What began as a decade-long dream became three years of hands-on work: stripping back clutter, opening the space to light and wood, and shaping a slower rhythm of life on the Velebit mountain.
In the heart of Velebit Nature Park, Stars Peak mountain retreat combine the serenity of the mountains with the beauty of the Adriatic coast. Paklenica, Zavratnica, Pag and Velebit's most stunning peaks are all within easy reach.
High on Velebit, Marko and Ljiljana turned a wooden chalet into Stars Peak — an unusual, deeply personal retreat with views of mountain ridge and the Adriatic coast is half an hour away.
The idea of a mountain retreat did not arrive overnight. For around ten years it kept returning. Hiking on Velebit with grew into a love for the Velebit mountain.
TVshows about slower, braver ways of living — including Ben Fogle’s New Lives in the Wild — opened a perspective we could not ignore: a home where nature is not a weekend escape, but part of everyday rhythm.
In 2021 we found a wooden chalet that was structurally solid and well built, but the interior was not ours — a crowded kitchen and living room, worn furniture, and twelve bunk beds for hikers in the attic.
Renovating took about three years. The hardest part was logistics: distance, hauling materials and furniture up the mountain, clearing the old and making room for the new. For months, hikers still knocked thinking the shelter was open — one of our first lessons in how special, and how private, this place would become.
We did everything we could ourselves — water lines, bathroom, kitchen, living room, bedroom and attic — and called in professionals for electrics, the solar system, PVC joinery and the stairs to the loft.
The split of chores came naturally: I did everything with tools, cutting, sanding and assembly; and Ljiljana with finances, cost planning and design :). What we wanted for ourselves is what we offer guests — less clutter, more light, warmth and wood throughout.
The guiding idea was minimalism born from thinking, not trend: open the space, let in light, and use the gallery and glass wall as anchors for every other decision.
Wood was the obvious choice — we are surrounded by forest, so the interior follows the outside. The living room is where we rest after work, watch films and plan what comes next.
At this altitude, sustainability is not a label — it is the only way to bring modern comfort to Velebit. Rainwater feeds cooking, drinking and showers through filtration. Solar powers the house; a generator runs the boiler and oven when needed. Satellite internet keeps Wi‑Fi reliably fast.
Wooden surfaces and the roof need regular care — the mountain is generous, but it asks for attention in return.
Every stay feels a little different. What stays the same is focus — a slower pace without city noise and deadlines.
Our advice to anyone dreaming of a home in nature: be patient, keep visiting the mountain, decide firmly — and never give up.
