Amazing Home Built by Owners Without Designers and Ready-Made Projects

Is it really possible to build a house like in movies and magazines? Olga and her husband always wanted to live closer to nature, not just escape to the countryside on weekends. That is why they decided to build a cottage for year-round living. In the end, they didn't even want to return to the city anymore.

Let's see how they managed to get their own home near St. Petersburg.

160 m² House Without a Project

The couple initially did not plan to build according to a ready-made project, and they also decided to do the rough insulation work themselves.

They didn’t overcomplicate the house form — they chose a quite standard one, without architectural excesses. The window layout was helped by a designer friend. More light entered the first floor thanks to a window along the staircase.

Layout

The main living spaces on the ground floor are separated only by a panel partition and a bookshelf. They didn’t use solid walls to zone the space, as it would have reminded people of a regular apartment.

On the second floor, not everything is finished yet — only the bedroom and office that need finishing touches.

Deck

The most favorite spot is the deck. The couple plans to set up another one in the northern part of the plot. You can access it from the bathroom — they borrowed this idea from Finnish designers.

Savings

Olga and her husband did plumbing, installation, and finishing work themselves, as well as some furniture items. They also built the household structure by hand, and got a facade trick from architect Alexander Karimov. All of this led to significant budget savings.