Hello, friends! Many of you are already familiar with our heroine today. A year and a half ago, we visited landscape architect Victoria Dyakonova, who showed us her incredible garden with a thousand different plants and her house and studio in the style of an American barn in Troitsk. If you missed that episode, be sure to check it out (Про сад из 1000 растений и дом ландшафтног...).

And today we've arrived in the ancient town of Zubtsov in the Tver region. Here, several years ago, Vika bought a plot of land with the foundation of a burned-down house and literally built a new, comfortable wooden izba from scratch. Behind the carved fence lies not just a house, but an entire philosophy of Russian identity. There's a stone oven and an ancient 16th-century cellar, once part of the city's underground passages. And the izba's very unusual interior—not at all what one might imagine a village home to look like.

We came to talk about what made Vika fall in love with Zubtsov and build a hut here. We discussed why people today are increasingly drawn to traditions and what makes up Russian style. We talked about life in a small town, our neighbors, and, of course, our pride—the mighty Volga, the largest river in Europe.

It was interesting and inspiring, just as you're used to it and how you love it. Subscribe to us here and to our Telegram channel if you're interested in country life. And after watching, be sure to share your thoughts in the comments—our team and I want to know what you think!

Helpful video highlights:

Sewera – landscaping and engineering services – everything from design to implementation

• Sewera website with a catalog of services – https://sewera.ru/
• Sewera landscape brief – https://sewera.ru/landscape-brief/
• Telegram channel "Sewera: about life outside the city" – https://t.me/sewerachannel
• Our second channel, where we talk more about the technical aspects of our work – @seweraru
• Link to the previous episode with Vika – Про сад из 1000 растений и дом ландшафтног...
• Vika's project "Rastus," which combines a garden and cafe in Troitsk and a log cabin in Zubtsov – http://rastus.ru
• Address of the log cabin in Zubtsov – https://yandex.ru/maps/-/CPFPjH03
• Katya Gerdt's workshop, where Vika found a vintage table and chairs — https://katyagerdt.com

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Contents:

00:00 What's this episode about?
02:49 Getting to Know Victoria
03:25 What used to be where the hut used to be?
04:27 An unexpected find on the property
05:17 How is the yard divided?
07:09 How did the idea for this house come about?
07:43 An unusual layout of the hut
09:29 How is the hut built?
10:39 Where and how to look for vintage furniture?
11:41 Kitchen island and stove
13:00 What does Vika like most about the hut?
15:04 How did Akmal become friends with Bobik?
15:41 Why did Vika choose Zubtsov?
17:18 What does it mean to live by the Volga?
19:02 How is a small town different from a metropolis?
20:03 How did Vika's dream come true in a 16th-century basement?
22:53 Why are so many people drawn to traditions today?
23:22 Master bedroom in the log cabin
24:45 How are the storage spaces organized in the house?
26:10 Bathroom
27:53 Why didn't Vika contact a construction company?
28:24 Why was a temporary workshop needed?
30:37 Unusual solutions in the greenhouse
32:56 How to create a beautiful landscape?
33:47 How much did it cost to build the log cabin?
34:49 What's on the second floor?
35:42 How does the log cabin bring people together?
39:13 Advice for those thinking of moving to the countryside
40:09 Ending