St. Petersburg Houzz Tour: Industrial Style Apartment Gets Cosy
Raw concrete, rusty metal and leather underscore the industrial bones of this Russian apartment
Apartment layout. From top to bottom, left to right: kitchen-living room, guest room; office, walk-in closet, hallway, bathroom, laundry; bedroom, bathroom, entrance
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A young man
Location: St. Petersburg, Russia
Size: About 1,725 square feet (160 square metres)
Architects: Maria Makhonina and Alexandra Kazakovtseva of mk-interio
At the outset, the apartment was full of empty spaces occasionally broken up by load-bearing columns. Luckily, the latter did not get in the way of a cosy interior.
In addition to the open kitchen-living room area and the master bedroom with its en suite, the team also built a guest room, laundry room, office and large walk-in closet into these about 1,725 square feet (160 square metres). In some areas, a dropped ceiling had to be built to install air conditioning and ventilation systems.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A young man
Location: St. Petersburg, Russia
Size: About 1,725 square feet (160 square metres)
Architects: Maria Makhonina and Alexandra Kazakovtseva of mk-interio
At the outset, the apartment was full of empty spaces occasionally broken up by load-bearing columns. Luckily, the latter did not get in the way of a cosy interior.
In addition to the open kitchen-living room area and the master bedroom with its en suite, the team also built a guest room, laundry room, office and large walk-in closet into these about 1,725 square feet (160 square metres). In some areas, a dropped ceiling had to be built to install air conditioning and ventilation systems.
The walls were left in their original form – the designers simply smoothed the concrete, cleaned off the dust and covered it with a layer of matte varnish. The newly built partitions were covered in beige decorative plaster.
The designers were thus able to save on plasterboard, as they did not cover the perimeter walls or the ceiling. “It is reasonable not only from the point of view of practicality but also aesthetics: It turned out to be an honest solution [that was true to the overall style of the building] and not just frivolous decor. We like it when the interior matches the facades,” Makhonina says.
The designers were thus able to save on plasterboard, as they did not cover the perimeter walls or the ceiling. “It is reasonable not only from the point of view of practicality but also aesthetics: It turned out to be an honest solution [that was true to the overall style of the building] and not just frivolous decor. We like it when the interior matches the facades,” Makhonina says.
The entry hall has angled walls and sits between the apartment door and the living room. The many doors to other rooms are fixed in hidden frames that are flush with the wall. The flooring is made up of about 47-by-24-inch (120-by-60-centimetre) porcelain stoneware tiles, which, once again, recall concrete.
The console table and the black-and-white ink drawings above it are the hall’s focal points. The designers borrowed the idea from classic interiors but changed the look to meet modern trends. They chose a console with geometric-looking brass legs and, instead of a landscape or a mirror as one might see in more classical setups, they matched it with these two drawings by Swiss artist Stephan Spicher, from his Permeating the Skies series, purchased from the Inner Voice Gallery. The arrangement is framed by two unusual but iconic chairs: Zig Zag by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld for Cassina, and the Square Chair by Frederik Roijé.
Porcelain stoneware floor tiles: Coem; doors: Albed; console table: Rooma
The console table and the black-and-white ink drawings above it are the hall’s focal points. The designers borrowed the idea from classic interiors but changed the look to meet modern trends. They chose a console with geometric-looking brass legs and, instead of a landscape or a mirror as one might see in more classical setups, they matched it with these two drawings by Swiss artist Stephan Spicher, from his Permeating the Skies series, purchased from the Inner Voice Gallery. The arrangement is framed by two unusual but iconic chairs: Zig Zag by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld for Cassina, and the Square Chair by Frederik Roijé.
Porcelain stoneware floor tiles: Coem; doors: Albed; console table: Rooma
In the living room, the porcelain stoneware gives way to an oak floor. The place where the two finishes meet is embellished with cork. The designers were able to save on the flooring, reserving budget for furniture and lighting instead.
The wall opposite the living-room door is decorated with a carved MDF panel featuring shelves, a stone countertop and backlighting along its edges. It was custom-made according to the designers’ sketches. The shelves display books and accessories.
In some places, grooves were cut into the walls and ceiling to insert track lighting. These are complemented with fixtures over the bar that appear to float on threads, and others set over the dining table that are reminiscent of birds.
Couch: Meridiani; coffee tables: Rooma and Meridiani; dining table: Desalto; chairs: Cassina; rug: CC-Tapis; x-shaped shelves: Bukan by Mox; lamps: Vesoi and Delightful
Couch: Meridiani; coffee tables: Rooma and Meridiani; dining table: Desalto; chairs: Cassina; rug: CC-Tapis; x-shaped shelves: Bukan by Mox; lamps: Vesoi and Delightful
The kitchen is laid out along two lines demarcated by a graphite-coloured wall unit and an island. The latter is covered with panels that mimic a rusty surface. It flows into a custom-made bar counter.
The countertops are made of an artificial stone. Their edges are cut at a 45-degree angle to make them look thinner.
The countertops are made of an artificial stone. Their edges are cut at a 45-degree angle to make them look thinner.
To make the most of the light coming into the kitchen-living room through its three large windows, the wall between the window and the kitchen cabinets is mirrored. This makes the space look bigger while the reflection doubles the light from the windows.
Kitchen: MK Cucine
Kitchen: MK Cucine
The warm wood in the bedroom echoes the design of the kitchen island. Even though the rooms are set apart from one another, the interior decor carries the same through-lines. The floor-to-ceiling doors in the bedroom are made of knotted oak.
On the wall opposite the bed hangs an arrangement of three more works by artist Stephan Spicher, whose drawings adorn the entryway. The ones here are from the Eternal Line series. They are made of aluminium and are a good fit with both the materials and the mood of the interior.
Bed: Meridiani; armchair: Saba; side lamps: by Bosa and La Chance; ball light: Luna by Davide Gropi
On the wall opposite the bed hangs an arrangement of three more works by artist Stephan Spicher, whose drawings adorn the entryway. The ones here are from the Eternal Line series. They are made of aluminium and are a good fit with both the materials and the mood of the interior.
Bed: Meridiani; armchair: Saba; side lamps: by Bosa and La Chance; ball light: Luna by Davide Gropi
A glass partition with a small door separates the bathroom from the bedroom. The smoked glass provides privacy while giving the space a unique feel. Only the double vanity and the free-standing tub are visible; the toilet and shower are hidden behind another partition. The walls and floor are porcelain stoneware with a concrete look, and above the bathtub is mounted black towel rack with built-in faucets.
Vanity: Casabath; bathtub: Knief; faucets: Agape
Vanity: Casabath; bathtub: Knief; faucets: Agape
The walk-through office can be reached from both the living room and the walk-in closet and features the same decor scheme as the rest of the interior, including the knotted oak panels. The shelves and table were made to measure.
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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.
When this apartment was delivered to its owner, it was a completely unfinished concrete box – as is the norm for new apartments in Russia. This inspired the designers to go for a raw, industrial decor that would echo the aesthetic of the building’s facade. Maria Makhonina and Alexandra Kazakovtseva took the concrete as a starting point for drawing up the whole design. “This was an interesting project for us because the style we picked is not so common. Together we’ve nicknamed this style ‘trendy loft,’” Makhonina says.