Kurt has finished the house at Vișagu and started renovating the old barn

When I got out of the car on the hill where I could see Kurt's house in the distance, I understood the expression "deafening silence". At first my ear, accustomed to the horns and noises of Bucharest, refused to hear anything else. Gradually, it realized that what was happening to it was for the best and began to hear crickets, grasshoppers, the rustle of grass moved by geese and the muffled sounds of cows' calves somewhere in the distance. It was becoming difficult for the car so we decided to leave it on a small plateau and continue on foot. We weren't far and soon Kurt greeted us like old friends, happy to visit. Ever since last year when I discovered him in this corner of paradise in the Apuseni Mountains, Austrian "pensioner" from Vishagu He stuck to our souls with his infectious enthusiasm, optimism and fantastic hard work.

Corner of paradise

The small driveway that connects the house to the forest road is lined with all sorts of pots and objects that announce the artistic inclinations of Kurt's wife Melanie. In the middle of the driveway, seemingly forgotten there, is an old metal garden chair. Sitting on it, however, you can look out over the valley in all its splendor and below, Kurt's new project - the pond. At the back is a meadow that looks like it has millions of flowers.

We were curious to see the finished house. When we went in the spring of 2020 was in the middle of a building sitethe walls had been cleaned, the house reconfigured and the attic insulated with wood fiber insulation from Gutex. Now the house is ready and has made it through the winter. It is cozy and pleasant, with everything needed for civilized living. In keeping with Melanie's wishes, only natural products were used to finish and insulate the house. The supplier was Naturalpaint. The walls were plastered and painted with Kreidezeit white lime paintspruce floors finished with hard oiland in the bathroom the walls in the shower area have been covered with Tadelakt. A very good choice, because as well as being hard-wearing, the Moroccan finish also has a nice silky sheen that gives the place an exotic feel.

The terrace, a pleasant resting place, was also finished. Here, we were invited to sit around an old wooden table for stories and a glass of cold water. They told us about their new life, their worries and plans for the future, their small grievances (the town hall hasn't made the road yet). They have 8 cows and would like to have chickens, but they can't keep them because the elders steal them. They like the place, they like the peace and quiet and the little noises of the community, they are happy here, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Melanie, the artistic and creative side of the family

Melanie is such a fragile and delicate presence that it's hard to think of her as a mountain girl. But she's adapted to the place and even though she only knows a few words of Romanian, she's happy to share her impressions with us. As soon as I entered the house I noticed a work table with paintbrushes and boxes of Annie Sloan paint of all colors. When I mentioned this she immediately pointed to an old stool brought back to life with stencils and cream paints.

Incidentally, all the furniture is very artistically finished, the pieces taking on personality. The shelf cupboard in the entrance hall is also beautifully finished, and there are all sorts of decorated and patinated boxes inside. I didn't realize they were shoe boxes until I was told. She did the decking too, including the wood carving in traditional patterns. She's also passionate about knitting and crocheting, and the little roundels on the chairs as cushions proved it. She has favorite shops in Cluj where she gets dyes or yarn, and the fact that she calls the ladies there by name proves she's a loyal customer. 🙂

The house is filled with antiques that bring warmth and make it a home. Kurt proudly showed us the wooden table he gave to his wife when they got married, which is over 100 years old. Around the house are all sorts of makeshift pots and decorative objects that personalize the place. Everything is beautifully blended, old and new, comfort and traditional elements very well balanced.

Old barn to become a creative studio

For the barn a few steps from the house the plan was changed. Kurt discovered that it could be salvaged so he removed the old, damaged wood that boarded up the building and uncovered the original beams that were riddled with shear cuts. Inside it was cleaned and prepared for transformation, and soon the barn will become Melanie's creative studio.

Kurt plans to convert it himself and do it the traditional way. Since in the past the barn was used for animals he wants to raise it because the ceiling is too low. He will put in two more rows of beams and fasten the ceiling to them. The roof will be replaced because it has rotted ashlars and will be covered with tile. The necessary timber has already been bought and is outside at "dried up" (dry). The plastering and insulation between the joists will be done traditionally, using clay mixed with straw.

We will definitely see you again, Kurt has many other plans

Kurt is full of energy and has lots of plans for the future. Even though he enjoys the quietness of the place, it's obvious that he's an active person who's always doing something. As well as the workshop, he has now started work on the pond. He has almost finished digging the pit, which he is going to reinforce the banks and then to landscape the whole pond. He wants to enjoy its coolness at the end of a hot summer day as soon as possible.

The landscaping around the house will continue. At the entrance will be a small platform straightened and covered with stone. He's also decided to build the forest road leading up to it. He's already bought the stone. It's obvious he comes from a culture where, if it's not there and being done by someone else, you roll up your sleeves and get to work. He already feels part of the community, a local.

After almost two very enjoyable hours together we parted from Melanie and Kurt with a firm promise that we would return. We drove slowly up the occasionally steeply ascending road, passed by Kurt's friendly greetings. There was a peace all over the hills. In the valley, a woman was gathering hay. From nowhere, the sound of the noisemakers caressed the ear.