In the north, the Volyn region borders Poland and Belarus, which means there is a special access regime in the border area. This area turned out to be a hidden gem for researchers – many authentic houses with distinctive decor have been preserved in the local villages, far from regional centers. Over the course of three days, we visited around 30 villages, capturing more than 1,000 photos.

The architecture of Volyn’s villages features characteristics typical of northern Ukraine, notably the widespread use of wood, which is well-suited to the forested landscape. Most houses are either constructed from timber using the log construction technique or adorned with wooden planks; brick houses are relatively rare. We first incorporated wooden planks into our online constructor after researching the Chernihiv region, which suggests a shared ethnographic context across the area. For the online constructor, we selected three typical patterns for wooden cladding: horizontal, vertical, and herringbone. Gables are often embellished with decorative wooden planks as well.

Window frames, often minimalist, along with cornices and corners, are decorated with carvings featuring geometric patterns such as diamonds, circles, lines, hearts, and floral motifs. In the north of the region, shutters are common, providing extra protection against drafts and heat loss. Most roofs are reinforced with eaves and adorned with fascia boards. The gables of the buildings are often adorned with spikes, and symbolic suns are frequently placed in the attics.

The color palette of the region’s houses ranges from traditional white, natural wood tones, and blue to vibrant shades of yellow, red, and green.