Moscow Houzz Tour: Small Studio Knows its Priorities
The owners of this apartment knew exactly what they wanted: Full-size bedroom? Check. TV, dishwasher? Why bother.
Евгения Назарова
23 September 2018
The owners of this apartment, Elena Kareva and Alexander Romanov, pictured, work for an airline. To make their commute to work at Sheremetyevo Airport more comfortable, the couple bought their first apartment together in the neighbouring city of Khimki, in the Moscow Region.
They initially tried to design the interior layout themselves, but once they got the keys to the apartment they decided not to take risks with the electricity and plumbing, and turned to professionals instead.
They initially tried to design the interior layout themselves, but once they got the keys to the apartment they decided not to take risks with the electricity and plumbing, and turned to professionals instead.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Elena Kareva and Alexander Romanov
Location: Khimki, Moscow Region, Russia
Size: About 345 square feet (32 square metres), with an about 50-square-foot (4.6-square-metre) balcony. Ceiling height: 9 feet (2.77 metres)
Interior designers: Ivan Proskurin and Ekaterina Irtiugo of Space for Life
An internet search brought them to a Space for Life studio project featured in Houzz Russia a few years ago in nearby Dolgoprudny. Kareva and Romanov liked the designers’ clever approach to small spaces. “As a result, everything turned out exactly the way we wanted: It’s simple, unpretentious and full of light,” Kareva says.
The work took three months. “This project is a very rare example of when the design on paper and the real-life interior are like two peas in a pod,” says Ivan Proskurin, one of the designers involved in the project. “We carefully planned and designed the space, calculating everything to the nearest inch with a view to comfort of use. Usually, it is necessary to make adjustments during the work, and it sometimes even happens that as ideas develop, eventually nothing remains of the original plan.”
Who lives here: Elena Kareva and Alexander Romanov
Location: Khimki, Moscow Region, Russia
Size: About 345 square feet (32 square metres), with an about 50-square-foot (4.6-square-metre) balcony. Ceiling height: 9 feet (2.77 metres)
Interior designers: Ivan Proskurin and Ekaterina Irtiugo of Space for Life
An internet search brought them to a Space for Life studio project featured in Houzz Russia a few years ago in nearby Dolgoprudny. Kareva and Romanov liked the designers’ clever approach to small spaces. “As a result, everything turned out exactly the way we wanted: It’s simple, unpretentious and full of light,” Kareva says.
The work took three months. “This project is a very rare example of when the design on paper and the real-life interior are like two peas in a pod,” says Ivan Proskurin, one of the designers involved in the project. “We carefully planned and designed the space, calculating everything to the nearest inch with a view to comfort of use. Usually, it is necessary to make adjustments during the work, and it sometimes even happens that as ideas develop, eventually nothing remains of the original plan.”
Apartment layout
The owners got the apartment from the property developer as a concrete box with a clear layout: a room on the left and the kitchen, bathing room and separate two-piece bathroom on the right.
However, the owners wanted to sleep on a normal bed and not have to fold out a couch every night, without giving up on having a proper living-room space. Combining two zones with different functions was therefore the project’s main challenge.
In practice, there were two possible ways to fit a bedroom into this small space: either in an alcove or as a partitioned unit, which was the solution they went for. The glass wall creates a sense of spaciousness, but the bedroom can be concealed with a curtain when the owners have friends over.
The owners got the apartment from the property developer as a concrete box with a clear layout: a room on the left and the kitchen, bathing room and separate two-piece bathroom on the right.
However, the owners wanted to sleep on a normal bed and not have to fold out a couch every night, without giving up on having a proper living-room space. Combining two zones with different functions was therefore the project’s main challenge.
In practice, there were two possible ways to fit a bedroom into this small space: either in an alcove or as a partitioned unit, which was the solution they went for. The glass wall creates a sense of spaciousness, but the bedroom can be concealed with a curtain when the owners have friends over.
The team didn’t skimp on bedroom materials, but neither did they go over-the-top. One of the main expenses was the welded partition: This kind of divider can cost up to US$320 (20,000 rubles) per square meter, but it has paid off.
The partition is sturdy and the glass panels are fixed tightly and safely in place. However, the structure also makes it easy to remove and replace damaged panes in future. One of the sections of the partition swings open, serving as the bedroom door.
The partition is sturdy and the glass panels are fixed tightly and safely in place. However, the structure also makes it easy to remove and replace damaged panes in future. One of the sections of the partition swings open, serving as the bedroom door.
The couple were able to save on wallpaper by painting the accent wall with a stencil in the same shade of green as the wall in the living room. It was a difficult job: The stencil was small, and they always had to wait for the paint to dry before going on to the next section of the pattern. The larger the stencil, the more expensive it is, but it is also easier to work with.
The curtain on the inside of the partition protects the bedroom from the sun and hides it from view.
A forced ventilation system feeds air into the bedroom. However, the owners say that they rarely use it, as the partition is not hermetically sealed and therefore lets in sufficient fresh air.
A forced ventilation system feeds air into the bedroom. However, the owners say that they rarely use it, as the partition is not hermetically sealed and therefore lets in sufficient fresh air.
Wall paint by Tikkurila
Most of the furniture in the apartment is from IKEA. The dark green Kareva and Romanov chose for the living-room walls is a neutral and classic colour that will continue to be fashionable for many years to come.
Note that there is no TV in front of the couch. “Many of our friends and colleagues are still surprised – how can you live in an apartment without a TV?! We are totally fine with it. We don’t need one,” the owners say.
Most of the furniture in the apartment is from IKEA. The dark green Kareva and Romanov chose for the living-room walls is a neutral and classic colour that will continue to be fashionable for many years to come.
Note that there is no TV in front of the couch. “Many of our friends and colleagues are still surprised – how can you live in an apartment without a TV?! We are totally fine with it. We don’t need one,” the owners say.
To keep the feeling of space and visual lightness, the kitchen-dining room was combined with the living room. The owners don’t cook a lot, so they focused on aesthetics in designing this space. They even refused to have a dishwasher, as they do not use many dishes.
The refrigerator is the only tall feature in the kitchen; the plumbing and appliances are built into the lower cabinets, and the upper shelves are used to store kitchenware and spices.
There is laminate flooring throughout the apartment, and all of its walls are painted. This was driven by considerations of both style and functionality: The laminate will last longer than parquet in the hallway, for example.
A large built-in closet with mirrored doors is the apartment’s main storage unit. They went for swinging rather than sliding doors, so that they would be level and create a sleek surface when closed.
A large built-in closet with mirrored doors is the apartment’s main storage unit. They went for swinging rather than sliding doors, so that they would be level and create a sleek surface when closed.
Both the bath space and the separate two-piece bathroom are small, so it was not easy to find a good spot for the washing machine. It was therefore placed perpendicular to the vanity unit and parallel to the bathtub, doubling as a countertop.
The washing machine and the vanity unit are at different heights, with a small step in between. This multi-level counter adds an interesting decorative accent. It also provides an additional surface for storage.
The washing machine and the vanity unit are at different heights, with a small step in between. This multi-level counter adds an interesting decorative accent. It also provides an additional surface for storage.
In the two-piece bathroom, simple fixtures and a narrow sink leave room to move around.
TELL US
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
TELL US
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
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The plan shows a room opening to at the end of the couch (opposite the bedroom) but I can't see this in any of the photos. Balcony perhaps? This would help (at least in the warmer months) in creating extra space.
Really clever, shows that a small space is no obstacle to creating an environment that works