Cozy apartment of 72 m2 in an old Moscow house
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09 Dec 2022
The designers of the Carton group studio have created a modern interior in an Old Moscow apartment, preserving both the layout, the stucco decor, and the atmosphere. The authors themselves tell about the project
Living room. Table and chairs, SK Design. Swing, La Redoute. The shelving and wine cabinet are made to order. Lamp and sconce, La Redoute.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
GENERAL PARAMETERSProperty type: apartment built in 1949
Where is located: Leningradsky Prospekt, near Belorusskaya metro station
Square footage: 72 m2
The main idea of the project: to get away from the mundane and create a rich interior, preserving the history of the house
**Color scheme:**saturated colors, based on a complex shade at the junction between salmon and terracotta
The author of the project: designer Ekaterina Lyubimkina, https://t.me/cartongroup , www.agcarton.com , T. +7 (926) 603-94-30
Our customer, a young successful woman, bought an apartment for herself within walking distance from the office of the IT company in which she works. It was very important for her to create a unique space in which it would never be boring, on the one hand, and in which noble chic would be read, on the other. She loves indoor plants, which set the Urban jungle motif in the interiors.
Living room. Sofa, Imodern. Carpet, plaid and pillows, Nomad chic. Floors, Finex.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
The apartment is located in a house built in 1949 and got a new owner in a dilapidated condition. Considering the decoration, we realized that the cornices and ceiling sockets belong to the time of the construction of the house, and therefore decided to restore and preserve them. It was not possible to save the stucco only in the corridor, so a high classical cornice was added under the ceiling — however, it was highlighted with colored edging to create a more modern image.
View from the hallway to the living room. The doors between these two rooms have been removed so that more light gets into the corridor.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
We almost did not change the boundaries of the premises, so as not to damage the stucco — it was lucky that the apartment originally had a good layout. We only had to combine the bathroom and toilet, and also get rid of the door between the corridor and the living room — thanks to this solution, the passage area gets more natural light.
To accentuate the area above the dining table in the living room, we used a special type of lamp: one cartridge was divided into two wires. The idea is not new, but it is not very common in Russia, so the lamp was made to order.
Dining area. Table and chairs, SK Design. Vase, Ambartsum Kabanyan.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
"We are very careful about the preservation of history in the old fund, it also turned out to be important for our customer"
Living room, fragment. Thanks to the load-bearing beam in the bay window, the designers managed to mount a hook for a hanging chair. After the plants were placed in this area, a real winter garden turned out here.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
Of course, the main "magnet" of the apartment was a hanging swing and a winter garden in the living room. Before the start of the dismantling work, we did not know for sure whether it would be possible to place the swing in the bay window — it directly depended on the material of the floors, the initial information about which, as often happens in the old fund, has not been preserved. But we were very lucky — load-bearing metal beams passed through the bay window, which allowed us to bring our idea to life.
Living room, fragment. The rack is made to order in a carpentry workshop.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
"We are very careful about the preservation of history in the old fund, for our customer it also turned out to be significant"
After the renovation was completed, when the owner of the apartment moved and moved her smoky British cat with her, it turned out that he looks very impressive at every point of the interior - as if all the colors were chosen specifically for him.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
The courage of the customer and her readiness for bright interiors allowed us to rely on the use of additional colors. This technique visually diversified the space and emphasized the harmonious image. To help with the bright colors, we used an intense print on the wallpaper and active tile ornaments.
Living room, fragment. Sofa, Imodern. Carpet and pillows, Nomad chic. Since the ceilings in the apartment were not touched, so as not to damage the stucco, interesting lighting solutions appeared. For example, wall sconces that reflect on the ceiling, creating flood lighting.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
Living room, fragment. The author of the painting above the sofa is Ksenia Dmitrieva. The accent wall is covered with tropical print wallpaper, Fun house store.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
In the kitchen, for example, a rather bold combination of mustard walls and emerald facades and an active print on the floor is used. To enhance the image, we introduced brass, which is present in fittings, faucets and lamps.
View from the hallway to the kitchen.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
Kitchen, fragment. The unsightly heating system was hidden in a box that adjoins a cozy bench for sitting.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
We have lightened the upper part of the kitchen by creating a large open shelf for art and plants. Such a non-standard solution gives depth to the space and distracts attention from massive storage systems.
Kitchen, "Maria". On the shelf is the work of Ksenia Dmitrieva.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
Kitchen, fragment.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
The hostess planned to transfer some furniture from the previous apartment, so we selected the missing items in advance so that they would not argue with existing things. For example, bedside tables in the bedroom were made to order in SK Design, so that they were executed in the same style and material with two previously purchased shelves. The built-in furniture was made in a carpentry workshop, and a bed with a padded headboard was ordered in Divan.ru .
Bedroom, fragment. The new owner of the apartment kept a crystal chandelier — a Soviet vintage inherited from the previous owners.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
Bedroom, fragment. Bed, Divan.ru . Armchair and shelving, SK Design. Wall panels, Orac decor. Wallpaper with print, Fun house store. Carpet and plaid, Nomad chic.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
The lower part of the walls in the bedroom is decorated with imitation panels — we used this technique to hide the complex heating system running around the perimeter.
Bedroom, fragment. Bed, Divan.ru . Armchair and shelving, SK Design. Wall panels, Orac decor. Wallpaper with print, Fun house store. Carpet, Nomad chic.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
The bathroom is designed in dark colors to enhance the effect, setting up for rest and relaxation. We used a combination of tiles with washable paint in the bathroom area and varnished wallpaper in the toilet area, playing on the combination of color contrast and textures in one room.
Bathroom, fragment. Tile, Kerama marazzi. Vase, Ambartsum Kabanyan. Wallpaper, Fun house store.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
The illuminated niche behind the bathroom and the cabinet in the installation area were the result of working with the original internal communications system — in order to safely fit a full bath, we had to make an indentation from the wall. Thanks to this, a solution with a niche appeared. A similar story was with the installation system and open shelves to the left of the sink.
Bathroom, fragment. Tile, Kerama marazzi. Vase, Ambartsum Kabanyan. Wallpaper, Fun house store.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
Working with the old fund is the most responsible and at the same time the most interesting. In houses and apartments with a history, we immediately deal with a number of restrictions — starting with the construction and ending with internal communications.
Of course, it would be easier to demolish everything and create something from scratch, but in this case, the bundle of the house with history disappears. In this project, we managed to unlock the potential of the apartment, preserving and emphasizing the historical thread and making it modern and comfortable at the same time.
Entrance hall and corridor. The stucco could not be saved here, so a high classical cornice was added under the ceiling, but it was highlighted with colored edging to create a more modern image. Carpet, Nomad chic. Built-in cabinets are made to order at the production in Ulyanovsk.
Photo
Olga Shangina. Style: Ekaterina Shapovalova
