approach them with respect and humility for the buildings and the people who lived there."



Hradilová decorated the home with simple pieces that emphasize the interior’s original details. In the living room, a gray sofa complements the stone floors, while wooden chairs and storage consoles contrast with the whitewashed walls.

With the help of experienced local carpenters and stonemasons, Hradilová relied on "ingredients" found on-site-such as natural stone and wood-to reconstruct the volume into an inviting space that encourages visitors to linger.



An oven that resembles a wood-burning stove infuses the kitchen with warm, cozy vibes.

Now, the converted guesthouse spreads across nearly 2,800 square feet in the alpine village of Čeladná, which is located in the Beskydy Mountains within the Western Carpathians. Timber walls and beamed ceilings pay homage to the structure’s past, while also complementing the restored, stone-clad walls and floors. Sliding glass doors and large picture windows imbue the moody interiors with a natural glow.



The former barn’s small, yet fully functional kitchen offers all new appliances. A dark-blue cabinet unit adds a bold pop of color to the room’s neutral palette.

The Mezi Lukami guesthouse comfortably sleeps four guests, with one bedroom located on the main floor and another on the upper level-both fitted with original floorboards and whitewashed wooden walls.



The dining area is located in what used to be the passageway between the house and the barn. Lighting designer Davide Groppi’s Moon luminaire hangs above the table near tall, sliding glass doors that extend the space to the enclosed yard.

According to Hradilová, the detailed renovation wouldn’t have been possible without the help she and her husband received from local people who work in various trades. "At a time when traditional craftsmanship is disappearing, their art and passion is a kind of miracle," she states.



The bedroom on the main level is fitted with wide-plank floorboards, whitewashed walls, and exposed beam ceilings, which presents a similar aesthetic to the primary living spaces.



Blue hues continue into the guesthouse’s bathroom, where an elegant, oversize sink is controlled by a black faucet handle carved into the stone wall.



Upstairs, a loft awaits with picture windows that overlook the alpine landscape. The deliberately placed lighting enhances the moody ambience of the space.



The loft also features a gallery above the dining area, which connects to the additional bedroom.



The dark, timber-clad walls and ceilings recall the structure’s pastoral heritage while presenting a calming oasis for guests to sleep, read, and unwind.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Warner Music Group Drops Suit Against Suno, Launches Licensed AI-Music Deal
HP to Cut up to 6,000 Jobs Globally as It Ramps Up AI Integration
MediaWorld Sold iPad Air for €15 — Then Asked Customers to Return Them or Pay More
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Promises ‘Full-Time’ Education for All Children as School Attendance Slips
UK Extends Sugar Tax to Sweetened Milkshakes and Lattes in 2028 Health Push
UK Government Backs £49 Billion Plan for Heathrow Third Runway and Expansion
UK Gambling Firms Report £1bn Surge in Annual Profits as Pressure Mounts for Higher Betting Taxes
UK Shares Advance Ahead of Budget as Financials and Consumer Staples Lead Gains
Domino’s UK CEO Andrew Rennie Steps Down Amid Strategic Reset
UK Economy Stalls as Reeves Faces First Budget Test
UK Economy’s Weak Start Adds Pressure on Prime Minister Starmer
UK Government Acknowledges Billionaire Exodus Amid Tax Rise Concerns
UK Budget 2025: Markets Brace as Chancellor Faces Fiscal Tightrope
UK Unveils Strategic Plan to Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chains
UK Taskforce Calls for Radical Reset of Nuclear Regulation to Cut Costs and Accelerate Build
UK Government Launches Consultation on Major Overhaul of Settlement Rules
Google Struggles to Meet AI Demand as Infrastructure, Energy and Supply-Chain Gaps Deepen
Car Parts Leader Warns Europe Faces Heavy Job Losses in ‘Darwinian’ Auto Shake-Out
Arsenal Move Six Points Clear After Eze’s Historic Hat-Trick in Derby Rout
Wealthy New Yorkers Weigh Second Homes as the ‘Mamdani Effect’ Ripples Through Luxury Markets
Families Accuse OpenAI of Enabling ‘AI-Driven Delusions’ After Multiple Suicides
UK Unveils Critical-Minerals Strategy to Break China Supply-Chain Grip
Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” Extends U.K. No. 1 Run to Five Weeks
UK VPN Sign-Ups Surge by Over 1,400 % as Age-Verification Law Takes Effect
Former MEP Nathan Gill Jailed for Over Ten Years After Taking Pro-Russia Bribes
Majority of UK Entrepreneurs Regard Government as ‘Anti-Business’, Survey Shows
UK’s Starmer and US President Trump Align as Geneva Talks Probe Ukraine Peace Plan
UK Prime Minister Signals Former Prince Andrew Should Testify to US Epstein Inquiry
Royal Navy Deploys HMS Severn to Shadow Russian Corvette and Tanker Off UK Coast
China’s Wedding Boom: Nightclubs, Mountains and a Demographic Reset
Fugees Founding Member Pras Michel Sentenced to 14 Years in High-Profile US Foreign Influence Case
WhatsApp’s Unexpected Rise Reshapes American Messaging Habits
United States: Judge Dressed Up as Elvis During Hearings – and Was Forced to Resign
Johnson Blasts ‘Incoherent’ Covid Inquiry Findings Amid Report’s Harsh Critique of His Government
Lord Rothermere Secures £500 Million Deal to Acquire Telegraph Titles
Maduro Tightens Security Measures as U.S. Strike Threat Intensifies
U.S. Envoys Deliver Ultimatum to Ukraine: Sign Peace Deal by Thursday or Risk Losing American Support
Zelenskyy Signals Progress Toward Ending the War: ‘One of the Hardest Moments in History’ (end of his business model?)
U.S. Issues Alert Declaring Venezuelan Airspace a Hazard Due to Escalating Security Conditions
The U.S. State Department Announces That Mass Migration Constitutes an Existential Threat to Western Civilization and Undermines the Stability of Key American Allies
Students Challenge AI-Driven Teaching at University of Staffordshire
Pikeville Medical Center Partners with UK’s Golisano Children’s Network to Expand Pediatric Care
Germany, France and UK Confirm Full Support for Ukraine in US-Backed Security Plan
UK Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods Face Rising Backlash as Pandemic Schemes Unravel
UK Records Coldest Night of Autumn as Sub-Zero Conditions Sweep the Country
UK at Risk of Losing International Doctors as Workforce Exodus Grows, Regulator Warns
ASU Launches ASU London, Extending Its Innovation Brand to the UK Education Market
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Visit China in January as Diplomatic Reset Accelerates
Google Launches Voluntary Buyouts for UK Staff Amid AI-Driven Company Realignment
UK braces for freezing snap as snow and ice warnings escalate
×