Houzz Tour: Apartment Follows the Architects’ Plans to the Letter
Thrilled with the pros’ drawings, this Moscow couple makes every detail a reality, right down to the lion sculpture
These clients liked architecture firm DesignRocks’ rendering for their Moscow apartment so much that they wanted to perfectly realize it. They even went so far as to have the exact accessories custom-cast in plastic in a Moscow workshop, and they waited four months for the ideal wallpaper. “This is one of the few experiences I’ve had in which the owners were ready to make any sacrifice so that the result would correspond to the original design concept completely. This was not even as important to us as it was to them,” says Evgenia Shilova, one of the architects on the project.
Lower-level layout
The new layout incorporates plenty of open spaces. The clients had asked for a huge kitchen-living room, where they could spend time with friends, and the upper-level master bedroom doesn’t even have a door. The idea was to allow all the spaces to flow into one another organically.
The new layout incorporates plenty of open spaces. The clients had asked for a huge kitchen-living room, where they could spend time with friends, and the upper-level master bedroom doesn’t even have a door. The idea was to allow all the spaces to flow into one another organically.
The owners like interesting textures, so they chose materials as much for their tactile qualities as for their appearance. They had the idea of pouring a transparent leveling compound (Ardex Pandomo) on the concrete floor and using textured engineered wood.
The entryway’s walls and ceiling are finished in wood, turning this area into a kind of box within the open living room. The closets are designed to make use of every available inch. The one on the left makes the most of the space under the stairs.
17 Ideas for Storage Under the Stairs
The entryway’s walls and ceiling are finished in wood, turning this area into a kind of box within the open living room. The closets are designed to make use of every available inch. The one on the left makes the most of the space under the stairs.
17 Ideas for Storage Under the Stairs
The closet’s side is decorated with a lion’s bust, which was molded straight from the rendering.
“We drew a 3D model [of the bust] as a way to mark a place for some sort of decor [on the plan]. However, the clients insisted on having the exact same sculpture. We had to give the drawings to a local workshop and have it cast in plastic,” Shilova says.
“We drew a 3D model [of the bust] as a way to mark a place for some sort of decor [on the plan]. However, the clients insisted on having the exact same sculpture. We had to give the drawings to a local workshop and have it cast in plastic,” Shilova says.
They originally had planned to install exposed metal C-beams on the walls and ceiling, but they abandoned this idea because these kinds of beams tend to get very cold in winter. In the end, they got a similar look by painting the plasterboard boxing black.
The fiber-reinforced concrete panels on the accent wall were made to order in Belarus. The panels are quite heavy, so attaching them required both glue and fasteners. Then decorative washers were added.
To the right of the fireplace are felt pillows that look like rocks.
Find pillows in all shapes and sizes in the Houzz Shop
To the right of the fireplace are felt pillows that look like rocks.
Find pillows in all shapes and sizes in the Houzz Shop
As early as the initial technical meeting, one of the clients insisted on having this fireplace (Paxfocus by Focus) in the living room. The apartment already had a chimney, but the team still had some problems during the installation, as the short chimney wasn’t able to draw out the smoke efficiently enough. Specialists were called in to extend it.
Find a fireplace pro in the Houzz directory
Find a fireplace pro in the Houzz directory
The built-in wall unit was custom-made of colored medium-density fiberboard and veneered panels based on the designers’ drawings. The interior is finished with black sheet metal, which is almost impossible to scratch. The couple use the right side as a rack for firewood.
“The carpentry workshop jokingly nicknamed this project 3 Millimeters. We were worried about the size, and we kept checking the dimensions using a sheet of MDF in the correct thickness. If the gaps were bigger or smaller than 3 millimeters, we had the carpenters redo the work,” says Shilova’s colleague, architect Ilya Eroshevich.
“The carpentry workshop jokingly nicknamed this project 3 Millimeters. We were worried about the size, and we kept checking the dimensions using a sheet of MDF in the correct thickness. If the gaps were bigger or smaller than 3 millimeters, we had the carpenters redo the work,” says Shilova’s colleague, architect Ilya Eroshevich.
The kitchen occupies an oddly shaped space. The architects originally came up with a linear cabinet design that would have looked more relaxed and uniform. The owners wanted to save every inch of space, however, and rejected this idea. The Giulia Novars kitchen cabinetry now lines a niche, continues along the adjoining wall and then transforms into a bar counter. The clients chose the rust-colored and rust-textured metal for the fronts.
Between the black slats are built-in dimmable light strips. The same lighting was used on the staircase.
You can’t tell by looking at it, but this interior was an example of careful budget management.
Where to Splurge, Where to Save in Your Remodel
Where to Splurge, Where to Save in Your Remodel
Part of the lower level is a winter garden, separated from the living room by a transparent partition with a metal frame. This room can become a nursery or an office in future — the outlets are already in place.
15 Clever Ways to Partition a Room and Keep the Light
15 Clever Ways to Partition a Room and Keep the Light
There are two bathrooms in the apartment: One is next to the master bedroom, and the other, which has a bathtub and usually serves as a guest bathroom, is on the first level.
The owners went for an inexpensive stone-look porcelain tile from Russian manufacturer Atlas Concorde. The fixtures also are from economical brands. The calm color palette, though, leaves this interior looking refined.
Shop for porcelain tile
The owners went for an inexpensive stone-look porcelain tile from Russian manufacturer Atlas Concorde. The fixtures also are from economical brands. The calm color palette, though, leaves this interior looking refined.
Shop for porcelain tile
They saved on the mirror by buying it from an online store and adding a backlight. The round shelves from Rifra echo its shape. The vanity is from Rifra too.
Upper-level layout
The upstairs hallway is lined with shallow floor-to-ceiling closets, used mainly for shoes. Toward the end of the hall, a U-shaped unit functions as a walk-in closet. The closet uses all the space from floor to ceiling.
In the master bedroom, horse-themed wallpaper (from Momenti Casa’s Crazy Paper series) instantly draws attention. The owners liked it so much that, again, they insisted on an exact replica of the rendering. They weren’t even discouraged by having to wait four months for the wallpaper to arrive.
Browse wallpaper by color and pattern in the Houzz Shop
Browse wallpaper by color and pattern in the Houzz Shop
The wooden finishes in the bedroom feature similar shades and textures for a tone-on-tone look. The TV partition and the headboard are covered with the same veneer panels. The headboard helps conceal a ventilation shaft.
Apartment at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with a dog
Location: Moscow
Size: 1,152 square feet (107 square meters); two bedrooms, two bathrooms
Architects: Evgenia Shilova and Ilya Eroshevich of DesignRocks
The apartment is in a renovated building. The developer sold it with a mortar layer on the floor and plasterboard on the walls, but the owners decided on a large-scale renovation that extended to the apartment’s infrastructure.
They went for industrial decor, reflected in their new concrete, wood and metal finishes. Not only do they like this style, but it’s also a good fit with the building’s facade.
The first order of business was dismantling the few structures that were already in place. Replanning the layout opened up about 110 square feet of livable space. The upper-level hallway was enlarged to make room for a wider passageway and built-in closets, while the master bedroom was extended to take up the full available width.