Paproć, a picturesque peak in the Beskid Wyspowy region, was chosen as their place on earth by a couple of graphic designers, Kasia and Mariusz. Now, together with their children, Wanda and Ziemek, they are hosting those who want to rest, breathe and clear their heads so that, as their hosts say, they can find space within themselves for the new, in a wooden House located near Limanowa and a Studio built on the site of an old barn.
The House on Fern Hill has a magnificent view of the mountains, smells of bread baked by the hosts, and is simple, with no unnecessary objects that would take up space unnecessarily. Instead, there are rustic bathtubs, ideal for taking relaxing herbal baths under the open sky, wooden furniture, original paintings and sculptures created by the owners and, if you allow yourself, time, which seems to flow a little slower there....
Wooden Studio with rustic bathtub on the terrace
© Kasia Listwan
Ola Kloc: How did your story with the House on Fern Hill begin?
Kasia Listwan: We ended up here by accident. We lived in Warsaw and worked in advertising agencies. We are graduates of the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, we did not dream of a corporate lifestyle. I happened to get an engagement in a painting studio in Rabka. Then we fell in love with the mountains. Within a few weeks we bought a house, without seeing it inside (the tenants renting it did not want to let us in, the owner showed us the house from the outside), we quickly gathered our manatees and found ourselves in Our Hill.
The studio was built on the site of an old barn and using part of the structure
© Kasia Listwan
Ola: And with that you became the owners of an old house with a barn and two additional buildings. After the renovation, you receive guests in the House, and in the new building, for the construction of which you used the beams preserved from the barn and the roof structure, the Studio operates. What did you have to deal with during the renovation? What are your plans for the remaining facilities?
Kasia: Four years ago we bought an eighty-year-old farmhouse. We first tackled the renovation of our house so that we could live in it. We renovated it while living in a small house that served as my studio. Later it became a guest house. And still later we renovated the barn, which we turned into a Studio. In addition to laying the roof, Husband built the Studio with his own hands, having only one Neighbor to help. We preserved what we could, which was only the structure made of old beams. We made all the interiors with our own hands, painted, sanded, laid tiles, floors.... oh it would take a long time to say. My husband creates beautiful furniture from found things. Since I bake bread every day, he built a bread oven for us. We do not plan to build more houses, instead we dream of a big greenhouse and a summer kitchen.
The studio consists of a large open space and a mezzanine floor
© Kasia Listwan
Ola: The buildings are simple but modern, while the interiors are filled with old furniture and accessories, which look fantastic on the white background of the walls. What was your inspiration in arranging these spaces?
Kasia: The assumption is that the furniture that adorns our interiors should be at least eighty years old, just like this farmhouse. We hate overproduction and love old things for their quality of workmanship. Our home is a living fabric, and the furniture and objects respond to current needs. We take inspiration from what we observe around us and follow our own taste. We are in the countryside, so the cottages are rustic. We like wood and natural elements. In the interiors there are a lot of creations of our hands. All the paintings and sculptures were painted by me. While a large part of the wooden furniture was created by my Husband.
The 
large table in the Studio, on the wall hang paintings by Kasia Listwan
© Kasia Listwan
Ola: What kind of atmosphere did you want to create at Fern Hill? How do you want your guests to feel in this place?
Kasia: We want guests to feel close to nature, so that the interior blends with the exterior. That's why we finish the houses with wood, and open the buildings to nature with walls of windows. We try to make the interiors minimalist, without unnecessary objects, sometimes conveniences, in order to move back in time a bit, to get away from the urban everyday life, to awaken creativity in Guests and clear their heads, to finally find space for new things.
interiors take guests back in time
© Kasia Listwan
Ola: Thank you for the interview.
