Header: Diachok Architects
Korčula Essence is the award-winning interior design of a private house on the Croatian island of Korčula, which dazzles visitors with the contrast between its terracotta roofs and the turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea.
Designed by Diachok Architects, a studio based in Warsaw, with Vladyslav Diachok as lead designer working alongside Karyna Tereshchenko, one of the most impactful elements of the residence is a large, luxurious terrace that overlooks the landscape and sea. Even though the house is still unfinished, the project won the “Interior Design – Houses” category at the BLT Built Design Awards 2025.
The bedrooms
Both rooms are dressed in warm neutral colours and natural materials, with made-to-measure woodwork, linen and details in stone. In one of the bedrooms, the designers mixed several kinds of fabric, from smooth curtains to woven panels on the walls and textured upholstery, which give the room depth and also help with its acoustics.
The headboard in that room was made to measure with a recessed niche, where phones and other devices can be charged overnight, and LED lights built in behind it give off a soft, diffused glow in the evening. Charging ports are also set into the upholstered frame of the bed itself, so power is always within reach while the sockets stay out of sight. Warm wood, beige and sandy colours and checked fabrics complete the room. Furthermore, the master bedroom has its own private bathroom, also in the same tones.
Stone and plaster
To better integrate the house in its setting, the designers chose stone and plaster, two materials traditionally used on Korčula, and picked colours that match the island’s cliffs, its sand and the surfaces bleached by the sun. The interior is open and light, with the studio having ingeniously separated the living and functional areas through size, proportions and changes of material.
Outside, the private terrace overlooking the Adriatic combines raw stone and soft beige finishes with lounge furniture made especially for the project. As an extra touch intended to support festivities that last through the night, the studio added a kitchen to the terrace.
“Every design decision contributes to mental ease and physical comfort. The result is a home that feels meditative but alive… a place where architecture quietly disappears, and the person becomes central.”
Diachok Architects
Project information
Interior Design Company: Diachok Architects
Lead Designer: Vladyslav Diachok
Design Team: Karyna Tereshchenko
Photography: Diachok Architects
Location: Korčula, Croatia
