These are my cobwebs, my dirt, my worn doors unable to close. Roofs with holes, some even collapsed. My bird’s nest inside the hallway. The raw attics and stairs leading to no floors, and the door on first floor with no balcony to it. My uneven and twisted floors. Vaulted ceilings and tiny windows in the stable, maybe it will the kitchen some day? Here I can make a tasty soup and bake bread and apple pie while looking at the stone barns. And the garden will be alive, full of dahlias and welcoming nooks, string bulb lights and coffee cups from the day before. A place like this can never be perfect, and that’s what I think is so perfect.
This is a castle to me – this is what my castle looks like. And the price was lower than an average car. It has no water, no sewage, no electricity. But it has soul, heart and possibilities. It had to be saved.
In time this is where I want to greet you creative people. Make a quiet place for you to work for a week or two. Draw back from life and concentrate on your writing, painting, photographing, music, whatever you need. I want to have that place for you. An own apartment for guest and plenty of room for your activity. Maybe workshops and retreats too? A recording studio, a photo studio just consisting of natural light that you can use, or I can work in for you. An atelier where there’s room to work on a dozen massive paintings at a time. Maybe some exciting collaborations? The sky is the limit.
A tiny village in the Bohemian Uplands where no one speaks English will be our second home. Just an hour outside our favorite city, Prague, and even shorter distance from the airport. A little farm built of stone where they dried hoops for beer long time ago. The original equipment is still there, and it makes my heart soft. Our closest neighbor is a collapsed castle from way back in time. I’m glad someone already has planned to rebuild it. There’s a total lack of photos from the outbuildings and exterior of the main house since I was totally overwhelmed seeing one massive building after another. Walking around thinking this might be ours if we had the guts.
I will tell and show you you much more later, and I will share our journey with you as we go. This has changed my life, and it will also change the blog. This is a life long project and things will happen when they’re suppose to happen. But for now this property just needed to be saved. So we fully embraced it and are waiting impatiently and excited to get the key. At the same time I feel calmer and more peaceful than ever before.
So very exciting! Congratulations. Your photos are beautiful. I am very looking forward to watching the progress.
Thanks Sarah! It’s very exciting for sure and glad you want to follow the journey 🙂
I am absolutely overwhelmed with sympatica!
Even your writing is clear and full of your vision for this place! May it come to be just as you envision–and beyond…
It IS perfect! Every single crack, chip and imperfection.
Hi Rebecca, thanks a lot for your support and ability to see what I’m seeing! <3
Wonderful news! It looks like a marvellous, magical place – and I would very much one day like to make it my retreat for writing and photography. Congratulations!
Hi! Thanks! I would be more than happy to greet you here:) I think it will be a very calm and sweet place to stay (after some time… who knows when…)… It would make my heart sing if people actually started to book retreat time when the place is ready <3
Incredible, Maren, I’m so happy for you! I’m sure great things will come from this adventure, and what an adventure! I’m totally jealous (in the best possible way). Good luck girl, you deserve it 🙂
Dear Susanna, thanks a lot for your lovely words <3 I can live with your jealousy, ha ha 😉 I'm pretty jealous of your two pads as well (also in the best possible way)!!
I am so happy for you. It is beautiful, I can see why you fell in love with it. All the lovely old finishes, such history. I know you will find peace there.
I appreciate your comment so much, thanks Lisa! The place has a peaceful energy, and I can’t wait to get back there <3
Maren! Det här är fantastiskt! Jag blir helt matt över bilderna, ert mod och era drömmar! Jag om någon förstår känslan tror jag i alla fall. Det där med att ta ett hus under sina vingar och liksom önska kärlek i alla vrår och tidens dar. Jag är överlycklig för er skull! Jag skulle aldrig äga modet tror jag. Men ack vad jag skulle vilja. Så många gånger vi sagt om “vårt” ödehus att vi tar det som det är, bara för att få möjligheten att vara där. Utan fönster, utan något men ändå så mycket känslor. Det gör något med en, så är det ju bara. Något bra, väldigt bra. Som kommer att vara värdefullt så länge man finns här på jorden. All lycka nu! Och du, jag kommer! Det är ju verkligen inte på andra sidan jordklotet, rätt nära trots allt, när man tänker efter! Massa kramar <3
Kjære Sofia, og stor takk! Er det et sted du kan komme til så er det dit! Og hit i Norge også, så det er sagt. Praha er så nært, og det er med på å gjøre det hele så gjennomførbart. Samtidig er det så fjernt, og det er med på å gjøre dette så utrolig magisk og uvirkelig. Skal si livet holder på å ta en vending! Og akkurat som vi ikke har nok å gjøre, men jeg tror at å fylle livet med noe som er fylt til randen av hjertet, det skal gjøre godt. Livet er jo alltid fult av noe uansett. Alle disse tankene og følelsene som alltid er der… Jeg vil la de være så gode som mulig! Og når det handler om mot, så er det kanskje derfra jeg har det – alle tankene og følelsene som har vært nesten uutholdelig vonde. Å holde ut det, tross jeg trodde jeg ikke skulle klare det, det har gjort meg modig! Og mannen min har blitt så påvirket av meg at han har flyttet sine grenser og drømmer lange veier! Selvfølgelig blir det dårlig nattesøvn til tider, og det er prisen å betale. Så herlig det hadde vært om dere tok “deres” vakre ødehus fullstendig under vingene… Jeg tror du eier motet – du har så mye drive, gjennomføringsevne og eventyrlig tvist i deg at det hadde gått fint. Modige mennesker inspirerer meg, og du er en av dem, det er jeg sikker på. La oss treffes, gjerne i “humlegården” vår i Tsjekkia. Bak skyene er himmelen alltid blå… og til og med skyene er så vakre, ikke sant? Klemmer
The peeling paint! I want to see behind ?✨❤️?? Congratulations on your new castle, I hope we can visit one day? xxx
Hi Jeska, and thanks for sharing my enthusiasm about peeling paint 😉 It’s almost too exciting!! Our doors are always open for you and Dean, it would have been amazing to get visit from someone who I believe shares so many of our ideas and dreams, and to make much out of little and.. you know, listen to what you really want to do to make life a good place to be… Let me know when you’ve booked you tickets 😉 😉 xxx
Hi! I’m interested to know if you will be selling this beauty in CZ. We spoke once through instagram and we were to collaborate on this hopefully! Please let me know the price range for it 🙂
Hi Eleni, and thanks for reaching out to me! And the answer is most likely yes, this dream place will be for sale, and it will be 900.000 Czech Koruna… The best, Maren Ingeborg