We always hear about beautiful homes in San Francisco, Paris, London… but how about giving the lesser known spots on this planet a little love, like Olomouc in the Czech Republic! If you have no clue where Olomouc even is, then visit this link for an overview. I recently talked to 26-year-old graphic designer and photographer Jan Skácelík via email about his great apartment which I found because he posted shots of it in my Interior Styling group on Flickr where he is a member. And since his home hasn’t appeared on this blog yet, I figured it would be fun to share something fresh with you today.

Jan says that he is inspired by design blogs like Apartment Therapy and decor8 and is a big fan of mid century modern design and illustrations from that era and his books from the 50s and 60s give him a lot of inspiration too. I think you can really see this in his amazing apartment. Don’t you love it? Someone recently posted on decor8 in the comments section that they have the impression that in Europe homes all have high ceilings and white walls and I just smiled because that is mostly what European blogs, at least in the northern parts, show the most but of course not everyone lives in old buildings here with white walls.

I personally love white walls and apartments that are flooded with light, particularly now because here in northern Germany the days are not so long and it can be mostly gray during the winter so the more light I can trap in the house the better! Plus where I live you can find lots of old buildings with apartments for rent and the standard look in most of them is white walls and high ceilings along with other things like large windows which are typical here. Especially in the buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Most northerners use either bright colors on the walls or white because it helps to brighten the rooms during the cold long winter. You can find some homes with really bright yellow and orange walls here too because these hues warm up a space and give the feeling of light and sunshine. But, because I personally like to have flexibility with my decorating and tend to pull in different colors each season, I usually change the prints on my walls and the cushions on my sofa to bring in new colors and so I keep my walls white though I have wallpaper that I am dying to hang in yellow so that should be installed within the next year or so when I find a new flat. I digress…

But yes, back to the clearly talented Jan who obviously is inspired by the mid century color palette so I can see why he has chosen such bold choices and think that they are quite lovely – a yellow sofa, bright red accents — it’s all just great and he does what some who have mid century modern furniture have a hard time doing — his finds look very modern, fresh and current because he mixes them with energetic colors and newly purchased finds. Some have similar pieces but mix in colors that make them look almost older and not so fresh but with all that white, bright red, yellow and blue he really injects spirit and makes his pieces come alive so that they fit this century. Great style, Jan!

(images: Jan Skácelík)

49 Responses to “Happy Corner in the Czech Republic”

1 Veronika commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 8:19 am

Hello, Holly,

I like your inspirational, chic, truly global blog/site. Glad reading about a stylish place in Olomouc, where I studied at university. Have a nice weekend!
2 sarah commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 8:32 am

WOW! What a beautiful place! Fantastic furniture & perfect, colorful groupings of art & fun, little things.
sarah´s last blog ..sarahblackstock: @owlpacino haha glad you approve of shirtless, teen vampires.
3 Dianne K. Nelson commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 8:46 am

What a fantastic apartment! Thanks for sharing! I love it!
Dianne K. Nelson´s last blog ..January went by in a flash…
4 Gradon Tripp commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 9:02 am

Tall ceilings, big windows, from the late 1800s… sounds like you’re talking about Boston! :)

This is a beautiful space. Well done, Jan!
5 Mina commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 9:22 am

How beautiful and thoughfully arranged. I love it! Happy to see we share one little thing… the black and white beanstalk IKEA pillow. : ) I use it for displaying chairs and such in my shop. People always want to buy it… I’m like… “um no… not for sale. Get one at Ikea.” : ) Thanks for sharing. I’m sure to tuck this post in my inspiration folder!
Mina´s last blog ..Bohemian Wednesday – 02.03.2010 – Suitcases
6 Jona commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 9:23 am

I used to live in an apartement with high ceilings. It was always freezing cold because all the heat would stay up under the ceiling and never descend and I was really, really glad to get out of there into a nice modern apartement. As to the white walls: since we are almost always renting we have to return the apartements in excellent shape including freshly painted white walls. And most of us don’t bother to put colour up there because we will have to paint over it (and we all know how hard covering colour with white paint is) and nobody knows when that will be…
That’s why we have a lot of white. It’s mostly not a choice we make but something we have learned to live with as to not complicate daily life.
7 Lisa commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 9:28 am

Wow this is lovely. I so admire the restraint in this room – it feels so light and airy when not weighed down with THINGS and clutter everywhere (although of course it was probably removed for the photos!) Makes me want to go around my house and remove things… Djekuji Jan!
8 Tricia McKellar commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 9:29 am

Love the mid century modern style– lovely bright apartment :)
Tricia McKellar´s last blog ..Notecard, Botanical Lily No. 7719, Fine Art Photo Card by Tricia McKellar
9 Sprout commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 9:40 am

Thanks for addressing my white wall & lack of window coverings pecadillos! ;-)
10 Yasmine commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 9:42 am

Such a lovely, relaxed space, and I love the yellow sofa (Kramfors from Ikea?)
Yasmine´s last blog ..Mirror, Mirror On The Wall
11 Kristan commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 9:56 am

What a LOVELY home! And it gives the impression of so much open space. I simply adore the furniture, and the little touches (like the twig bouquet on the dresser).
Kristan´s last blog ..Let’s laugh together
12 Juliet commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:05 am

I love the art arrangement over the sofa. Oh, and the lights, the chairs, the colors, the white, floors and…you get the idea. Thank you again for a beautiful story.
Juliet´s last blog ..Faux Bois Mat in the Snow
13 Amber commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:12 am

This is totally my ideal house. Wow, just gorgeous. I love everything.
14 Anja commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:35 am

Great find, Holly!
I really like to see and hear more of the creative and crafty guys out there in Eastern Europe! As far as I know the Czech Republic has a strong graphic/design/art tradition.
15 karla gibbs commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:38 am

everything is so pristine and beautiful i am so jealous.
16 Ashley commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:40 am

I LOVE THE CZECH REPUBLIC! I lived an hour from the border in Germany and made several road trips across the country. It is truly beautiful and has some amazing spa villages and little jewels that are so undiscovered! I love this apartment! It really makes me miss living abroad!
17 Meredith commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:45 am

Wow, that looks great! What a delicious yellow sofa!
Meredith´s last blog ..Love Jar
18 Marilyn commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:50 am

Sometimes white walls are all you need especially when you have such great artwork to display.
19 Decofabulous commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:52 am

I had already spotted it in Flickr and will be featuring it soon. :) This is indeed a stunning place. The styling and the photos are just perfect. I loove it.
Decofabulous´s last blog ..Wall art display
20 ermy commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:58 am

love this place! and i spotted the 2 eames wire-base table under the coffee table! lovely~~~~~
21 Beth commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 11:05 am

I love the fresh feel of this space. Really fantastic!
22 Kelli Taylor commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 11:07 am

Yummy!!! That’s how I describe this!
23 decor8 commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 11:19 am

Gradon – Well at least the Back Bay… though none of us can afford them. Here normal people like you and I can actually live in them.
24 elle commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 11:37 am

Beautiful home- where could i find the little tables housed underneath the coffee table opposite the sofa? they look great!!
25 Amanda commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 11:49 am

Great space, great style. I love it even more because it’s in the Czech Republic. Prague is such a gorgeous city, now I want to visit Olomouc!
Amanda´s last blog ..Friday Links + Austen + Selleck?
26 donna commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 12:15 pm

Love the pops of color! I also appreciate seeing a smaller space because it requires a lot of skill to keep things lovely and organized.
27 Abbie commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 12:22 pm

Funny you posted this apartment because I remember “favoriting” some of the images in the Flickr group! Love the pop of the yellow couch.
28 Lori commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 12:30 pm

Nice! I actually went to Olomouc about 15 years ago …. nice to see how people actually live there (because as a tourist of course you don’t see private spaces!)
29 decor8 commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 12:33 pm

Abbie – He contributed his home to my Interior Styling group — I find lots of Flickr people that way now. It’s really nice!
30 rdekko commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 12:37 pm

Typical mid century style with a dash of color. Very nice, really seems to pop out of a deco blog of our days. I really love the lighting detail.
rdekko´s last blog ..?? ??????? ??? ????????: ??????? ? {Chinoise Inspiration}
31 Alyssa Ballisty commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 1:01 pm

I simply adore the decor! The details are swoon worthy!
32 suzanne commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 1:24 pm

wow. gorgeous! i love all the white and light… and especially that “for like ever” poster – i really need to get my hands on one!
suzanne´s last blog ..confessions – part 2
33 Ashling commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 2:14 pm

Holly,

What a beautiful apartment so bright and colourful with really nice furniture. I visited the Czech Republic in October, Prague is such a wonderful city, if you haven’t been you really should try take a trip over. It has magnificent architecture :)

All things nice…
Ashling´s last blog ..Roundup of the Week…
34 Laura commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 2:34 pm

I was living in Czech Republic for a while and Olomouc was my favorite city after Prague -which is my No. 1 City in the world- . I even had a boyfriend from there and at the time I could see myself living in Olomouc… :-)
Fantastic apartment!
Laura´s last blog ..Before the spring comes
35 julia commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 3:20 pm

I love how functional the living room is.
julia´s last blog ..Vintage crochet awesomeness
36 pilgrim commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 8:54 pm

oh i love it!! shots of color like that are so playful but sophisticated. now if only i had the restraint to just stop at the ’shots’ of color! haha
pilgrim´s last blog ..made by pilgrim: inspiration/mood board & competition!
37 Sarah commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 9:54 pm

Ugh! so jealous! what a beautiful space with so many elements…my favorite is the yellow couch and the poster, “For Like Ever” – love that. Gorgeous, clean furniture…thanks for sharing!
38 Shawn commented:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:42 pm

I love the European decorating sense. I couldn’t tell from the pics if the windows were the cool kind you see a lot in Germany – the ones that open vertically and horizontally. I miss those windows. Strange thing to miss, but what can I say? There are so many little things like that that change, ever so slightly, the feel of a place and add up to create a strangely different ambiance. Anyway, lovely place!
39 decor8 commented:
February 6th, 2010 at 2:56 am

Shawn – I agree 100%. Yes the windows that are large and open both vertically and horizontally are common here — in both old and new buildings. I love these windows too, I have them in my apartment and it’s a dream for days when I want to take photographs because so much light is available. Even in the winter when it is gray outside I still get tons of light.
40 veronika commented:
February 6th, 2010 at 2:32 pm

I’ve been reading your blog for such a long time and it’s such a pleasure to read about somebody from my country. Makes me proud! I believe that the Czechs quite dislike the “Brussel” type furniture, which is so typical for 1950’s here. Antiques stores are full of this ;)
41 Summer commented:
February 6th, 2010 at 4:40 pm

I’ve been to Praha in the CR-even though I didn’t do any interiors-snooping the street style there was INCREDIBLE…I guess it’s a bit like Paris where they grow up around history and beauty and just sort of absorb it into their skin, but there’s also a slightly post-Communist dark side that makes it edgy. That yellow nubby-fabric sofa is totally off the hook.
http://modernhaus.blogspot.com/2010/02/youre-probably-hipster-if.html
42 Kate commented:
February 7th, 2010 at 3:31 am

Wow! Dream Apartment!
I wonder if Jan is looking for a roommate…
:)-
43 becky from hatch commented:
February 7th, 2010 at 1:51 pm

Too funny, they were posted in one of my flickr groups and I couldn’t resist that yellow a few weeks ago:

http://blog.designpublic.com/2010/01/22/flickr-faves-on-fridays-living-rooms/

;)

One of the many reasons I heart flickr so much!
becky from hatch´s last blog ..Blogging My Way
44 bridget commented:
February 7th, 2010 at 4:12 pm

love it! any chance of finding out where the desk chair came from?!
bridget´s last blog ..a little diy (blog-speak for do it yourself) never hurt anyone.
45 Heather commented:
February 7th, 2010 at 10:11 pm

i love that yellow couch!
Heather´s last blog ..Set of 4 1954 Ben Seibel Golden Burst Cups and Saucers
46 maja commented:
February 8th, 2010 at 8:44 am

holly, thank you for publishing a nice czech apartment! make a trip to prague, i will show some nice czech design places, historical and modern as well ;-) i like your blog VERY much, visiting every week.
47 ninainvorm commented:
February 8th, 2010 at 4:20 pm

Yes, yes, gorgeous! Not something I would immediately think of when thinking about a house in the Czech Republic, but that only says something about my apparent prejudices… I love this a lot!
48 Dreams commented:
February 9th, 2010 at 4:51 pm

Contemporary and sophisticated. I like it very much!
49 wesna commented:
February 17th, 2010 at 6:13 pm

This is a wonderful place!I love what you say about the reasons to show it,that`s lovely and shows that you think beyond the common.
thanx
wesna´s last blog ..SUNGLASSES

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