The architect-designed house is situated on a fruit orchard spanning approximately 4,000 m² on a sunny south-facing slope in the small village of Schutz. In front of the house lies the Kleine Kyll Valley, with meadows, forests, and wooded hills. No other houses are visible from here. Behind the property, there are only a few other vacation homes along the road; the town center begins about 300 meters away. This creates a setting that feels exceptionally secluded without being completely isolated.
Completed in 2015, the house was designed with a consistent focus on its hillside location. Instead of traditional floors, the rooms are distributed across seven levels that are slightly offset from one another. From the entrance, one moves upward in a spiral around the central fireplace: first into the living room, then on to the dining area with the kitchen, to one of the bedrooms, and finally to a loft with a view back into the high-ceilinged living room. In the other direction are the second bedroom and the garden room, which has its own exit to the outdoors.
The varying elevations create a wide variety of spaces—some open and spacious, others smaller and more sheltered. At the same time, they remain connected through visual links. Large windows consistently orient the house toward the landscape and frame the view across the unspoiled valley and the forested slopes opposite.
The living and dining area serves as the central gathering space. In addition to the radiant floor heating, a wood-burning stove provides warmth here. The heating system uses a ground-source heat pump and runs on 100 percent green electricity. A Denon hi-fi system and Bowers & Wilkins speakers are available for music.
The kitchen is also much better equipped than a typical vacation home kitchen. In addition to an induction cooktop, oven, dishwasher, microwave, and refrigerator with freezer, the kitchen is equipped with high-quality pots, pans, and professional-grade knives. There are twelve sets each of dishes and silverware. For coffee, there’s a Senseo machine, an Italian espresso maker, and a classic manual filter.
Up to six people can stay overnight in the house. Two separate bedrooms each feature a 160 × 200-centimeter double bed with down comforters and an en suite bathroom. The garden room features a 155 × 196-centimeter sleeper sofa; a crib is also available. The garden room is also equipped with satellite TV. Free, unlimited Wi-Fi is available throughout the house.
The property is at least as important as the interior spaces. The balcony and terrace open up to the valley, and outdoor furniture from Lafuma and Fermob is ready for time spent outside. The large lawn also provides plenty of space around the house. On clear nights when it’s dark enough, you can see the Milky Way—a beautiful contrast to the days when your gaze wanders over the green slopes of the Vulkaneifel.
If you’d like to explore the area, you can set out on foot or by bike right from the house. Various hiking and biking trails run through and around Schutz, including the Burbergweg. Further afield are the Meerfelder Maar, Manderscheid with its two castles and the Lieserpfad, as well as other maars and volcanic landscapes around Daun and Gerolstein. The Meerfelder Maar also offers a swimming spot in the summer.
There is a lockable basement for bicycles, and a washing machine is also available. Two private parking spaces are located directly on the property next to the house.
