Two Sisters – picturesque interior of a cottage in the Jizera Mountains

In a popular tourist and skiing destination near Harrachov, on the border of the Jizera Mountains and the Krkonoš, a cottage has been reborn that is perfect for both the family recreation of its owners and accommodating guests and visitors from the general public. Based on the original cottage that stood in this location, a new building named Dvě sestry (Two Sisters) was created, which, thanks to its successful exterior and brand-new interior furnishings, seamlessly combines traditional mountain architecture and construction methods with modern living and leisure time. The interior, under the direction of designer Denisa Kubíčková Strmisková, has blossomed into an extraordinary combination of beauty and comfort. The designer did not leave anything halfway. This is evidenced by the use of custom-modified berker R.classic switches – at the designer's request, equipped with not the standard rotary, but a toggle switch.

The Dvě sestry cottage closely mirrors its historical original model – a family cottage where the original owners spent some time in the mountains, even permanently. Its façade adheres to traditional Jizera architectural practices. All wooden elements are custom-made by hand, the roof is covered with shingles from the Jeseníky region, and functional windows with double glazing reflect the traditional shaping typical of the foothills of our highest mountains.

The layout of the interior rooms is also influenced by its original state. On the ground floor, there is a generous living room with tiled stoves, seating, and kitchen amenities. A French window allows for the opening of the entire space and free passage from the interior directly into the garden. The separate kitchen, oriented to the east, perfectly sets the ambiance for a morning breakfast bathed in sunlight. The kitchen is equipped with all the essentials for comfortable cooking. Additionally, the property includes two separate bathrooms with toilets and showers. On the upper floor, there are two bedrooms where up to 8 people can be accommodated. The cottage also features a standalone sauna on the adjoining land with a breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape.

The furniture design balances on the line between the past and the present. "We deliberately combined several types and shades of wood, metals, and light tones, with warm orange hues reflected in the details," states interior designer Denisa Kubíčková Strmisková. "The furnishings are designed with simple shapes and in quality materials such as metal or solid wood. Many furniture pieces are custom-made by carpentry workshops or are refurbishments of old furniture and lighting. For contemporary design, we chose the Danish brand Frama – dining chairs and lighting in the living area, delicate textile lighting, or a light fixture from the Swedish manufacturer Wästberg in the kitchen," she lists. An interesting addition in the form of unconventional switches berker R.classic in a custom design was supplied for this project by the design shop MONOBRAND. "This unique switch, which combines the shapes and components of two seemingly incompatible design ranges of berker switches, was developed specifically for our concept store," explains Katrin Grund, the founder of MONOBRAND. The round frame of this switch is borrowed from the berker R.classic series, which proudly aligns itself with the Bauhaus style due to its appearance and respect for minimalist classic shapes. Originally, the berker R.classic switches are available with a rotary knob, but for this cottage, the switches were equipped with a round center and, moreover, a toggle switch borrowed from the design ranges berker R.1/R.3 – which are switches that, by their inception date and rebellious design resembling a round toggle in the center of a square frame, highlight the new millennium. "Within our custom production program Hager Manufaktura, we are able to fulfill customers' wishes for changes in color, surface treatment, or even the materials used for our switches," explains Thomas Grund, the CEO of Hager Electro in the Czech Republic, which includes berker switches in its portfolio. "In this case, the shape and material used for the switches are part of Hager's standard offering, so it was actually just an interesting combination where we put together frames and toggles from two design ranges that do not normally belong together. However, the resulting combination is very interesting and original, and hats off to the designers for a brilliant idea," smiles Thomas Grund. In the interior of the Dvě sestry cottage, berker R.classic switches in a glossy white variant were used, and the interior is particularly enhanced by the use of multiple rounded frames. In addition to the striking switches, the walls of the interior are decorated with illustrations by Czech artists Tomski&Polanski thematically illustrating the environment of the Jizera Mountains.


Project: Dvě sestry Cottage
Area: 150 m²
Realization: 2022-23
Address: Příchovice near Kořenov, Czech Republic
Interior Design: Denisa Kubíčková Strmisková Photography: Kubicek Studio

https://dve-sestry.cz/
www.hager.cz/vypinac
www.monobrand.cz